Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Puma .44 Mag VS ,454 Casual

I have been looking at Puma lever action rifles. And I am torn between the .44mag & .454 Casual. Primary use will be deer hunting. I like the extended range and power of the .454
I like the ammunition availability and cost of the .44 and I know that I can shoot .45 long colt out of the .454 Anything that I am missing ? Any recommendations either way ?

If you get a 454, and shoot the shorter brass (long colt) you will need to clean chamber before fireing 454 (longer) in it. The 454 is loaded to 65,000 psi. and you sure would not like to get more pressure than that puma can handle.

If you need more than the 45 long colt, get a 45-70. But that is just my opinion..

Stay safe, and good luck.

Hi Tack, I have a Puma .357 16" and a .454 20". These are neat little guns. My eyes are old so I had a smith install Williams peep sites on both of mine. There is really no way to scope them. You can't go wrong with either the .44 or the .454. You can shoot the .45 Colt loads so just make sure you clean the chamber well like Brasshound said. If you use full house .454 loads, you will be in for a shock! I was quite surprised the first time I set a hot rod .454 off in mine! It will draw blood and get meat on both ends! It really is a mini .45-70. Check the Corbon or Buffalo Bore specs. or read some of Paco's stuff at gunblast.com. The .44 is a good deer cartridge also in a rifle. I have a Ruger 96 with a scope that people say won't hit a large barn and it shoots great. I think the .44 would be your best bet if you don't handload since it would be a little more versatile and ammo. of all sizes and velocities are easier to find. Both are fun and will kill any deer graveyard dead at 100 yds. or a little more. That's about as far as I can see one anyway without the Hubble telescope. Get one and have fun! BT

+1 Even putting a 44 Mag in a carbine really brings up the potential. Not to mention I'd go with the Marlin Carbine 44 Mag. Better sights.

10-4 on the Marlin comment Cariboujack. The Pumas are fun guns for what they are. They are limited for hunting since they are based on the Winchester 92. The Marlin has more potential for accuracy since it can be scoped, although it is not a modern design either. Here in Texas, most of our shooting is not over 100 to 125 yds. unless you go far West for prairie goats or mule deer. In a rifle, the .44 mag. is entirely adequate for this range and it packs quite a whallop. Too bad the Marlin is not or cannot be chambered for the .454. IMHO BT