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Old July 5, 2013, 04:22 PM   #1
Big Tom
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.454 Casull and .45 LC question

Hi guys, so I am moving to Kentucky next month and I just picked up a Ruger Vaquero in .45 LC. I was wanting a Lever in .454 Casull and didn't know if A) I could also us .45 LC's in it at the range, and B) If the .454 lever would be good for Hogs and White Tail. Please let me know. I intend to carry my Vaquero loaded at my side in case I am attacked by a hog, or some other critter or if I need to dispatch something at close range. I am new to hunting and trying to get into Medium game. I love the cowboy guns too. Please let me know guys and thank you in advanced!
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Old July 5, 2013, 04:41 PM   #2
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Speaking from experience, you must not be one of us old guys. Anyone that can spend a day hauling around a rifle along with a heavy single action on his hip has to be young and full of beans. I'd opt for a much lighter sidearm as you probably have more chance of getting attacked by chiggers in that country as you would by hogs.
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Old July 5, 2013, 04:50 PM   #3
ligonierbill
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Someone else can no doubt give you a better answer, but on A) I imagine you could fire .45 Colt. The difference in case length may affect feeding, however. Question B) .454 will sure kill 'em quick, but so will .45 Colt. The idea of a revolver and rifle firing the same cartridge goes back a long way, and at woods range the old .45 is plenty. (Though in the day, no rifle was ever chambered for it.) If you're set on a pistol caliber lever carbine, I won't talk you out of it, but I don't think .454 Casull is necessary. I can tell you that hunting in western Kentucky, we had both thick woods and stands at the edge of fields where a 300 yard shot was very possible. Like I said, if you're set on a pistol caliber, go for it. But there are plenty of good rifle calibers available, including the good 'ole 30-30.
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Old July 5, 2013, 04:50 PM   #4
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I wouldnt really know, I am from PA and moved to DE originally. The only thing I ever hunted were groundhogs with my Grandfather's old Stevens .410 side by side. I am very "green" if you will. I wasnt sure if Kentucky was also bear country so I wanted to be ready for whatever threat arises. Any advice you could give me would be very much appreciated. Thank You!
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Old July 5, 2013, 04:52 PM   #5
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Well I do have a pair of mosins as well that I was thinking of using but something easier on the Shoulder is more up my alley.
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Old July 5, 2013, 07:37 PM   #6
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My only experience with the .454 was with a friend's Taurus Raging Bull. With max load 260-grain bullets, it shot reasonably flat to 100 yards and not much holdover for 185 yards. (Hell for loud, though.)

I've no idea about reliable feeding of .45 Colt cartridges in the lever gun, though.

I had a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt. Hot loads with 300-grain bullets were not all that hard for controlling recoil, and they'd easily put down a deer out to the limits of one's shooting ability. My idea of one's range limit is that of reliably hitting the end of a beer can. When you miss more than you hit, that's the time to back off and call it quits.
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Old July 5, 2013, 07:44 PM   #7
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.454 Casull and .45 LC question

Since we are on the subject of vaquero, 45 colt, and 454, just a word of caution. If you handloadi and want to push the 45 colt to "Ruger only" levels, keep in mind there are 2 different vaquero frames. The New Model is not strong enough for the hot 45s. Make sure it is the "original" vaquero.
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Old July 5, 2013, 07:59 PM   #8
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Do your Mosins have original stocks? You can help your felt recoil by putting an ugly black plastic aftermarket stock with a decent recoil pad on one. That's what my brother did. But you want a new gun. I notice Marlin sells both 38/357 and 44 Spl/44 Mag carbines, so at least in the advertising world, shorter cases will feed. Rossi, however, advertises .454 Casull and .45 Colt, but no "/" model, so I don't know. Really, if you want a nice handy lever carbine, just get the .45 Colt version. No deer or hog (or black bear) will go far after being center punched by that.
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Old July 5, 2013, 08:47 PM   #9
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Thank you for the tips guys. Should I go with a Flat Nose Lead Cast bullet or a Hollow point for hunting?

TennJed, its a new model. But like I said its for dispatching the animal if it is still moving (head shot) or for protection. Pretty sure even the lower pressure .45 LC's will get the job done in that scenario. Maybe I'm wrong?
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Old July 5, 2013, 09:59 PM   #10
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Congratulations on moving south and west to the Bluegrass State. What part of the state are you headed? Deer hunting is primarily west of I-75 although there are pockets of deer in Eastern KY. Most of the deer hunting is in Western KY where deer are like rabbits. Bear are primarily an Eastern KY animal although they are gradually moving west. There is even a limited bear season now in certain counties in Eastern KY.

454C or hot 45 Colt should be plenty of medicine for whitetails or hogs.

With normal powered 45 Colt, I'd go with lead solids. The Hornandy XTP's (hollow pt) work very well on deer. From a rifle, I'd go XTP's as you really don't need solids in my opinion with the higher velocity. I generally use XTP's in my 480 Ruger (325 gr factory loads).

You won't need much protection from wild animals in KY. Lots of snakes in the woods. I suppose if I were hog hunting. I would need "protection" just in case one got a bit too close which happens with bad hits.

State Parks are really nice.
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Old July 5, 2013, 10:46 PM   #11
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Your standard .45 loads will do just fine. In fact, most of us Ruger shooters shoot those heavy loads sparingly. A flat nosed "Keith" style cast bullet (or boolit) will do well. Hey, Elmer liked 'em. Do you load your own? If not, Buffalo Bore has some great standard pressure .45s for you. When I left Paducah 2 years ago, you could shoot as many deer as you cared to buy tags for. But the big draw out there is ducks, some of the best waterfowl hunting in the US. Enjoy!
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Old July 7, 2013, 02:21 PM   #12
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We are moving to either Lexington so we can still be somewhat close to my family out of state or if we find a better deal we will be moving to Louisville.

Also I do not reload, we are moving into an apartment anyways and I feel it unsafe for everyone else living their if I were too. lol. I saw some Winchester HP's at 260 grains with pics of deer on them. dunno if they are really deer round though (?)

EDIT: oops nvm that was a .454 load.
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Last edited by Big Tom; July 7, 2013 at 02:26 PM.
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Old July 7, 2013, 02:42 PM   #13
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About the last thing for safety that I've ever worried about was reloading inside the house. No problems whatsoever, for these last sixty-three years, anyway.
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Old July 7, 2013, 05:19 PM   #14
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Thanks for that, I don't know much about reloading and I heard of some horror stories of rounds going off, people losing fingers, etc. Are these myths or do they happen?
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Old July 7, 2013, 08:12 PM   #15
Art Eatman
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Me, my uncle, my father: Zero. Friends and gun store stories: Almost zero.

Once in a blue moon there will be a story about somebody being careless with a primer. I've even heard of some guy who had a tube full of primers turn loose, but not all of them exploded; just little projectiles into his ceiling.

If you can whittle on a piece of wood without cutting yourself, you oughta be able to safely reload.
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Old July 7, 2013, 10:17 PM   #16
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.454 Casull and .45 LC question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Tom View Post
Thanks for that, I don't know much about reloading and I heard of some horror stories of rounds going off, people losing fingers, etc. Are these myths or do they happen?
The major risk from reloading comes from SHOOTING improperly loaded rounds. Not much danger in the actual process of reloading. Your neighbors will be fine
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Old July 7, 2013, 10:52 PM   #17
Big Tom
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Cool, thank you guys. I also figured that maybe I wont be using my Vaquero at my side. Looking at a Taurus Judge with the 3" barrel and have 2 loads of #9 shot in it for snakes and 3 .45 LC HP's. What do you guys think about that?
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