halloflin said:
Just curious...Why a .451 Super 91?
Going through my old emails I found this email to me from Tom AKA "Rattus" back in July, of 2001. At that time I was thinking of purchasing another White but this time a .504 and I asked him how does the 45 compare to the 50. I guess you can tell from reading his email, I've stuck with the 451's as I now own 4 of them and don't feel undergunned even over gunned when I hunt SQUIRRELS!! :lol: Now if I lived in Colorado where you are required to use a 50 cal then it would be a different story. As a side benefit, having only 451 ML's it makes it cheaper for me to cast my own bullets as I don't have to purchase different molds for different calibers.
1. How does the 45 compare to the 50 cal.?
Is a far more versatile caliber. You have bullets you can shoot all the way from 260 grains to over 600 if you mold your own.... (highly recommended for fun and versatility and expense especially you live in Hawaii...grin).
2. Would you choose a 45 over a 50 cal.? I really don't see myself
going out west on a ELK/Big Bear/Moose hunt.
Well I DID JUST ORDER A BRAND NEW 45 CALIBER BARREL AND ACTION FOR MY 98 ELITE....... Grin
3. Is the 45 cal actually more accurate then the 50Cal.?
YES!!! You won't necessarily see this out to 50 or 75 yards, but once you start getting into the 500 grain 45 caliber bullets you realize that they are very very long and carry themselves very very well. This is not to malign the 600 grain 50 caliber bullet in any way... it too is just as accurate as the 500 grain 45's are....
4. How is the trajectory/energy of the 45 compared to the 50?
It will be whatever you want it too be. I hunt sheep with 70 grains of powder with both my 45's and my 50's. I hunt deer with 80 grains in both calibers as well. The most I have EVER USED ON A HUNT is 90 grains and although i drilled a mouflon sheep through the lungs at 200 yards, and she kindly ran 300 or more yards to drop dead on the side of our access road to the area we were hunting, I don't see the value in heavy loads because I just wont take long shots where there is any practical advantage in velocity/energy.
5. Do you know what is the most accurate load/White bullet for the 45 cal.?
I know that mine is 75 grains of Pyrodex P with 430 grain bullet.... grin (hole on holes out to 50 yards and holes touching holes out to 75 yards, and all in the bull at 100. This is with 75 grains of powder and swabbing between shots, off of a rest, left hand under the butt to hold it up on my shoulder, sitting on a SOLID WOOD CHAIR, and temperatures in the low 70's.
There are days I just can't get it right and I average maybe an inch to 1 1/2 out to 75 yards and and still all in the bull at 100 (I have problems seeing my front sight clearly anymore and tho i shoot a peep sight, it still is not like it used to be. My son on the other hand, has never shot this thing with less than a 2 inch group EVER! He usually is within 1 1/2 inches at 100 yards with a peep.
With either a 475 or 500 grain 451 bullet, I have to get up to almost 100 grains before these bullets really come into their own. Same with the 600 grain 50's. Because I don't find this pleasant to shoot all day with, I generally stick with the 430's. There is a definite advantage to the bigger bullets with 90 grains or more and an over the powder wad. Accuracy out to two hundred yards is very consistent and can average less than 4 inches with a good shooter with peep sights.
5. While I don't have plans on shooting out to 200 yds. Does the 45 have what it takes at that distance?
It has what it takes out to 1000 yards. We fuss around shooting to two hundred all the time and out to three hundred where we can. Once you find your "elevation" you will put your bullets into a bucket all day long. Shoot at big targets,... milk cans, buckets of water, anything that registers the shot. Some guys will stuff buckets with wall board pieces or baking powder just to see the puffs of the hit.
If you can get into making your own bullets, Lyman's Whitworth bullet and the Rapine .451430 and .451500 are perfect for the 45. LEE has a 454 minie that I size to 451 and plink with. This is a pretty accurate bullet and I have taken deer with it with my volunteer. Does a wonderful job if you do yours... (that shot by the way was with only 70 grains of powder). By the way.... I get my best accuracy with either card wads or felt wads under my bullets and over the powder. This helps by acting as a gas check minimizes the potential for leading with heavy loads.
Rapine has a Website bulletmoulds.com. Look for the New bullets section and down at the bottom you will see bullets for the White/Knight in 425. This is a very accurate little bullet as well and the one I hunt and shoot with all the time in my 50. I sized them to exactly 504 for hunting and 503 on the range.
