Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska 45 ACP for backup

Hey All!
Purely a what if question...if you only had a 45ACP (revolver or semi auto) would you run 230gr hardball or a good 230gr HP for bear backup while fishing?

Personally I would rather carry a short shotgun!

Thanks, Tom

Hardcast SWC 255gr +P.

NO HP.

SheriffJoe, Even out of a 1911?

For "bear backup" purposes only.

The one on the far right; obviously out of a revolver.

Make sure it's 100% reliable. I would consider this too https://www.underwoodammo.com/products/45-acp-p-200-grain-xtreme-penetrator?variant=18785708015673.

I would agree, but would also recommend the heavier projectile at a slightly slower speed and half the cost:

http://www.doubletapammo.net/index.php?route=product/product&path=303_348&product_id=650

.45 Super, 255 grain Montana Bullet works LBT at 1050 fps.

Had a guy in North Carolina throat the barrel so I could seat the bullet at 2.3".




Ruger SR1911 set up as a .45 Super, comp isn't necessary, this one replaces the bushing and isn't all that efficient anyway. It helps slow the slide down to where heavy recoil springs are not needed, ejection is about 5 to 6 feet. Other changes were necessary, I could detail them if you'd like.





I have a .460 Rowland, too, runs the same bullet almost 150 fps faster.

I had a buddy that did a stint as an MP (or whatever they called it in the Air Force) at Wright-Patt. One of the stories he brought back was of a legendary encounter between one of his compatriots and a polar bear at an AF installation in Alaska. One night the guy was walking between buildings at the base and happened upon a polar bear intent on eating him. All he had was his 45. He pulled it out and pointed it at the bear. The bear obliged by biting the barrel. The fellow pulled the trigger, and . . .

"There was a kind of a floomp! and the bear got this really weird look on his face and collapsed."


I make no claim as to the veracity of the story, only that I'm telling it as accurately as I can. Jerry was also the one that told me he had seen what was in Hanger 18. He was standing guard one night when the doors flew open and this weird plane taxied out and took off. He was standing with his jaw agape when the OD came up behind him and told him he'd seen nothing.

"Seen what, sir?" replied Jerry. In the mid-80's Jerry saw pics of the SR-71 and told me that was what he'd seen that night.


Later on, Jerry was moved over to Rickenbacher AFB outside of Columbus. He knew how to drive vehicles, and so he was sent down to Cincinnati to pick up a crane and bring it back. On the way up I-71, he passed under an overpass that was not quite tall enough for the crane and put a huge dent in the overpass. That dent was there for decades-- long after Jerry was dead. However, the last time I went up that way, they had widened everything and replaced the bridge.

That DoubleTap load looks interesting

^^^This^^^

The Buffalo Boar Outdoorsman Load has worked well for many feral hogs here at the Ranch.
I know they are not the same as bears, but they have big bones, a thick gristle plate and are tough bastards.

As the OP stated, a short shotgun with slugs would be much preferred, but it would be damn tough for me to cast with a fly rod while holding one. 🤠

I run a heavier spring and the Buffalo bore 255 gr Outdoorsman in my Ed Brown 1911 when I'm hiking in and around Yellowstone. I have function tested them and they work great.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=214

Alan

That’s what I was looking for, someone who uses it in a 1911. Thanks!

I know that it isn't quite the same but I used hard cast 255 SWC in a lot of bowling pin matches. They take pins off a lot better than 200 or 230 grain bullets. And they never jammed in my Colt 1911.

finally an Alaskan jumps in here,, thanks!

I would second this. Cheers NC

If you run in to a big bear, hardball is what you will need. Penetration is the key as no expanding handgun bullet has the energy to stop a bear

Mr. Shoemaker wold you consider hard cast in that category. Thanks for you time. Cheers NC

A guy could put a Clark 460 Rowland kit on his 1911 and load up some Starline brass with AA-7 and a flat nose 230 grain lead bullet. 1500 fps removes some of the doubt about back up.

I"m just not keen on hardball rounds, they have tended NOT to penetrate straight or all that far IMHO. I've seen them bounce around off the steel belts on loose tires before. And lead squirt out the back etc...

