Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only .458 Casull in a handy 20" rifle?

At one time I owned a Thompson/Encore pistol chambered in .458 Casull. Truly, it was a blast to shoot and I enjoyed the activity much like a grown kid likes shooting off fireworks. Unfortunatly for me, I didn't have much confidence in hitting a whitetail deer at a likely hunting range (100 yards or less) as I could just barely keep 5 shots within 4" at 25 yards.

Which got me to thinking:

The .454 Casull is listed at a velocity of 1650 fps out of a standard 6" pistol with a 300 grn bullet. Some 1750 fps with a 265 grain bullet. Amazing ballistics!

If every inch of barrel equates to an increase of 20 fps then you are looking at just under 1950 fps in a handy 20" carbine.

As single shot rifles are usually pretty handy and short as is....you add another 4" to this rifle and you are just over 2,000 fps. Sighted in at 2" high at 100.....you could hold dead on at 150 and hit paydirt.

Has the idea of making a rifle from a .458 Casull crossed anyone else's mind? Would this activity simply duplicate the 45/70 and thus not be worth the trouble?

Can relatively fast burning pistol powder effectively "use" an extra 18 inches of barrel?

I'd appreciate anyone else's thoughts.

Browning used to (for one run only) make an 1885 Highwall in 454.
I have one and have shot two Bison with it. With Swift A-Frames (300) I can get right around 2100 fps with it without undue pressure.

it's a fun little gun. good luck finding one though....

Take a look at Rossi Puma lever guns. They are replicas of winchester 92's and come in blued as well as stainless. They are availible in 357, 45Colt, 44 mag, 454 casull and 480 ruger. They come in 16, 18, and 20 inches. Slick little rigs.

Owned one of the Pumas in .454. Was a hoot to shoot with .45LCs, and with .454 factory loads, 1800+ with 300 gr. slugs was easy.

Very nice little carbines.

I have a NavyArms 92 in .45LC. Great little carbine! I like the feel of the rounded reciver better than a 94.
I'm shooting a 300 grain TSX. Haven't killed anything with it yet, but am sure anxious to!
Virgil B.

I took a little whitetail buck with my 16" bbl Puma 92 earlier this month. Approx. 75 yds. He ran maybe 75 yds. I shoot 4" 100 yd. groups with Win 250 gr HPs. Magtech's 265 gr JFPs are 5-6" at 100 yds. I don't have a chronograph, yet. I've a friend who was to hunt with his this November, too, but I have not heard how it went, yet. To me, this gun is a keeper.

..I have a Rossi Puma 92 in 45 Colt. With handloads or Buffalo Bore fodder it's pretty stout, at least the equal of the Remington 44 magnum.It could be called suitable for deer out to one hundred yards or a bit more, but in my opinion hasn't sufficent accuracy to be so used. As a stalking rifle for still hunting deer it fits better in my opinion, and as a carry gun behind hounds for bear or cougar it would be a gem! Light and handy with a 16" barrel, but with great wallop at close range the little gun would be a delight at the tree!

I have a Rossi in .480 Ruger. 20". As stated they are fun little guns. I'm working on loads now and expect to get 1400fps 410gr cast without too much effort. The factory 325s are pretty mild.pak

I like the Casull in a hunting weight revolver. It is something to reckon with inside 75 yards. I can see levers in 44-40 Win and 45LC being real useful matching their western sidearms. I can't see a reason to own a Casull in a lever gun when I could shoot the 45-70 Gov and load it anyway I desire (28,000-40,000 psi). On large game, you are better equipped shooting the 45-70 Gov. with 400 gr class projectile at 1,900 fps. Even the 444 Marlin is a bit more wicked on game than the Casull shooting 300 gr projectiles just shy of 2,200 fps.

I don't believe you can get a 45/70 in a Mdl 92.pak

Brian Pearce had an article in Rifle last year covering the Puma 454, Paco Kelly also has an article up on his Leverguns.com website.

I now own VA's old puma 454. i had the funky safety removed and it is now a terrific little rifle. It has been to Africa and will be used on some hound hunts. Mine is not for sale or trade if that tells you how I feel about it/them.

I have no doubt it is a satifying and capable cartridge out of a lever gun. I just feel a Marlin lever in 45-70 Gov or Win 94 Big Bore in 444 Marlin would be a better choice for dedicated hunting at 200 yards. I have the Win 94 big bore carbine in 444 Marlin and believe it to be the perfect pack gun, especially with CorBon loadings. I have used the 280 gr. Expander SP on elk. On a big bodied 4x4 it drove completely through at 125 yards and opened up an off-side hole about the size of a golf ball. Elk went right down where he stood (the cave-in effect as I like to call it).

There is always something more capable. No one suggested that these rifles were in the new 45/70 class or 200 yard guns. They are a lot in a small package, however. 92's are cool levers. I would not hesitate to use mine on moose in the 75 yd range with good loads. Right now i find the 325 factory loads good for snowshoe hare.pak

Still waiting to see the video clip of the guinea fowl that got "landmined" by the .454 Puma..... that'd be worth the price of admission.

And, you still need to thump a warthog with it..... and clear out a nest of baboons....

Why not pick up a TC Encore Katadin barrel (20 inch) in 460 S & W? Technically it will work with 45 Colt, 454 Casull and 460 though I don't think TC recommends using the first two. Regardless you can load 460 S & W brass to just about any level and plink or punish to your heart's content.

I took a nice 8 point this year with mine loaded using a 300 Hornady XTP magnum bullet.

A warning - sort of - for the Puma 454 lever guns.

This may only be an issue with my rifle. But something to check before you get into a "sticky" situation.

You can shoot both 454 casull and 45 colt in these pumas (i have the 16 inch carbine). If I stick with one, no problem. If I go from 454 to 45, no problem. However, when going from 45 colt to 454, some 454 ammo will no longer chamber properly (it appears to depend on the shape of the bullet). This goes away after cleaning the chamber. So I am assuming this is caused by some gunk left by the shorter 45 colt.