45 acp for varmints?

bowhunter57

bowhunter57

Well-known member
I intend to purchase a 45 acp and want to use it for varmints inside 30 yards. My selections, based on lower cost, are Rock Island Armory Tactial for $425 or Taurus 24/7 Pro (long slide) for $360. Ok, let's edit this a bit. How about an accurate semi-auto, in another caliber? I'm open to a more accurate caliber. I've read posts about some Bersa, CZ and M&P pistols having excellent accuracy...in 9mm.
I don't want another .22 caliber pistol. I've owned them and there's a serious lack of killing power without head shots ONLY.

Any opinions or suggestions?

I've not owned a 45 acp for more than 20 years. The last one was a Colt series 70 Government model and the accuracy was poor to say the least.
Are 1" groups attainable at 25 yards, with box ammo?

Has anyone hunted varmints with a pistol? What were your experiences?
Also, I'm open to suggestions of other brands, models, etc. However, I'm staying around the $400 price range.

Thank you, Bowhunter57
 
Quote:
Are 1" groups attainable at 25 yards, with box ammo?




I am going to say.......no, not in either pistols you mention.

Quote:
Has anyone hunted varmints with a pistol? What were your experiences?
Also, I'm open to suggestions of other brands, models, etc. However, I'm staying around the $400 price range.



Based on my experience with 45ACP's of which I have 4, 2 Para's which shoot very well, 1 Combat Commander and an XD Compact, I probably couldnt hit a PD at 30 yards with them on a consistant basis.

Think about a Ruger MKIII Hunter .22 with a small red dot sight, I think you would be happier, more kills, and a bunch cheaper to shoot.
 
given my skills with a SA handgun and the options you give me for armorment.....pds will be rollin on the ground. But not in fear.
 
Quote:
Quote:
Are 1" groups attainable at 25 yards, with box ammo?




I am going to say.......no, not in either pistols you mention.

Quote:

Think about a Ruger MKIII Hunter .22 with a small red dot sight, I think you would be happier, more kills, and a bunch cheaper to shoot.



Yes Yes Yes!

I just got back last week from a prairie dog shoot in Wyoming. I got 100 of them (no kid!)with my MKII Ruger with a 30MM red dot mounted on it. You have to be right on them for good kill though. Many made it to their holes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

No doubt a .45 ACP hollow point would do quite a number on praire dogs, but hitting them would be another matter!
 
The 45 ACP is great for 2 legged varmits but I think I would look for something a little more suited. The Ruger MKII are good shooter as mentioned and if you don't mind a wheel gun look at the Taurus Tracker in 17 hmr
 
If you are intending to have a varmint handgun you may want consider either the Taurus or S&W in 17HMR.

BTW, thanks for reminding me I've forgotten to pack my S&W for the past three trips.

PICT0777.jpg


I would not view the 45ACP an an acceptable varmint round. It will work, but not effectively.
 
Having shot competition with a variety of handguns, I have yet to see a stock .45acp (especially a Colt) that was totally accurate without some professional tweaking and tuning...

If you are willing to send it off and spend some money, they can be made into relative tackdrivers, but you will very seldom find an 'out of the box' that is super accurate.

.40s, 10mms, 9mms, and .38 supers tend to be better in the accuracy dept..(I think it has to do with the bullet velocity)....

As was pointed out, the .22lr with a red dot can be really effective as long as you stay within the ammo's limitation.

I have a Sig Trailside (.22lr) with a BSA 42mm red dot that gets me up there in the .22lr Open class standings with various size steel plates,,,But it's not a bullseye weapon..
 
In a former life, I used a S&W M29 8 3/8" 44 MAG on jacks. At 75 yds or less, it was very effective. But it sure got to be hard on the right hand.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
1" accuracy at 25 yards with any stock combat pistol, especially shooting off hand would be next to impossible to obtain. I doubt you could do it with a sandbag. I think a good quality 9mm plinking at close range prairie dogs could be excellent fun though. I would not go with a .45 ACP for this purpose alone unless you have personal defense applications in mind as well. Several of the pistols you mentioned I consider good to excellant guns. Stay away from the Bersa though. It is a POS, especially if you think you might bet your life on it someday. Right up there with a KelTec in my opinion. Do yourself a favor though. Save your pennies and take a long hard look at the Glock, Springfield XD and the S&W M&P in no particular order. Plenty of other good ones out there but those three get the /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif in terms of a multi-purpose combat handgun. Nothing wrong with the Taurus either and for a cheaper handgun, its the way to go.
 