I have no actual experience and hope to never have any, but I'd be more along the lines of the hardcast and away from round nose profile as much as possible.

460 rowland whacked a fork moose a while back up here from what I've heard and killed it just fine.

Done!

255 grain WFN GC at 1150 fps, very controllable, penetrates deep and straight, kills dead.

Yeah, 255 WFN GC would be my second choice in a .45.

Get you a .44, .454, .475 or .480 and fish on!

At 45acp, and 9mm, velocities a hard cast bullet basically works as a hardball. Plus you can get a little more velocity from them.

Yep and a 255gr cast is a heavier bullet than a 230gr fmj.

Excellent! That’s the type of information I was needing.
I do flyfish and am more familiar with the 1911 than revolvers. Although I could buy one and practice with it before hand.
Thanks again to all!
Tom

i do like my 1911`s alot but when i go back up in bear country i will still take my short 4 inch barreled revolver in a 44 Mag.,revolvers are easy to learn to use and shoot.

That's what I was thinking. Reasonable price too.

unless they are scandium..... I'll take what I can shoot any day over what hurts and isnt controllable.

OT I wonder how many carry 454 and 460 and 500 can actually shoot a cylinder full DA and hit a grapefruit at close range under stress... that said even a 44 mag with full on loads..

Its one thing to take a carefully aimed shot at something not attacking you, vs having to pray the first round or three somewhere in there hits CNS

I use a Smith 629 4" for backup. Load 240 grain cast with 17 grains of 2400. It's about a quarter less than max, but I can shoot it and control it. Very heavy bullets in a 1911 seem to have a more pronounced muzzle flip for me. The Smith works better for me.

The muzzle brake on the Clark 460 Rowland conversion noticeably reduces muzzle flip.

I had that load fail to feed in a Mk IV Series 70 Colt. Definitely check them for function in your pistol.


Okie John

After my 9mm bear incident My wife and daughter wanted to know why I had the 9mm rather than my usual 44 Mtn Gun.
I took them both to the range, put out half a dozen 4"x4" pieces of wood scraps on the ground 15 feet in front of us and asked them to hit as many as possible as quickly as possible with the 44 and fairly stiff loads and then the 9mm.

They learned a new appreciation for the only hits count theory.

Phil. Hmm. Good thoughts there.

St Georger, thats the load i run in the 329, but its a handful there. In a standard 29 or 629 its a nice enough load. The extra weight helps.

I have experience muzzle flip in a 1911 too, but the fact that the slide tends to bring it back down I like, and the fact the 1911 has a nice trigger typically.... I like those things... I;ve' learned to deal with Glock triggers though.

This pretty much answers the question for me. Practice the 'Phil Drill' [formerly the Bill Drill] 6 shots into 6" under 3 seconds from the holster. That places 882 grains of hurt on the target critter if using147 gr BB hardcast. Most could do that w/ a Glock19 and adequate practice. Few can do that w/ a big revolver or auto.


mike r

Some years back, there was a young GI fishing the Kenai at the confluence with the Russian. He and friends had an encounter with a brown sow. Do t recall if it was a bonafide charge or not. He ended up shooting the sow with a 1911, with i suspect ball ammo. As i recall the sow backed off and died.


ETA: Tried to Google the story, but no luck.

Anyone else recall the details?

It is very effective. The loads I run in mine have very little muzzle rise, and I probably have 100 fps left on the table, but it takes a longer time to recover.

A 255 grain WFN at 1150 is going to leave a mark, then factor in that you can get 8 of them on target pretty quick, and compare a reload to one in a revolver, especially single action.

I have a 4.62" .44 Mag, and I get 1200 fps with a 300 grain WFN, so it definitely has a sectional density advantage, but is it worth losing the firepower? I've decided that with the bear we have here, I'd rather carry the Super or Rowland. Besides, bears ain't never been a problem....yet....but I've had a few go-rounds with feral dogs.

What is the fine for shooting a Brown Bear without a license?

If the killing was deemed justified there is no fine, but you have to skin the bear and turn in the hide, claws and skull to F&G and fill out a report.

Nothing if he’s trying to eat you. Probably a lot if he wasn’t.

hopefully a lot like as in you can't afford it a lot.