.45acp for hogs and cougars
 

Next weekend I'm going hunting for the first time this season. (I know I'm getting a late start) we have ben having a lot of hog problems. Normally I would just use my 30-06. But sometimes when putting up a stand, throwing out corn (not to hunt over of corse) it gets left in the truck.
Also at night when leaving the stand there have ben a few cougars sighted. And working a bolt if I miss the first time might not be a option.
But I do always have my XD .45 and I don't have to work a bolt on it. At first I was thanking just any old fmj would work. But now I'm wondering if there is anything better. So what do y'all thank would be good to use in this situation?

I'm thanking maybe some buffalo bore.

Cougars are not that tough. A .22 mag is fine (if you are hunting THEM). A .45 should be adequate if they are hunting YOU.

Hogs on the other hand ARE tough. A .45 will kill one, but only with a well placed shot and some luck. 10mm or .460 Rowland for an auto loading pistol.

The 45 ACP is a poor choice for shooting hogs. I have seen a few hogs shot with them,and very few even slow down or go down after being shot with that caliber.
Hollow points don't penetrate enough,FMJ's just make a small hole through them and unless it's a very good shot,it will just wound them. Lead bullets are the best choice,but most are too slow to do the damage needed to down the animal.
A 40 S&W will do a much better job than the 45 ACP. If I use a pistol,it is almost always my 44 Magnum.It always works on them!

The problem is at the moment .45 is my only choice. So I guess I'm going to go with some buffalo bore 230 +p fmj.

I would not choose to use a .45 for hogs.

If i had to, I'd use ball ammo for increased penetration.

BTW if you kill a cougar, they're far better tasting than venison.:)

I agree .45=bad idea. But it's a last resort thing. I am not intently hunting hogs with a .45acp. I knew it was not a good choice. Just when I'm at the hunting camp working I won't to have a side arm just in case my 30-06 is in the truck. At the moment .380 and .45acp is my only choices. I would use a rock before the .380. I am planing on getting the .460 conversion for my XD just for this reason. Just don't have the money right now.

So ball ammo. Any specific kind?

Just my opinion, but I think you'd be better off spending the money on a good used .357 magnum.:)

I'm about to buy my wife a new one anyway.

Funny, thought this might be one for the Tail Trail...