[deadkelly]

hi guy's i'm after a .45 cal lever action hunting rifle / carbine in 45/70 or 454 casull . i'm leaning towards the 454 for a number of reasons . firstly it needs to be short , handy & lightweight would be a bonus , this will be my walkabout everything gun . the game will be everything from rabbits , cats , foxes , goats , wild boar , deer , donkey's mabey even wild bulls & water buffalo . secondly must be hard hitting for close range use in suger cane & thick scrub , tall grass & swampy area's ect ect . but shots maybe as far as 150 meters for the smaller to medium game . thirdly i reload so those two cartridges give me plenty of opitons . the 45/70 would be a better choice if i were going just after buff & bulls but i'll do way more goat , deer , pig & rabbit shooting then anything else . i can also reduce load using trail boss for weak kiddy or newbie loads on a lee auto turret press , maybe even using colt 45 cases ect in the 454 . that would be very cheap to run & plink around . but drop the odd full power load in just for kicks . somebody will tell me to go marlin but there just to bulky for me . i do way more walking then shooting , & these hot & humid Queensland day's don't help nor the mozzie's or fly's . so i like to keep as lightweight as i can for extra water ect . NO 4 . as for sight opions i'd like a goast ring or other receever peep & a scout scope set up in case the scope gets damaged while hunting . i think a scope of 2-7 or 1.5-5 with ao would be good . although it will receeve a hella of alota recoil . btw i think i'd like a 28 mm - 33 mm objective for more light / hunting time . mabey even leopold QD rings or bases if possible .
well i'll leave it there & through it out there for your comments cheers .

 

[yukondog]

I have the 454 puma and like it very much, its light, handy and easy to carry all day, like you I do way more spot and stalk than stand hunting. In mine 45LC are actually more accurate than 454, with300 xtp/mag. fact. I'm getting around 1750 fps. I've had the 45-70 but perfer the 454 over it and good luck in finding what your looking for.

 

[dpe.ahoy]

I own both chamberings in lever guns, have 2 of the 454 M-92's, 16" trapper stainless and a 20" blue. Both are much lighter than the 1895 Marlin GS that I have. For light carry and ease of relaoding, they are great. You can get a scout mount base for them, have one on a 357 Rossi M-92. Both of my 454's feed 45 Colts just as slick as the longer 454's and are as accurate as I am. The Williams peep I have on my 44 mag does a good job on snap shots for brush hunting. Honestly, I would sell my Marlin 45-70 before my Rossi 454's. Right bullets and you can harvest anything you mentioned. DP

 

[tacklebury]

I love .45-70, but the Casull gives you the chance to shoot regular colt ammo also. Gives more flexibility. Read this on the .45 colt also, might give you some more ideas... I use Reloader7 in my carbine loads.

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/45coltlevergun.htm

 

[deadkelly]

thanks guy's i put some money on a rossi m92 454 . it will take around a month to get in my hands though .