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Looking for levergun thats shoots 45 LC

6K views 33 replies 25 participants last post by  yankee2500 
#1 ·
I have been looking for a levergun that I can shoot 45 LC. I have looked at Marlin puma and Winchester. I have a Ruger Bisley Vanquero 45 LC and I reload for it. With the rifle that shoots 45 LC are there any other loads I can shoot with it. I'm totally new Rifles.
 
#7 ·
I have a Puma, which is a near clone of the Winchester model 92. I am well pleased with it.

300 grain bullets loaded over WW 296 seem to make it think it is a mini .45/70. Or, you can load 200 grain bullets over a pinch of any fast burning pistol powder, and it is mild enough to shoot for any one who can hold it.
 
#9 ·
I have a fair number - Marlin 1894 in 45 Colt, 32 H & R and a Camp 9, MechTech in 45 ACP - and they're great fun. The 1894 in 45 Colt is very accurate when used with a Lyman 17 and peep rear. I have the Rossi Ranch Hand and it's an OK made pistol, I'd presume their rifle is the same.

Some reloading manuals carry a "rifle only" for thr 45 Colt and the Hodgden on line shows separate loadings in 45 Colt for Ruger, T/C & FA. They're a bit stiffer than what you'll find for the handgun only section.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp
 
#11 ·
Only thing negative about the henry's is lack of a loading gate. Only reason that I looked at other options. The marlins are very solid but have heard issues of recent manufacture guns. I ended up with a Rossi 92, it's been excellent for 500 rounds. I'd like to have a Winchester though...
 
#21 ·
Only thing negative about the henry's is lack of a loading gate. Only reason that I looked at other options. The marlins are very solid but have heard issues of recent manufacture guns. I ended up with a Rossi 92, it's been excellent for 500 rounds. I'd like to have a Winchester though...
Remington bought Marlin a short while ago and supposedly quality has suffered. The Marlin board is filled with rants against the "Remlins". I've seen a few, the wood looks lighter as not nearly as well finished.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I recently purchased a newly manufactured Winchester 1892.

It is a trapper model in .45 Colt. It is a very solid little carbine. And with the 16 inch barrel I can stick it upright between the two seats in my truck, very handy. Additionally with a 300 grain Hornady XTP over 21 grains of Winchester 296, it can be a serious show stopper. :dope:
 
#20 ·
It is a trapper model in .45 Colt. It is a very solid little carbine. And with the 16 inch barrel I can stick it upright between the two seats in my truck, very handy. Additionally with a 300 grain Hornady XTP over 21 grains of Winchester 296, it can be a serious show stopper. :dope:
hows the action and trigger on that carbine? i really have a thing for winchesters and for lever guns, and i have seen a couple of these but not been able to play with one. is there much play or slop in the trigger/action like some of the later 94's? also hows the recoil with the hotter loads? cant imagine it would be too bad
 
#14 ·
Uberti makes both 1866 (Yellowboy) and 1873 replicas which are sold under several brand names (Cimarron, Taylor, etc.) as well as their own. They're all the same rifle regardless of brand. They're beautiful rifles, but lately they've beome quite expensive. I have an 1873 in .357 Magnum and love it, and was thinking about getting an 1866 as well. Unfortunately they're now over $1000 so I may have to wait a while before I can come up with that kind of cash.
 
#16 ·
I always wondered why the 45LC wasn't produced in lever rifles in the early days. The early 45LC cartridges had smaller rims than they do now and did not function reliably in the lever guns. But that was changed generations ago. The 66/73/Marlins can be retrofitted with a shorter cock kit which really speeds up rapid firing capability. The '92 cannot be so retrofitted. Cowboy Action shooters also have action jobs done which really smoothen them up (available for all). They most highly thought of CAS rifle is the Marlin, but the coolest (to me) are the 66/73 (virtually the same gun).
 
#24 ·
I have the Winchester 94 30-30 after 1964. Really fun to shoot. The cost of ammo and I don/'t reload for it yet. Little rough on my shoulder rotator cuff. Thats why I have been looking at the 45 LC 38/'357 cause I reload for those and little easier on shoulder. There a fun rifle to shoot. Have been looking at the Pumas I think around 650.00
 
#27 · (Edited)
Personal experience with a friends Rossi 45LC was that it sucked accuracy wise. He wouldn't send it in to be checked over, he just traded it for something else. Now it did feel smooth, it appeared to be actually put together fairly well, but accuracy... could not consistently hit a 12" x 12" paper target at 25yds, the bullet holes were all over while shooting from a bag in a seated position. Various brands of 45LC were sampled, all exibited the same result.

For lever guns I primarily stick to Henry, although I do have two Marlins in 45-70 which are great.
 
#28 ·
I have a replica of a Henry in 45 colt it is a great gun. I also had a 73 also a great gun. They did not originally make them in 45 colt because it is a straight wall cartridge. Shooting black powder you will get blow by into the carrier and the rifle will need a squirt of oil to keep going as in a cowboy match. The cartridges the orginals were designed for were bottle neck cartridges. I have a 73 in 32-20 that can shoot all day with black powder and stays nice and clean no issues of the carrier binding up. So if you are not going to shoot black powder a 45 is okay but if you are going to shoot BP get an original cartridge. Just my .02 worth.
 
#32 ·
I had a Puma '92 in .45, decent enough as far as accuracy went, but fit and finish were so so. I sold it with the intention of buying a Uberti '73, but as DSK said, they are EXPENSIVE. Also, in my neck of the woods they seem to have gone into hiding. If I could find one for 1000 bucks I'd jump on it, the examples that come up are typically around 1300 and up.

Shoulda kept the Puma until I had a replacement I guess, but wife was putting the pressure on. Any time I plan on "trading up", she seems to notice that the replacement joins the original, and the original ends up staying too. She's no dummy, but sometimes she's not a lot of fun haha.
 
#33 · (Edited)
I own 2 Win94 Trappers and a Marlin CB Limited (24" octagon) in 45Colt.

The Marlin is, by far, the most accurate 45Colt I've ever shot.

Here is a target from sighting in my new hunting handload (240gr XTP @ 1700fps) at 100yds with open sights - rested of course.

The first 5 shots (right of bull) were my elevation/windage adjustments

The next 10 shots make up that ragged hole (1.2" center to center)



 
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