Rossi M92 45 LC a good Texas Hill Country Deer/Hog Gun?

So my dad has a Rossi M92 45 LC that he says I can have when I turn 18, I really like the gun, and I was wondering if it would be a good gun for Texas Hill Country Deer and Hog.

Sure. Just get to know its limits.

Hi Ben!

The .45 Colt was designed originally as a revolver round but has really turned into a decent little rifle round since the advent of Cowboy Action Shooting (now almost 40 years ago...which explains a lot of this gray hair!) put a bunch of .45 LC chambered lever guns on the market. Like me, a good number of Cowboy shooters couldn't resist taking their saddle guns afield, and we found that they could take game just fine. Of course (and like every OTHER firearm you choose to hunt with), you need to become proficient with the rifle...which means learning the limitations of the cartridge (ie trajectory) and your own ability to deliver hits where you want them. For me, my sights, and my old eyes that's a maximum of 100 yards...and 75 is a better all day / every day answer.

The Rossi 92 is a lightweight, handy little rifle and strong enough for them to chamber it in the .454, so it will handle warm loads with no problem...but recoil may become an issue with the heavier factory loads. I've run some hot Buffalo Bore rounds through a Marlin 1894...and found shooting my old .416 Rigby more enjoyable!

Frankly, I believe that any moderate 250 grain .45 Colt load will kill any deer or hog that walks within 100 yards if you do your part and not pound you into pudding in the process.

Have fun!

Mark

Excellent response 218 Bee, and spot on.

I have taken wtd, axis, turkey and a bobcat with my 45 Colt Marlin which is capable of monotonous clay breaking at the 100 yard berm. I shoot the Lee 250 RF boolit and unique. I have a Skinner front sight and a Marlin rear Folding sight. I've taken 8 axis and several wtd, all one shot kills. I shoot it frequently and it is my carry gun on the ranch for targets of opportunity.

As the BEE says, learn the gun, limits and your abilities. If possible, reload for it that you may shoot more. The Rossi and the 45 Colt are certainly capable and...........you're gonna like it!!

For me as well, Papalote. My old Marlin '94 .45 Colt rides either in a scabbard on my UTV or under my right stirrup leather if I'm horseback here on the ranch. If I do my part, it always holds up its end.

Interesting that you mention taking turkey with yours. I've done likewise and that big slug at a sedate velocity minimizes secondary projectiles (i.e. broken bone) and reduces tissue damage...leaving me with more wild turkey to eat.

The .45 LC in a saddlegun is a remarkably effective combo...provided that you don't feel duty bound to take shots into the next zip code!

Mark

After being down this road a few times, it is not the way i would go if i had other options. While they will for sure work, there are tons of guns that are just as handy and have better overall performance. Even something as mundane as a 3030 outpaces the 45 colt in pretty much every category, I would prefer the 45 with heavy cast bullets and heavy loads on something like an elk, but for deer and hogs, I think you would be better served with almost anything else. So, would it be a good gun for the task you listed, IMO, not really. Would it work for the task you listed, sure. And if it is what you really want to use, then use it

Well, I don't know about young Ben, but "options" was something that I was miserably short on when I was 18. Like him I hunted with what I was given (and the .218 Bee is a sight less capable than the .45 Colt!). Are other combinations more efficient? Of course...if you have access to them. Will the Rossi / Colt combo be a "good" deer/hog rig for the Hill Country (as Ben asked)? Also, of course...within its envelope.

But, differences of opinion are what makes horse races, I guess. Have good evening!

Mark

I do have options and the 45 Colt is what I carry most of the time.
I have loaded 300 gr boolits and H110. I shot a WT buck at 50 yds with this load. The buck was upended and slammed to the ground. This was from a Ruger Bisley.
I've found the Lee250/Unique combination very pleasing in accuracy and performance.

Yes there are options......I could gain an extra hour of hunting time each day by carrying a scoped rifle......I could gain another 100 yds in distance with a scoped rifle...,and I do use my "go to" gun all the time.

My other ranch carry favorites are a 30-30 Winchester Trapper and Marlin 357.
Will it work for the stated purpose? Yes.
OP......if you have other options and hunt from a blind, carry both! I do. If the opportunity is within 45 Colt limits, use it. If not, use the option. But..........nothing replaces practice. Shoot often if you're able.

