Well, with modern firearms chambered for the 45 Colt, such as the Winchester and Marlins, you could load them up with +P loads, and have an outstanding deer rifle. These loads will almost equal standard 45-70 factory loads in both energy and terminal performance.

However, since you have a replica, you' ll need to use the standard factory ammo. I read a great article on this exact topic in Rifle Magazine about a year ago, and their opinion was that....YES, within 100 yds, as long as you do your job and hit the vitals, it will work for deer. I seem to remember that the Remington 250 gr. SP had a muzzle energy of 590 lbs. from a rifle, and about 425 lbs at 100 yds. Although these are small numbers, you must realize that this is a 250 gr, 45 cal hole that will penetrate deeply into a deer' s chest. It should be very effective.


Another way of looking at it is: At at 100 yds, your 45 colt will have much more energy than a 250 gr. 45 ACP will at muzzle. And there' s no deer alive that will live if you hold your 45 ACP directly to his side and pull the trigger.