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.45 Colt Deer Loads


ACP

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Gents, 

I’m looking for some tried and true powder and bullet combinations for taking deer with an 1873. I see plenty of hot load data out there for running out of six guns that’ll handle the pressure, but I’m not too interested in blowing my lever gun up. 
 

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Without me giving you specific load data that I use in my Marlin 1894, I will tell you that there are some powders

that will give you better performance in a .45 rifle which increase your ballistics greatly.

 

Favorite bullets:  Hornady XTP,  Norma, etc..... 

Powders:   LilGun, H110, WW-296,  AA9.

 

Factory stuff:  Big Bore, Underwood, 'some' Hornady XTP stuff.   Stay away from hard POINTED bullets in your magazine fed lever gun.

 

..........Widder

 

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I had a Rossi 92 and Hornady’s Leverevolution .45 Colt round was very accurate from that rifle, but alas, I did not get a shot at a deer so I never got to find out how it performed. That round is also very accurate from my 7.5” Vaquero. 
 

If interested, I would call Hornady and ask about firing it from an 1873. The round is not hot rodded. 

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Rossi 92 24" barrel, Miroku 73 24" barrel

Unique is not a good powder to try to get higher fps, but I have it available for CAS, so why not.

When I use smokeless, I run a 200 gr RNFP soft lead over 8.5 gr Unique.

BP I load 2.2 dipper 3F under the same bullet.

Both have enough giddyup to put down a whitetail between 50-100 yards. 

Any further, I use my Marlin 30/30 or Model 70 30-06.

Why 200 gr RNFP?  I didn't want to stock another size.  That bullet runs for me BP or smokeless, 1911, Ruger OMV, both rifles.

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Shot placement is a lot more important than the specific load in killing a deer.  A RNFP 200 grain bullet at 1200 fps will drop most any thin skinned game (deer included) if you hit a major blood bearing organ, or the central nervous system. 

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3 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I had a Rossi 92 and Hornady’s Leverevolution .45 Colt round was very accurate from that rifle, but alas, I did not get a shot at a deer so I never got to find out how it performed. That round is also very accurate from my 7.5” Vaquero. 
 

If interested, I would call Hornady and ask about firing it from an 1873. The round is not hot rodded. 

Got some of the same for my son, also for a Rossi no results to report as yet. https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/handgun/45-colt-225-gr-ftx-leverevolution#!/

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1 hour ago, LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L said:

Shot placement is a lot more important than the specific load in killing a deer.  A RNFP 200 grain bullet at 1200 fps will drop most any thin skinned game (deer included) if you hit a major blood bearing organ, or the central nervous system. 

I’ve been hunting deer since I was a child, killed my fist one with a 40# recurve . If that will do it just about any firearm will . I 2nd shot placement is everything. That’s the limiting factor as long as the projectile can penetrate to the vitals , but preferably pass through them . 

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1 hour ago, Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L said:

For a deer?  full load real black powder (3f) with a 250gr projectile will work.

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

Thats what I use. I have shot several mule deer with it.

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2 hours ago, Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L said:

For a deer?  full load real black powder (3f) with a 250gr projectile will work.

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

Ya was reading my mind !

It works just fine on our big Northern Deer ... 

Some of them field dressed exceed 350 pounds.

 

Jabez Cowboy

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28 minutes ago, Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 said:

Ya was reading my mind !

It works just fine on our big Northern Deer ... 

Some of them field dressed exceed 350 pounds.

 

Jabez Cowboy

 

Dang Jabez, that ain't a deer........ that's one of them Jurassic type Antelopes.  :lol:

 

A 350 pound deer in Tennessee will get you arrested for pouching in another country.  :lol:

 

..........Widder

 

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Florida got little deer. Maybe 90 pounds soaking wet. The last one I shot, and I'll admit it was just a spike, field dressed 45 pounds.

 

They closed a local management area for 10 years. Went up to Michigan or Montana or SOME OTHER Northern State that started with an m, and brought back some big Yankee deer, and released them into this closed area, with the idea that they would breed with our little native deer and grow bigger deer.

 

That's a great idea. Let's cross a Saint Bernard with a toy poodle. Should get a bigger dog. If the huge puppies don't kill the poodle on the way out.

 

Anyway, 2 years after they opened the area to hunting again my brother-in-law got one that field dressed 195 pounds. Took three of us to get it in the truck.

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27 minutes ago, Alpo said:

Florida got little deer. Maybe 90 pounds soaking wet. The last one I shot, and I'll admit it was just a spike, field dressed 45 pounds.

 

They closed a local management area for 10 years. Went up to Michigan or Montana or SOME OTHER Northern State that started with an m, and brought back some big Yankee deer, and released them into this closed area, with the idea that they would breed with our little native deer and grow bigger deer.

 

That's a great idea. Let's cross a Saint Bernard with a toy poodle. Should get a bigger dog. If the huge puppies don't kill the poodle on the way out.

 

Anyway, 2 years after they opened the area to hunting again my brother-in-law got one that field dressed 195 pounds. Took three of us to get it in the truck.

If Bergmans rule is true in a couple of generations they will be small again 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergmann's_rule

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250 gr RNFP, 8.2 g Unique.  Uberti 1873 w 24" barrel.

 

Shot placement was superb; right through the heart.  Slight downhill angle from a tree stand.

PC140008.JPG

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Thanks to all for the replies, completely agree on the shot placement, with correct placement a .22 would get it done, just want to keep the loading safe on the ‘73 action not looking to knock em off their feet. For those suggesting a full load of BP, is this a loose case full then compressed at seating? 

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56 minutes ago, ACP said:

Thanks to all for the replies, completely agree on the shot placement, with correct placement a .22 would get it done, just want to keep the loading safe on the ‘73 action not looking to knock em off their feet. For those suggesting a full load of BP, is this a loose case full then compressed at seating? 

 

I';ve seen a YouTube video by Plowboysghost compress a full case of BP (Roughly 40 grs) beneath a 250 gr bullet, but that's really tight.  I've loaded 38 gr (volume) of FFFg Goex and my rifle didn't explode.

 

 

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I have hunted many years with hand loaded 44 Magnum with 10gr of Unique and a Hornady XTP 240gr bullet.

With great success.

 

So when I started using a 44/40 in my Henry 1860 

I loaded the same load but with a 200gr hard cast  lead Lee bullet .

Also with great success.

Rooster

 

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