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?

I've got a Glock 21 45ACP, and a Ruger Blackhawk convertible 45 Colt/45ACP.

I don't think you can really go wrong either way choosing auto or revolver.

If you like to save your brass, one nice thing about a revolver for a field gun, it doesn't fling your empties way over there in the grass/vegetation, or hot brass into the snow.

I'd go Glock 100%.
For a gun that you want to just be there, maybe get full of sawdust,
you end up a muddy mess....

If it's dry dirt, blow it out with air.
Or wash it in a creek if it's muddy.

Maybe slightly absurd, but it's not going to rust easy.
It comes pre-uglified, you aren't going to GAS about a scratch.
It's the perfect gun to just have along, in case you want to shoot.

A 45 Colt Mountain Gun would be great.
But I'll be dam if I want to scratch up a pretty $1k gun.

See if G21/30s are available as LEO trades.
Cheaper, and already have the first scuff.
A sore Richard deal, you just can't beat it.

Black bear and hogs to 50 yards or so id feel a lot better with a properly loaded 45 Colt than a 45 auto. That being said a Glock 21 or even a 36 would be a great beat around gun but so would a Blackhawk in 45lc . 4 5/8 " Blackhawk makes a pretty good pistol to pack around

I would opt for the Ruger New Model Blackhawk, preferable in stainless, with the 4 5/8" barrel. Otherwise a 1911 in 45 ACP would also be fine because you can also buy conversion kits in .22 for that gun.

It doesn't have to be one or the other. You can have a double action 45 Colt revolver cut for moon clips and there are SA revolvers with both cylinders. There are some DA 45 Colt revolvers (and .410) that come from the factory cut for moon clips/45 ACP.

Given your parameters, I'd suggest you find yourself a Ruger Blackhawk convertible in .45 Colt/.45 acp and not look back! I have all of the previously mentioned firearm's.....G21, RBH Convertible, G30s, S&W 625 Mountain Gun......and they all are fine for their intended purpose, however my RBH convertible gets used a lot when cruising the swamps or hills and mostly with the .45 Colt cylinder.

Good luck with your choice!


Frog--OUT!

My Fusion 45 CCO is beside me but I'd think the .Ruger Blackhawk convertible would be better when you add bears into your mix.

+1. You can some nice holes with Ruger loads in a 45 LC. Convertible option for 45 ACP is perfect. Drop in a Wolf trigger spring and you are set.

Glock 41.

New revolvers are scarce these days.

.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.

i have a Ruger Blackhawk also convertible 45 ACP / 45 Colt works great best way to go if you want a 45 !

I’ve had good luck with 200SWCs out of the 45 auto on pigs and a bunch of smaller varmints. I carry a 1911 or a 5” S&W 625. Those stubby little flat nose wadcutters penetrate very well, in fact I’ve never caught one inside a pig. They’ll bust a shoulder or shoulders no problem. Easy to shoot too as they’re pretty low recoil. It’s a pretty great combo for kicking around the weeds.

Forgot to add that I’m only loading the 200s to about 950-975 fps. That’s likely what makes them so easy to shoot.

I even shot some pigs once with some old Federal 185 Match wadcutters. I believe they stated on the box that they were only loaded to about 750fps. They worked fine. There’s a lot going for a straight 45 caliber hole and in my experience it doesn’t take hot rod loads to get that.

I quoted this sentence of your post, because I think it's what should drive your decision.

I have a Ruger Blackhawk .45LC/.45 ACP convertible. Love it, great gun. I have numerous 1911's in .45 ACP--also great guns. Sure, you can lean on the .45 ACP and get 1000+ fps from a 230gr bullet, but the .45LC gets there every day of the week with virtually no recoil. And if you want more, the .45LC can give a ton more, while the ACP is already done.

I loaded up some 250gr bullets to a book speed of 900fps. They were so tame at the range, I never loaded them up that slow again, because I felt like I was shooting .38 Special ammo out of a Model 66. Here's a couple pics:





I'm no gunsmith, but take a look and see what (if any) mods are recommended for a .45 ACP shooting a steady diet of +P loads. I've heard talk (and only talk) about the recoil spring and other springs being changed out, buffers installed, etc. Again, maybe it's nothing major, but it'd be worth a look.

Finally, if you're seriously going to shoot hogs and bears, how important are quick follow-up shots to you? Unless you're going to practice faithfully, your follow-ups with a SA revolver aren't going to be nearly as fast as with an automatic.

That's my two cents--I usually get change back. Good luck with your decision!

you can have your cake and eat it too

Shooting out to 50 yards is a hunting situation so I would opt for the 45 Colt. You can get original power loads for defense or hot loads for hunting. Double or single action would work, whatever you are comfortable with.

