.45lc from a rifle for hunting...??????

[Hokkmike]

Bought a beautiful .45 Marlin 1894 Cowboy Limited from a member here. My intention is to use it for SASS.

However, I saw some .45(lc) Leverrevolution Ammo at a LGS. Being as there is an ammo shortage I picked it up just to have it. Several of my shooting friends are encouraging me NOT to use this caliber for deer hunting.

I don't have to as I have other more traditional deer rounds.

But, I will keep, and maybe even get more of this ammo if they still have it. The Marlin feeds smoothly and holds 10 rounds. Might make a nice little defensive gun.

[Marcus99]

With that ammo I would have no problem taking at short range. Some of the other cowboy loads is where I would be suspect.

[DukeConnor]

Shot through the ass with a 300 win mag, or shot through the heart and lungs with a .45 lc.

Hmmmmm........ The answer is always what you shoot the best.

[Delkal]

Your ammo will kill a deer but I think the Leverrevolution line is just marketing and a solution for a problem that doesn't exist. They shoot a light bullet with a supposedly "ballistic tip" but the ballistic coefficient is poor at only 0.14. Do you reload? You will need to check if the Marlin is rated for higher pressure "Ruger only" loads but if it is cast some of the Lee C452-300-Rf bullets and load it over a full charge of H110. From a rifle this will hit a deer like the Hammer of Thor and I doubt you will ever find a bullet. Corbon sells a similar load but it is no fun paying $3-4 a shot.

90359.jpg

[Ecclectic Collector]

The short answer is the .45 LC can do the job if you can do yours.

[knight0334]

It will do the trick. The 1894 can be loaded a little warmer than a Colt 1873 design revolver, so you have a bit more room to crank it up. Not that it really needs it or anything.

Pick your kill range appropriate to the gun and cartridge. Your non-African hunt magnum guns and cartridges weren't really designed for more close up energy, but rather more energy at longer ranges.

A 50yd 45Colt right into the boiler maker will kill a deer just as dead as a .30-06.

[Don-T]

The short answer is the .45 LC can do the job if you can do yours.

I used a Rossi '92 copy in .45 Colt for a lot of years as my deer rifle, especially as I traveled to Indiana to hunt with a childhood buddy. Indiana only allowed pistol cartridges at the time. A stiff loaded .45 was always a "bang, flop" for me. Since almost all .45 Colt rifles also seem to come in .44 Mag, I reasoned high pressure loads were safe and loaded a 300 grain XTP to about 1760 fps with Lil Gun.

[340M&P]

Many a deer has dropped to my 45-70 trapdoor level load of a 300 grain led bullet moving along at 1200 FPS at woods ranges. Don*t see why your LC wouldn*t do the same.