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How about a .357 mag wheelgun with a red dot sight? And define 'varmints' please.


Varmint = groundhogs, cats, coons and simular sized critters.

I like the idea of a wheelgun and a red dot, but I'm hunting in and around abandoned houses, barns, etc. and the breech blast along with the muzzle blast from a revolver will eat your ears off. A semi-auto isn't as bad on the ears as a revolver.

I'm leaning toward a quality 9mm, after some more research. A 9mm will have more power than a .22LR, not as loud as a revolver and more accurate than a 45acp.

Perhaps a Taurus model 99B-17 will be up to the task. It has adjustable sights, good balance, longer sight plane and more than enough ammo capacity.
However, I'm open to other suggestions. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Good hunting, Bowhunter57
 
If you want an affordable 1911 then check out the STI Spartan. Change out the front sight for a Dawson and they are remarkable! Mine will shoot one hole groups at 15-20 yards, Ive never pushed it to 25.
 
I personally believe the 45 ACP will work find for shots 35 yards and under and farther if you practice and can shoot. I would purchase one with Adjustable sights. I like hunting with the 45 ACP . If they work on bad guys they will work on coyotes. For varmints i would use 185 gr or 200 gr bullets. I took this boar with the 45 ACP using the Hornady 230 gr XTP Plus-P the shot was around 30 to 35 yards and the hog dropped in it tracks just kicking one hind leg a couple of times. The big bullet traveling 900 plus FPS hits pretty hard.

bobboar-1.jpg
 
Rockinbbar and bea175 are the men. Although I'm getting better with a pistor...I think my chances would be better throwing it at them at 35 yards. Good shooting and nice pics guys.
 
A 45 acp will take care of any of the varmints your after and then some.I have killed a bullfrog,snappin turtle,jackrabbit and a porcupine with a 1911 and it did the job just fine.A revolver with a red dot scope on it is good medicine for varmints but your right they are loud.Out of the three brands of 1911 style pistols I have shot which are Colt,Kimber and Springfield Armory I like Springfield Armory the best.I have only shot PD's with a .22 pistol and CCI Quickshocks put them down for good.I havent ever seen any get back down the hole after takin a hit from these bullets and they do well on porcupines too.The only 9mm's I have ever shot were Glocks and I couldnt hit the anything with them so I cant really say much about those.Good luck findin a good pistol. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
IMO, if you can shoot it accurately and hit your target with proper bullets, then you have a 30 yard varmint gun. Naturally it's not one of choice for most people, but heck, it's fun to shoot critters with different stuff. There's nothing in the book that says you can't use it if you want to.
Too many hunters seem to get in the mold of "you can't use this or that." Bull hockey.

I took a raccoon out of a tall tree one time with my 45 ACP. Shot two times and hit it two times. Out it came. I also shot a gray squirrel with mine, not to mention several snakes - with bullets and not shot, and most lost their heads or part of it.

Have fun.
 
I've shot 10's of rabbits with several semi-auto 9mms and a bajillion critters with my wheelguns. My Glock sucked for accuracy, the Ruger P89 was decent to 25-30 yards, the Ruger Single Six with the 22mag cylinder is my deadly combo, the S&W 357/38sp. was the most accurate mid-size gun and I shot several rockchucks at up to 75 yds. with open sights (only twice at 50+yards), the Taurus Tracker 41mag has accounted for deer, and the new Ruger Flattop 44mag SuperBlackhawk hasn't been shot yet.

For the critters you described, if you want my advice on a semi, get a 40 cal Springfield XD or a Browning hi-power in 9mm. For a wheel gun, I loved my Smith and wish I hadn't traded it for the Taurus, I should have kept it and bought the Taurus. Like them both, but shooting 38special out of it, I could shoot brass off the ground at 25 yards most of the time, open sights. Very accurate hogleg!
 
Too many weapons to choose from and not enough money. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Thank you, to everyone that has replied. I appreciate the knowledge from everyone's input. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif

I'll make a decision on what to purchase, based on what I've read and some of my own experiences.

Good hunting, Bowhunter57
 


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