Mannlicher,

I must have missed it, what is the price? Right now, the only .45 Colt I know of is a new Ruger Redhawk 4 in. for $800.

Sorry for the drift OP, but I have to ask Mannlicher about his 45. A plated 25?, a 625 with pinned barrel? A 5" barrel? WTH? Spare cyl. from a later model as I see the longer cyl. latch slots, & that's about all I recognize.

Was going to tell OP about my my mountain gun that has been cut for ACP moon clips & still can shoot 45 Colt, but this is another approach.

This morning's perusal of Gunbroker has served to let me know that my purchase will not be any S&W 25s.

Yep an ugly square gun is exactly what the OP
ordered.

But this is the campfire, no one reads.
And they want everyone to want what they like.
Not answer the question.

I have a 4 5/8 Blackhawk 45Colt. Nice gun, like it shoot it well.
But it's a brick, and needs care to keep it nice.
For hunting it's easy.
For just bumming or working, it takes effort.

A Glock, is light and easy.
Of course it could be an M&P, or XD.
Whichever floats the boat.



Soon someone will recommend a Stihl.

In a few pages, it will need Alpha Glass!

The 45 Colt is lots of fun to shoot, I had one for the same reasons you mention, I think my was a Ruger Blackhawk. The idea is carry lots, shoot little when use as a walk around the lease sidearm. The problem for me is that dang thing is so heavy, I eventually replaced it with a Glock 9mm with Buffalo Bore Outdoorsman ammo and never looked back. I carry the 9mm locally and now a 10mm Glock when hiking in the west.

Gunzo

it's an elderly 25-5 with 6 inch barrel. A number of years ago, 20+ anyway, I had my gunsmith do some work on it. Made it a round butt. Tritium night sights. Made a conversion cylinder to take the .45 ACP cartridge and moon clips. All new internals, and did a hard chrome plate job over the original blue. Many rounds fired, not a mark on it. It's quite accurate. I used to win pin shoots with it using the ACP cylinder.

Now here is one that will give you a choice between 45 Colt and 45ACP and to make it even better it is a COLT. Factory Ivory grips to boot. Not many of these around, so you're going to have to look real hard.
I also have a Colt 1911 GCNM that I carry out in the woods, you really can't go wrong with either.

I bought a Glock 21 gen 4 then bought a Storm Lake 10mm barrel

Lot of versatility
Can use 45 acp,45 Super with the 45ACP barrel,Can use 10mm ,40 S&W from the 10MM barrel.

Waders, or anyone with the convertible’s, what’s the change in impact? LC vs ACP

I haven't shot any heavy 45 Colt loads...I mean the plussed-up Ruger Only type loads. I tend to use the all steel 44Magnums for the heavy stuff.

Anyhoo, POI change was not really much at 25 yards.

Here'a a couple targets.







Here's a target with the 45ACP loaded with a 255gr SWC,




As you can see, mine prefers the jacketed 230 XTP over 200 or 255gr cast lead. Could be something to do with the cylinder throating, I have read that it is common for the Ruger 45 cylinders to be a little too tight and need slight reaming to make them work their best.

It's beyond common, it's the norm.

Ruger also does not use a single cutter to cut all 6.
They use a gang cutter, and do not put any care into
matching them, just that all are in "spec". So its normal to
have different size throats.

Save yourself some money and time spent if you like a double action revolver. I have a few RedHawks in 44 Magnum and one in .45 Colt. I can easily make mine into a .45 ACP simply by downloading .45 Colt brass to the same velocity as .45 ACP without changing anything or moon clips. And they shoot great. Have three RedHawks with the 4” (4.2”) barrels and really like them a lot for carrying as a back-up or knock around gun. My other Redhawk is an early model 7.5” barrel which is my dedicated hunting handgun (primary as you called it) that I used until the sights got old.

Get a Glock 20.

Certainly some good advice here.
For me it’s a N frame Smith. Either my 625 in 45acp. Or my 25-9 in 45 colt. It’s a hard choice for me because I like them both. Hasbeen

I have both, a 5 1/2 inch barreled 45 Colt in a stainless Vaquero that I had glass beaded to get rid of the shiny stainless and wood grips to replace the fake ivory grip panels. I usually load it with a 255 grain cast bullet to around 1000 fps. I have yet to recover a bullet from anything hit with it. The other is a High Standard 1911 with a straight mainspring housing, tightly fitted locking lugs and a 21 pound recoil spring. I load this one with a flat nosed 230gr. FMJ to a bit over 900 fps. Oddly this bullet sings right through things nicely also. However the reality is that I generally use these pistols for killing trapped feral hogs or to finish off animals shot with rifles. I have killed some rabbits for the pot with both. I would expect both to be effective for close range defense shooting of feral hogs and Black bears. Now for the kicker, as I have gotten older the 1911 gets carried much more often simply because it is a bit easier to carry.

