Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 45 Colt Pig Loads

For those of you who have actually taken pigs at any range with a general duty sidearm load, will the typical 800+ fps 255 gr 45 Colt load dispatch them with confidence? I am trying to settle on a velocity & bullet combo that I will feel confident with that won't bust my eardrums should I have to shoot it hurriedly without ear plugs.

I have carried my 45 Colt's many a trip into the woods but never had to use it in self defense. Once I need to do so I want to make sure my load will do the job.

I'd say anything stouter than the cowboy loads would do.
I killed one a couple of years ago with a 9x18 Makarov. Head shot at about 10 yards.

What handgun will you be using??

I've used a S&W mtn gun (4" bbl) with handloads - Speer 260 Gr. JHP at about 1100 fps. I finished off several and shot 2 small hogs at close range and dropped them. I wouldn't have hesitated trying to take a large hog with it. I think if you are using a good hard cast, you'll be fine. But if you are using a handgun that can take it, I'd load them up to 1000 fps. Just my opinion.

Let us know more about your situation......what handgun, hunting over feeder or stalking (how long of a shot might you have to take)....backup gun for a rifle or will the handgun be your main weapon??

I carry either a 1911 in 45 Super that will power a 200gr lead slug at 1280 fps with great accuracy. Or I carry a Ruger New Vaquero in 45 Colt. Either one are for general purpose utility while hunting or outdoors. My actual hunting revolvers are both Ruger Hunter SBH 7.5" in 45 Colt.

My sidearms may be called upon for dispatching a downed animal, snake shot, unexpected encounters with pigs or mountain lions.

I understand the old .45 Colt load of a round nose, very small flat point, 250-255 gr. lead bullet will penetrate more than almost anybody needs to kill just about anything. But they leave a very small wound channel. So if you aren't making a CNS, i.e. a head shot, it won't kill quickly.
However, most have found that the typical hard cast, SWC 250-260 gr. cast bullets at say 1000 fps. will also penetrate plenty and kill better. E

I would think a 250-255 grn Kieth style bullet, driven by 18.5 grns of 2400 would do the trick. That combo shoots wonderfully in my two 45`s, Vaquero and Blackhawk. That load will ring your ears tho, without protection.

BTB, thanks for the 7 Wby!

Hope you are enjoying it. It's a nice package.

The .45 Colt is a very good pig cartridge. I use 250 gr. hardcast bullets at about 1,000 FPS and they are pig magic.

If you reload, I'd go with what others have recommended - a 255 Gr. hard cast at about 1000 fps.

And if you're finishing off a bigger hog, I'd aim for the neck just behind the earhole or just under, depending on which angle you're taking. Even heavy bullets sometimes tend to take a detour when shot at a hog's skull at close range. Suckers must be harder than titanium!

+1

For my .45 Ruger revolvers, I use a 255 grain LSWC over Blue Dot powder.
I have found from years of experience, that bullet, moving along at between 900 and 1000 fps, will drill a decent sized hog end to end.
Oh, it kills them too.

all have sound advice, i use more weight, 300gr. eather ww296 or h110. loaded to 1000 it shoots really good, flat , and kills really well. of the 10 or 12 hogs i have shot or seen shot with this load none have gone more than maby 3 to 4 yards. full penetration. safe in ruger and freadom arms. D O M I T !

My mid level 'Ruger only' load is 9.7 grns of Unique with a 250 grn bullet. The chrony showed just over 1000fps with a 4 5/8" barreled Blackhawk(if memory serves). There is a little room on the upside if one desired. The load was a little stout but quite controllable. My next plan to to get some quality sub 300 grn cast GC bullets. I don't think I need to step it up any more with win 296/H-110. The Unique also was burning rather cleanly.

As long as ur shooting a newer (strong gun),like a ruger or a t/c. Id use a hornady 300 grain xtp mag bulletwith 21.0 grains of win 296.that will give u 1250fps.That el learn em.

Have you clocked that load ? Speer says that out of a 7.5 inch Ruger, 20.7 grs. of 296 clocks 1084 fps. with their 300 gr. bullet.
BTW, I understand the magnum version of the Hornady 300 gr. bullet is designed for maximum loads in the .454 Casull and the .460 S&W. E

I wish those suggestios would be ALL Colt / Clone compatible ...

I intend to use the Rem 225 grs SWC, if I run into trouble in the woods

---> what do YOU think of that load?

WH Hermann

The load I use for my Colt/clones is a bit more than some books suggest, but has worked well for me......for more than 30 years.

I typically, for serious hunting, shoot 17 grains of 2400 behind a 255 grain Keith-style bullet for just over 1050 fps. My guns have shown no ill effects from this load although I admit I don't put thousands of such rounds through my hunting handguns each year.

My "everyday" load for .45 Colt is 8.0 grains of Unique behind the same 255 grain bullet for something in the range of 900 fps. I DO put thousands of rounds of this load through my guns and they have handled it quite nicely. By the way, this load has also performed well when used on hogs that wandered by when I was carrying it.

The Remington load you metioned works good, but for factory ammo in a Colt/Clone I'd suggest one from Buffalo Bore. It pushes a 255 grain semi-wadcutter at 1000 fps and is rated for use in all .45 Colt revolvers....including Colt/Clones.

You can use 16.1 gr. of 2400 under a 250-255 gr. hard cast SWC bullet for around 900 to 1000 fps and the load is very plesant to shoot. I use such a load as my 'all around load' for my FA-97, great accuracy. It should work well on anything except BIG bears that might want to chew on you if you didn't put them down quickly.