Agreed. You can eat right up to the bullet hole!! Recoil is light, noise is minimal, accuracy is very good plus mine hold 14 rounds!! No loose ca'tridges in my pocket!

Most all my shooting is well under 100 yards. The turkey was about 85 yards away. As you say, remarkably effective.

I do not have the 45 but my main truck ranch gun is a Marlin 1894 357 and with it I feel well armed for hogs and deer out to 125 yards. I have killed deer and hogs with the 44 Mag Trapper with both 44 Mags and 44 spcl.

I agree with the others 45 Colt will work well within its range limitations and like pointed out above you can eat right ho to the hole, very little blood shot meat with those slow moving big bulets.

Well, the OP asked it he rifle was a "good" deer rifle, so to me we have to compare it to other "deer" rifles, and by that measuring stick, it is really not a good deer rifle. Compared to throwing rocks, it is great. But objectively compared to other rifles, it is probably going to be in the bottom 15%. Any conclusion other than that and i am going to suspect a large amount of subjectivity in the comparison. That said, if the OP wants to use the gun then he should use it, but I am not going to blow smoke and say that it is a comparatively good deer rifle. And yes, I have hunted with 357,44 leverguns so i do have experience backing up my opinions.

45LC took this East Texas buck at 75 ysrds with ease.

I do have other options, my Dad also has a Win Model 70 in 30-06, but I feel that it might be a bit overkill for the size of deer in the Texas Hill Country, and I also really enjoy lever rifles in general.

That's a nice buck there, can't wait to get out there and start hunting.

Shoot what you like, but the model70 is about 100 times the deer rifle that the rossi 92 is. Good luck

Thank you for your advice.

You can buy smaller grain ammo for the 30-06 or get reduced recoil loads for the 30-06 that will be 125 grain IIRC. Lower velocity but still work great. As it is the 30-06 is fine for deer anywhere. If you like the lever action rifle then give it a try. Like others have posted know the distance/range limitations and start out with it on a few hogs to see how you like it for hunting.

John Linebaugh will argue that even with less than full blown Ruger only loads, 30-30 vs 45 Colt.

I also love lever actions and have went to using them almost exclusively. Your .45 will work great, I would use it over the 06' all day. Not because it's more capable but because I would like carrying the lever instead. Good luck - whatever way you go make sure you enjot it and be careful.

I am familiar with Linebaugh stuff, and do agree. I've been involved with deer and Elk being killed with 44 mag hardcast loads out of a rifle. And penetration is great. The problem is, with a hard cast bullet out of a 44 versus a plain old 150 grain core lock out of a 30-30, the 30-30 will put deer down quicker consistently. It will also basically double the range of the 44, just like it would the 45 Colt. This conversation was about deer hunting though, and in deer hunting the 30/30 beats the 45 colt every time. And that is just comparing the colt to the 30 30. If you try to compare a colt to a 308, 30 ought 6, 270, 708, Etc. the Colt just looks worse and worse. And that's just facts, no nostalgia or subjectivity thrown in.

So you take a gun like the Model 70 the OP has as an option. It will have greater mechanical accuracy, practical accuracy, range,ammo availability, better sights (scope), etc, and you start to understand that while adequate, when compared to a BUNCH of other guns, the 92 in 45 colt is not really a "good" deer rifle

Ben, I have to admit that I envy you...to have years of a hunting future stretching out before you!

Your comment about the old '06 being "a bit overkill for the size of deer in the Texas Hill Country" suggests that you're familiar with the whitetails of the Edwards Plateau and I happen to agree with you. It just doesn't take all that much to kill a buck that weighs 110 pounds guts, feathers and all!

But here's the thing I'll leave you with ('cause you already know my feelings about the adequacy of the .45 Colt used within reason): Whatever you choose to hunt with, have FUN. Hunting is a deeply personal endeavor and HOW we hunt should feed that part of ourselves that's hungry. Carry and shoot whatever makes you SMILE the most...the rest will take care of itself!

con cuidado,

Mark

With its somewhat limited range, it will teach you to be a Hunter, and not just a shooter. The 45 is a great round .

