Originally Posted by aboltfan
I am not a handgun hunter, me defining that as someone who takes a handgun out as a primary hunting arm. So that's the point I'm starting from. Here are a few facts I'm dwelling on. I load for both and have plenty of components for both. I don't have a .45 Colt revolver as we speak. I do have a compact .45 acp for a CCW. Now for my debate.

I had been planning to buy a .45 Colt to use as a general field gun when working on the lease, walking trails, camping and general outdoors activities. I don't see myself stopping any grizzly charges. Should I use this handgun on game it would be deer, hogs and maybe black bear out to about 50 yards. Watching a member here who is selling +p .45 acp ammo for the field has got me rethinking that choice.

Buying a 4-6 inch revolver or auto is going to cost me about the same. I am now considering the .45 acp auto in this role. If any of you have one or both of these options and use them as I've described, what's your preference?

.45 ACP can be loaded plenty hot. Of course, .45 Colt can be loaded even hotter, up to a .44 Magnum equivalence if you have a strong revolver. On the side of .45 ACP, though, is that factory ammo is always available, and range ammo is cheap vs most of what you might be able to find in factory .45 Colt. But if you reload all your ammo, that might not matter.