40 or 45 for deer hunting?

[45LCshoooter]

American Rifleman did an article some time ago (late 80's...most likely early 90's) showing that standard 45 ACP ammo tends to lose velocity in 16" barrels. I forget what kind of firearm the tests were done in but i think the testing parameters were but the article concluded that it was due to low powder charges and barrel friction.

[Merle]

American Rifleman did an article some time ago (late 80's...most likely early 90's) showing that standard 45 ACP ammo tends to lose velocity in 16" barrels. I forget what kind of firearm the tests were done in but i think the testing parameters were but the article concluded that it was due to low powder charges and barrel friction.

I recall the same (?) article. IIRC, the standard 9mm also ran slower in a 16" Camp Carbine barrel. It was supposed that the powder charge burned out after "X" number of inches, and that barrel friction slowed it down from there. However with +P (or handloads using a slower burning powder) the results would be different. I have seen chrono figures posted here & there that showed the 9mm velocities (out of a Hi Point carbine) that were much faster than a handgun. Perhaps some of that could be explained by using two different barrels; some are always faster than others.

    

[3leggedturtle]

also have contender carbine with super 16" barrel in 9mm.  Rem 115HP's do 1330fps,  WW 115FMC's do 1350fps. havent chrono'ed wolf or cci blazers but will hopefully do that this weekend along S+B 115 fmc's

[Merle]

also have contender carbine with super 16" barrel in 9mm.  Rem 115HP's do 1330fps,  WW 115FMC's do 1350fps. havent chrono'ed wolf or cci blazers but will hopefully do that this weekend along S+B 115 fmc's

Have you clocked any of those loads in a regular pistol?

    

[Ak.Hiker]

If I was going to try and take a deer with either a 40 or 45 carbine I would give the Barnes X bullets a try. The all copper bullet will retain 100% of its weight even though the velocity is higher in the carbine than in the handgun. Expansion along with deep penetration. Just a thought. If not an X bullet I would go with the heavy weight 230 grain in the 45 or the 180 grain in the 40.   

[Savage]

I was wanting to know because I have the .40 cal carbine and wanted to know if it would get the job done if need be. I have some high velocity reloads that use a 200 grain hornady XTP. I can't remember what the velocity is in a handgun but I believe it is in the 1300 fps range. So in a carbine it would be a bit faster. I would think it would be like using a 10mm but with a longer barrel.

Navylawdog

Whoa!! A 200 XTP making 1300 out of a handgun is a BOMB!  The Hornady fourth edition manual gives max loads of 900-950fps for the 200gr XTP! If you want a deer rifle, look beyond pistol caliber carbines. If money is the problem, even the Handi's go for a couple hundred bucks. In rifle calibers too!! If you must hunt with a pistol caliber, limiting your shots to <60yds will improve your chances of a clean kill. Good luck----------
Savage

[Cheesehead]

you'll have to check your state regs.   In florida you must have either a permanently altered magazine that will not accept more than 5 rounds, or if it is a plug it cannot be easily removed (in the field).

 If the magazine is metal,get a spare,put a plug in and then tack weld the base plate on. If its plastic,see if you can find a solvent type plastic cement,put the plug in,make sure it works,then glue the base plate on. Either that or move to Utah.

Or, hunt Wisconsin, no limit on magazine capacity.

Cheese

[xhare]

I agree with the comment that deer are pretty easy to kill.  Further I have no problem getting within 50 yards or closer to a deer (doe at least) each season in the woods I hunt in.

In the past, the 38-40 and 45 Colt were commonly used in lever action rifles and killed many deer.  I'm talking original ballistics, not the hotter loads so common today.  I dont know the specific numbers, but the ballistics out of a 40 s&w or a 45 acp +p carbine ought to very closely resemble those old-timey cartridges.  I know the bullet diameters are the same.   

As with any cartridge/rifle combination:  Pick the right bullet for the job and reliably put that bullet where you want it to go.

[stolivar]

 Whoa!! A 200 XTP making 1300 out of a handgun is a BOMB!  The Hornady fourth edition manual gives max loads of 900-950fps for the 200gr XTP! If you want a deer rifle, look beyond pistol caliber carbines. If money is the problem, even the Handi's go for a couple hundred bucks. In rifle calibers too!! If you must hunt with a pistol caliber, limiting your shots to <60yds will improve your chances of a clean kill. Good luck----------
Savage



We are talking about shooting these out of a carbine not a pistol..... Whoa




steve

[45-70.gov]

a good scope might make more difference than anything  else  between 40  or 45


i would prefer a 45....unless my only handgun was a 40....[that will never  happen]

[DaGris]

shot placement is everything......head shot and they are DRT
 
either one would do the job @75 yards or less. Most the wood I hunt here in middle GA, you dont have a shot over 100 yards most of the time anyways.

[gr8ful]

I have actually shot a deer with my 4095, and it will get the job done.  Results were not spectacular, in fact the deer didn't show any sign of being hit, she just wheeled and ran away.  The distance was about 25 yards with Hornady 180 xtp's, it was a double lung broadside shot, and the bullet came to rest under the skin on the off side, breaking one rib going in and one going out.  Blood trail was light and the doe went @75 yrds.  I don't know if the 45 ACP would have done any better, dead is dead, a hard cast bullet may have provided a complete pass thru and a better blood trail. anyway a 45 ACP Carbine is in my future and I will shoot a deer with it or at least a hog and will post how it does.

[kevinsmith5]

The best ballistics I have seen for 40 S&W are for medium weight bullets. 155-165 gr hollow points leave enough space for a decent powder charge in the shortened 10mm Auto case. Loads that develop 500 ft-lb out of a 4" barrel in these weight bullets are relatively common. 180's and up rarely achieve higher than mid-400's. If you ARE going to hunt deer with the 4095 I'd go with one of these loads.