Very solid advice Mark

Thank you, I'm very excited to start, it's been an interest of mine for quite some time, I never really had any relatives or people that were into hunting so it'll be my first time.

New guy here. Couldn't find an introduction page so I'll jump in here.
IMO the 45lc is a great brush gun. Shorter range but has a good punch. Shoot what you have. As mentioned it will make you a better hunter and shooter. On a side note 45lc is easy to load. Buy a press, save your brass.You'll never be out of ammo.
Good luck and happy shooting.

There were probably more deer killed with the 44/40 than any other round, maybe the 30-30 or 30-06 are above it. In any event should be okay but you need to be a lot closer. I'm not sure how strong the Rossi is but maybe you could reload up a bit- if you do reload- use nickel cases or something to immediately ID them as hot loads so no one uses them in an old revolver. When I was about your age I cut out a card board silhouette of a deer, put it out in an open field 150 yards from the vehicle- I intended to use the hood as a shooting bench. When I got back to the vehicle and turned around- I could hardly see the card board cut out, blended in with dead grass, etc. In any event 50-100 yards is, in my opinion, about the workable range on a lever action with open sights- It's almost like using a traditional muzzle loader. In any event, if you accept that limitation then you should be okay. Farther south in the brush country- you might actually have closer range shooting. Maybe try rattling, etc. to draw in a buck for a closer shot.

Both the 45 and the 30-06 would make fine deer rifles. I went through a period during my hunting life that I Hunted with open sight lever guns exclusively...I just thought it was cool, and where I hunted, you rarely got an opportunity past 100 yards anyhow. One of the rifles I hunted with was a rossi 92 in 357. Longest shot was 110 yards. I still take that one out with me on occasion, but as was stated, you have to know your limitations. I suspect that in the hill country, you will get many opportunities past 100 yard, and the ought 6 will serve you better. However if you want the challenge of an open sighted lever gun, and the cool factor, go for it! Either way, practice, become proficient with your weapon of choice, and enjoy!

I respect both the content and tone of this post. Nicely done, Sir.

If you do go with a bolt somewhere down the road, I have a 30-06 Remington 700, perfectly okay but there may be better choices if it will be an exclusive deer rifle. The 270 Win is very good and the 308 is supposed to be very accurate. I have buddies that swear the 7mm- 08 is tops. A lot of hunting rifles get shot when first purchased, say 50 to 100 rounds. Then they get sighted in once a year before hunting season, say 20 rounds. A ten year old rifle might only have had a couple of hundred rounds shot through it- so...if money is tight, you might get a good deal on a used rifle. Just don't buy a varmint type or a caliber where it could have been shot a lot.

I just replaced my older Rossi 45 LC with a newer one, stepson let it fall off a hog trap as he was going down a gravel road with the trap on a trailer. Skun it up he did! Have to say a more useful gun to just have around when hog trapping or hunting the thick stuff could not be found. Mine seemed to kill quite well even using cowboy action loads for the trapped hogs that needed to be killed. I usually load the LEE round flat nosed cast bullet at 1300 fps and this seems to do a pretty good job for breaking bone and Texas heart shots you sometimes have to take as the hog is just getting into the brush. If something does travel a bit you have a good blood trail. I have never shot anything past 100 yards with it but consider it a very reliable hog and deer gun. My eyes are getting old so I put Burris 2.75 power scout scope on it and can put 3 of the cast loads into 3 inches at 100 yards with it no problem. Better than I could with young eyes. One thing I have noticed you don't find too many bullets because they go right on through bones crunched or not.

Yeah I use that Lee bullet as well and it really does have a flat nose and I find it very accurate. Good bullet!

Nice deer and gun !!

I hunted with a couple of Model 70 Winchester for many years and they were fine deer hunting rifles and good over 350 yards. Mine weighed over 10.5 pounds with a scope. This year i purchased a new Rossi R92 in 45 Colt with a 16" barrel. With iron sights it only weighs 5.5 pounds. I am looking forward to carrying it this year and trying to get a little closer. The standard velocity .45 Colt will usually through and through most any deer lengthwise. At .45 caliber the bullet is already expanded. I now have a Tika 30-06 that weighs 7 pounds with a scope. I will use that if I have shoot long range.