Looking at a Winchester lever aciton in 45lc. I am looking for other thoughts about using this gun for hunting.

Hunting area is light to medium cover, shots under 100 yards, whitetail is the game of choice.

All comments welcome

It is a fine whitetail gun/round for under 100 yard shooting with the proper bullet. It, the .45 Colt, can be loaded to equal or surpass the .44 magnum in quality revolvers such as the Ruger, and I suspect the Winchester LA would allow hot loading to equal or exceed .44 magnum levels in the rifle. While it still be not be a long range rifle, for what you describe it will be just fine.

Agree with Big Bore - it's a fine old cartridge with lots of bullet styles available for hunting purposes. For mostly under 100 yd whitetail hunting, will make a dandy in the leverguns.

Make it three thumbs-up for the .45 Colt.

Wll you be using factory ammo or rolling your own?

Make it three thumbs-up for the .45 Colt.

Wll you be using factory ammo or rolling your own?


I will be using factory ammo to start. I want to eventually get into reloading my own rounds

The colt will do it all, from mild to wild. I too have a win 94 and am amazed at what it will do when handloading. the best information I know of is at leverguns.com. look under articles, then under articles by "paco"." The 45colt in leverguns." lots of great information here. Good luck. Jim.

I will be using factory ammo to start. I want to eventually get into reloading my own rounds
If you are using factory ammo, I would suggest trying some of the high performance stuff with heavy cast bullets. Normal factory loads are very mild and do not demonstrate the potential of this fine cartridge. I load a 315 gr. cast bullet with 24 gr. of H110 in my 45 Colt. It gives 1620 fps out of my 94, and shoots suprisingly flat out to 75 yards. I have not shot a deer with it, but I would not hesitate to if need be.

The mane says it all. :D

PMC makes a 300 grain round that is HP and copperclad. It zeros at 50 yds. and is 6 inches low at 100 yds. Not bad, certainly a factory load that would/should work with deer. The quotes are for a pistol...but they are also applicable for the Winchester 94.

cemtech12
For what your to hunt- it makes an excellant choice!
But get some other then just plain old factory rounds- they are to mild for hunting -great for practice, but not hunting. Now Buffalo Bore makes some serious hunting loads for the 45 LC. Expensive yes-but very good rounds for hunting.

Exactly what my usual rifle of choice is for the Vermont Hardwoods, except mines the trapper version.

I've found that Marshall's 265 Keith bullets are tack drivers in this little carbine.
Factory ammo will be fine, but the cartridge really shines once reloaded. The Buffalo Bore stuff adds some punch for those that do not relaod. [yet] Get yourself a sidearm in the same chunk a lead and you'll be set! ;) :cool: