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454 Casull lever action rifle
I've got the chance to acquire a puma lever action rifle chambered in 454. It's main purpose to me is deer hunting, and I would be reloading for it... What is your all's opinion on the cartridge for a rifle/hunting round?
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RE: 454 Casull lever action rifle
454 Casull is more than powerful enough to take deer when fired out of a revolver. Out of a carbine rifle where you could reasonably expect to gain 200-300 fps over handgun velocities, it'll be even deadlier. While a carbine length lever gun in 454 Casull would certainly be deadly to deer to at least 200 yards, I'd be a little nervous about touching off a bunch of full throttle 454 Casull loads in a rear locking block style lever action. The 454 Casull is rated to 64Kpsi, the same as many magnum CF rifles, and it needs a STRONG action to hold everything together like a magnum CF rifle. Most rear locking block lever guns are not strong enough to handle these pressures with a reliable safety margin. I'd be thinking with every shot that if the receiver, locking block or bolt fails under that kind of pressure, there would be absolutely nothing stopping the 64,000 psi in the chamber from driving that bolt straight through my face at high velocity. It's a good idea (putting the 454 Casull in a lever gun), but I'd prefer to see it in a stronger action like the Browning BLR or a resurrected Savage Model 99. That'd be something.
Mike |
RE: 454 Casull lever action rifle
ORIGINAL: driftrider 454 Casull is more than powerful enough to take deer when fired out of a revolver. Out of a carbine rifle where you could reasonably expect to gain 200-300 fps over handgun velocities, it'll be even deadlier. While a carbine length lever gun in 454 Casull would certainly be deadly to deer to at least 200 yards, I'd be a little nervous about touching off a bunch of full throttle 454 Casull loads in a rear locking block style lever action. The 454 Casull is rated to 64Kpsi, the same as many magnum CF rifles, and it needs a STRONG action to hold everything together like a magnum CF rifle. Most rear locking block lever guns are not strong enough to handle these pressures with a reliable safety margin. I'd be thinking with every shot that if the receiver, locking block or bolt fails under that kind of pressure, there would be absolutely nothing stopping the 64,000 psi in the chamber from driving that bolt straight through my face at high velocity. It's a good idea (putting the 454 Casull in a lever gun), but I'd prefer to see it in a stronger action like the Browning BLR or a resurrected Savage Model 99. That'd be something. Mike That is one of the best thought out responses I think I have ever read on the internet!! The 454 is a great round. However for practical hunting with a lever action rifle(distances to 200 yards) I can not see a major advantage over the 44 magnum. Yes it would have more energy than a 44 magnum, but for practical reasons they are pretty close(especially in a rifle). However the 44 magnum would be considerably cheaper to shoot, and will definitely do the job. Tom. However in the stronger 1885 Low Wall it would be a DANDY!! Tom. |
RE: 454 Casull lever action rifle
I actually used this exact gun during deer season this year and had relatively good results. I shot a doe with it towards the end of the season and she dropped in her tracks. I use a 250 gr. bullet and it shoots nice. I trust it out to 100 yrds. I don't trust my self with iron sights over that distance. One thing I did have trouble with was the factory sights one it. They were really sensitive and would move after a couple of shots. I changed them and it has been fine ever since.
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RE: 454 Casull lever action rifle
Paco Kelly, the lever-action guy, spoke very highly of the Puma in 454. It will tread close on the heels of the 45/70 if handloaded with 350-grain or so bullets.....
During the development of the 454, it was chambered in some Winchester 92 rifles. The problems they had were with the chamber of barrels expanding, not with action failures. The straight case grips thechamber walls quite well during peak pressure, lowering backthrust on the bolt. BUT specail alloy barrels were required to defeat chamber stretching. No doubt the Puma has the right stuff in the chamber region of the barrel.... |
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