Been looking it over and talked to a few people about a carry gun for my home for the wife they all say just get a Judge.

Now I read that the Judge can't use Ruger only hot rounds or did I read wrong? Anyway, would a standard pressure 45 LC round work better than a standard pressure 357 mag round on a hog?

45LC in a Ruger Blackhawk is what I want to carry unless I find a Redhawk in 45 LC/45 ACP. I have yet to enjoy hunting a hog so I have very little experience everything I have hunted walks on two feet. Thanks!

That completely depends on the size of the hog.  I would have no worries or concerns taking a medium sized barbecue pig with a standard 45LC round, but I would not want to go up against a 400-pound Russian boar.

And shot placement.  And bullet selection.

As with many other rounds, it depends a lot on bullet placement. I've killed hogs with: .50 cal round ball, 158 gr 357, 44-40 hard cast lead, and one with a 45 ACP, the older CCI lawman "flying ashcan" bullet.. Look up the ballistics on all the cartridges including the 45 Colt and make up your mind from there. All my shots were less than 50 yards, and were ear/head shots or neck shots.

Yes, you can. Shot placement is always critical. I've dispatched hogs in traps with a .22 LR. Put it where you want it and the 45 will work.  Having said that, I wouldn't want to be relying on it if the hog is charging at me, but that's because I don't shoot as well when my shorts get wet.

Understand! Yet you feel that a standard pressure 45 LC off the shelf box would do more damage than a 357 mag?

I only ask because when I shot the Judge in 45 LC it was less than a 40S&W. I don't know the ammo I was shooting but the recoil was light!

I did have a Ruger Blackhawk in 45LC that I had to pawn and I did shoot full power loads in it I also shot cowboy and standard pressure hunting rounds. I should know the kick was very different!  From almost shooting a 9mm to shooting a full load of 45 LC well have not shot a 44 mag but let me tell you it was boss!

You'll get sufficient penetration with a relatively hard cast flat nose bullet.

That'll do for CNS shots or heart lung shots, but they can go for a bit with a 45 cal hole through the heart, and further if just the lungs.

FWIW, the heart and lungs are a bit lower and further forward than those of a deer.

A friend used .45LC out of his 7.5" Bisley to hunt fairly large game in Africa.

I know for a fact a .22LR will drop a hog with proper round placement.

You are most likely overthinking this.  There are off the shelf hunting rounds that are plenty safe in your gun.

Buffalo Bore

I helped a land owner a few weeks ago and he was shooting a .22 mag and putting them down as fast as I was with a .308. Headshots are very effective.

They were used to take out horses from under the Indians, should work for wild bacon too.

In Elmer Keith's book SIXGUNS he states that a 45LC behind the ear of a grizzly will drop them every time

...of course, he still invented the 44 magnum afterwards

And if I recall right in his book he took a couple of mule deer with the .44. I think it would be better than nothing.

With a Ruger Blackhawk yes but not with a Judge! The rounds you linked to said for Ruger Blackhawk only rounds. I'm told that the Judge can not use +P Ruger only rounds. That why I ask what's better a standard pressure 45 LC or a 357 mag?

For relatively short range the bigger diameter bullet is going to be better.

A LFN or WFN hard cast pushed at moderate velocity from a 45 LC is going to do more damage than a .357.

Handgun rounds don't have a high enough velocity to cause hydrostatic damage. They kill by penetrating deep and poking holes in the vital organs or if you happen to get lucky, switch the lights right off with a CNS hit.

IMHO if you want to compare the "killing power" of a round, look at the Taylor Knockout value.

158gr .357 @ 1500 fps = TKO 12
255gr 45LC @ 900 fps = TKO 15

http://www.dave-cushman.net/shot/tkochart.html

Sure, but as with all hunting, bullet placement is critically important.  An elk hit through the heart and lungs with a .222 will be more mercifully killed than if it is hit in the back hoof with a .338 Lapua magnum.

I have killed a couple with my dads judge using .45 lc lead cowboy loads because that’s all the hardware store had at the time, and it killed them dead. One took took three shots to go all the way down, but I have the feeling he was dead just didn’t realize it.

Have killed a few with .44 mag and .357 as well, and the results were similar. Our neighbor used to kill them with .22 shorts but he was nuts.

I have had +p .45 acp hard cast ricochet of a big boar’s skull at spitting distance when we both startled each other as I was walking to my stand, the bullet whizzed by my ear and scared the shit out of me. I kept shooting till slide lock on that one and he crumpled right at my feet

Agree but when being charged and scared as $hit your shot placement might not be the best especially with a novice shooter.

Saying that I can't be out there with her all the time I work and she does also. This will also be a weapon for my kids to take out if they are doing things.

Yet I do feel the pack of dogs I have 3 so far and two of them hate other animals in there territory. Also these are not lap dogs the two are part Cataloo, one is husky and the other is German Shepherd! Both are super protective!

I had to stop the husky from taking down a deer in are yard.

Going to also be getting an Altonian Shepherd that are like the Marines of dogs!

Again agree shot placement is key! Yet how many times have to trained with your life on the line?



I'm not going to place my kids or wife life on the line! Remember why Doc Holaday was so fast( Maybe I'm wrong if so please tell me!) He know he was going to die! From the gun or his disease!

He was more proficient and a better shot because he did not fear death!

A couple of good dogs is far better than a pistol!!!!

She already has a part catahoula leopard/ Husky mix that is already very defensive of her and a catahoula leopard/ German Shepherd mix how is also very protective.

She still need the pistol for the snakes!

You can take a hog with a .22 LR with a single shot to the head these people who claim shooting hogs with a 357 & 44 mag the rounds bounced off their heads is pure BS I eradicate hogs professionally in South Carolina & Georgia I set a Foot Snare to live catch a big hog and I dispatched him with a .22 LR its the same thing when we slaughtered a hog on the farm just take a .22 shoot him in the head . Hunting with a 45lc /45 ACP you might be able to hit a hog at about 30-40  yards max from a ground blind but it will be hard because the hog will wind you to a hog a human smells as rank as a skunk. Over bait the closest shot is 50 -60 yards and they are constantly moving around. I dispatched this hog in a live trap with a .22LR.Its the Biggest a 587 and the other biggest was 570 both dispatched in a live trap with a .22 LR. So you don't need large calibers or big bore guns .I have killed several with a crossbow
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