Once you say "field gun" I think revolver. In a six shooter you can go hot, slow, BB, blank, wax, and empty with anything in between. Dial-a-load and fire away without missing a beat.

And...

How much time do you spend looking for that last piece of 45 ACP brass hiding in the weeds? 😁

Yes, I traveled back in time.

I pick up what I see and move on.

I got a New (small, non magnum frame) Vaquero 45. I adore the gun but not the price of a box of 45 Colt ammo.
Get the convertable. Check out the balistics of the 45 ACP +P...

https://www.underwoodammo.com/handgun-ammo?cartridge_uw=741

My field gun, chopped up,well worn Ruger Bisley Blackhawk in 45 LC. Love it!!

For something to carry a lot, shoot occasionally, the auto gets my vote, although the Mountain guns and other 4” half-lug S&Ws pack pretty well too. Steel-grip Rugers don’t carry as well IMO because of all the weight up high when holstered, though maybe a well-designed holster would help some.

Nice!

My old SBH 44Mag that I had cut down shows some honest wear also.

I'll toss a vote in for a nice SBH in 45 Colt. I know I enjoy my Vaquero and I feel loaded properly it can take care of most things here in North America. Of course then my aim comes into play.

For field use the 45 Colt in a strong revolver can go from mice to Buffalo 🐃 and be adequate with both

For what you want, I pick a 45 Colt N-frame 25 , this one a 25-13 Mountain Gun. Round butt 4 in barrel it packs nice. 9.7 grains of Longshot and a 45-270 SAA cast bullet does 940 fps out of this 4 in barrel. It will work for all your stated purposes.

That is a great looking setup. I think I need to keep an eye out for. ne of the 25's I didn't realize there were really any other double action 45colt besides the Ruger.

That explains why the old super black hawks cylinder was not uniform. My Colt is.

Well said.

I loaded up some 250 SW hardcast in my old AMT Hardballer years ago and put a stronger recoil spring and frame buffers in it. Worked OK and all but no doubt was hard on the gun. Decided that if I wanted that kind of load, just carry the smith 29 or Ruger SBH with 5" barrel in 44 mag.
If your main use is really just a walking around gun that "can" be used to take small game and a nice shot on deer, then your 45acp and 200 Grain SW is a good choice. The Glock 10's bring the heat up considerably I am told and they are made by the factory to shoot that warm ammo. Likely a good choice as well.
If your walking around is really in search of a deer or bear, hunting, then take the 45 LC revolver of choice along in a well fitted holster.
You noted you had a compact 45acp for CCW and if you shoot it well your already set for walkin' around.
If you going to buy something bigger framed, buy a 45 LC which really has no lid on top performance should you want to go that way. 45LC 250 at 900 fps is a Kitten, 45LC 360 WFN at 1300 is a Tiger.

45 ACP +P is about where I’d want to be for hogs and bear, especially if Mackay loaded the ammo. A steady diet of those loads can beat up some semi-auto pistols but the HK USP is not one of them. You can also set up the trigger and safety in a variety of different ways, and fast 12-shot reloads (or an easy switch to self-defense ammo for the drive to and from home) also makes a lot of sense.


Okie John

Yes, very well said. Earlier I suggested a Glock 20. My rational is thus: The OP seemed to indicate he didn't want to spend a bunch of money, or at least the price of an N-frame Smith. The Glock is cheap. When we had the farm, if I were out doing field work or otherwise getting dirty, it was the Glock 20 I carried. The dirt and dust have very little access to the inside of a Glock. A revolver, if carried in any kind of accessible way, has any number of infiltration routes for dust and dirt. Raw power, the revolver wins out, but a 10mm with good 180 or 200 grain loads will have plenty of smack out to 100 yards or so. The Glock holds 16 +1. If you do burn them all up and feel compelled to reload, it's not a big trick. I've shot enough .40 S&W through my Glock, trouble free, with the stock 10mm barrel, recoil spring and magazines that I feel assured I have an alternate ammo choice if needed/desired. Finally, the Glock is a real low-maintenance item. Don't get me wrong, for woods-walking and certainly for handgun hunting purposes, I much prefer one of my .41 or .44 N-frames. For a gun "just to have" when things are dirty or in a hostile environment, I want the Glock. Where there is a chance of losing the gun over the side of a boat, especially in activities like gator hunting, it's the industrial grade Glock over one of my Smiths by a long shot.

I've always been a big Stihl fan, but have to admit I've come to prefer Husqvarnas in recent years.

I had these two at the range yesterday. A Ruger flattop convertible with the 45 colt cylinder in it and my M25-5.
My pick would be the Ruger with either cylinder. The .45acp is a little more accurate than the .45 colt, but not enough to complain about. With my reloads they hit the same POI at 15 yards the .45acp kicks less.
The M25-5 is pretty accurate and handsome as can be but big and heavy. Mine is a 6” barrel, a 4” might be better.
Could use my 1911 but I reload and brass all over the woods is not what I want. There are lots of targets of opportunity and do not want to pick up brass.
Find a friend and shoot his guns if possible, then make your choice.

I missed the OP saying he looked at GB and the N frames were priced too high. Sorry about that.

Several have mentioned the Glock 20. Okie John added the advantage to changing out mags from woods carry loads to the ride home in a semi auto pistol.

I like my G20. Ive carried various Glocks for 25 yrs or so. It can be loaded up or down, and is reliable. A mag for woods and a mag for town is exactly how mine is set up, deep penetrators and bonded hollowpoints. I added a KKM 6 in barrel and got increased velocity to over 100 fps depending on the load, without pressure issues. My Glock isnt as accurate as my Smith 45 Colt, or I should say, it's not as accurate with me shooting it. In a Simply Rugged Chest harness it carries well and is easily carried while wearing a backpack or under a jacket.
It would also be a good choice and within budget.

Regards,
Manny

REALLY good to know. I just got a holster that holds a second mag and might start carrying my 1911 on the lease during winter- even though I conisder it my pretty boy. .
Summer I carry my 40- it seems to just anger pigs BUT I keep a mag full of shot for snakes in case....

I agree, the Glock makes a much better boat anchor.

After looking at the whole thread, that one would be my pick of the litter.

[/quote]

These are two perfect examples of the kind of revolvers I would prefer to have. The S&W is simply perfect. So far as price, I'm unwilling to pay S&W prices these days. The Bisley occasionally shows up at a reasonable price. The previously mentioned Redhawk is NIB at a shop and may be an alternative.

I"ve got a ton of components for both cartridges so factory ammo cost is not a concern. Unfortunately, a 1911 or full size M&P is more readily found and in the price I willing to pay and would probably do just a well in this role. I've mentioned price numerous times. I'm not crying poverty, I just don't want to spend that kind of money.

This is the Bisley that I tried to include in the post with the S&W.

This one has killed quite a few black bears !

I am at heart an S&W revolver man, thus the post about the M25. However, as a general field gun and hunting gun, your chopped down Bisley is exactly how Ruger should build it. It needs no more fluff, just a beautiful working .45, capable of whatever a .45 Colt revolver should be used for.

I'm jealous of both guns.

The old midway USA Load MAP data has some pretty snorty 45 ACP data that stay’s in the 21K PSI range. Mainly using HS-6, 250 grain bullets in the 900 FPS range.

Probably the N-frame Smith is my favorite handgun. Lord knows, I've got enough of them, mainly .44's and .41's, but some others too. I like 1911's and have at least my fair share of them, as well as some other revolvers and auto pistols of various kinds. I have only a few Glocks, each obtained for a particular purpose. They are ugly. They have no charm or beauty. They have no history, to speak of. They are not American guns. All that said, for their intended purpose, there is nothing better. Yeah, handgun aficionados will argue till the cows cows come home about the advantages of this pistol or that, none of which makes a whit of difference when you want a solid, reliable, no-nonsense handgun that will work every time and, if you're going into sketchy situations where your equipment might get lost, stolen, broken or polluted, can not be beat. You can lose one over the side of a boat, go home and not lose one minute's sleep over it. When you have to use your Glock, you don't have to be distracted with issues like, "What if I get it dirty? What if I mark it up and reduce the value? " I don't know about boat anchor, but Gaston Glock sure came up with a better mousetrap.

aboltfan, always wanted to do this to a Ruger BH in 44 mag, when they only had the long barrels. Then I ran into this 45 lc for sale, from a man I bought my house from. You wouldnt believe how much I payed for it !!

I bought one in the 90s brand new and paid $339.00 for it. I never liked the 7.5 inch barrel. I didn't want to cut the barrel and endied up selling it. Should have cut the thing and made it what I wanted.

Do you handload? 45 Colt factory ammo is very expensive and very weak. Boutique 45 Colt ammo is extremely expensive and very powerful.

If you don’t handload I would get either a Blackhawk with convertible cylinder or an auto in .45 ACP. There is actually a lot to like about a .45 auto besides cheaper ammo. They are flat and easy to carry and most are resistant to abuse.

If you really need magnum power in an auto, you can always look at 45 +p, 45 Super, or 10mm.