.45LC or .45-70 Lever Gun - Can't Decide!

[ShunZu]

Also found a similar rifle to it here:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=83592496#PIC

EMF -- Hartford maybe? Aren't these two pieces identical?

 

[ShunZu]

Bought an EMF/Hartford, 24" octagon barrel, .45LC. Took it out yesterday with my bro-in-law, who just picked up a $1500 Uberti/Cimmaron deluxe. While his is a beaut to look at, my $500 Hartford smoked him in accuracy. I have the target at 75 yards... 10 shots, all in the orange, all dots 'cept 1 connecting. (Will post a pic if anyone wants to see it). He was shooting a 6" group with the Cimmaron, and he's not a bad shot.

My Hartford has very nice wood, case-hardened pewter receiver, reasonably decent trigger and MAN, I was surprised at its accuracy. Didn't shoot dead-on, unfortunately.... had to aim a bit low-right but I am very impressed with its accuracy and smoothness of action compared to a rifle that cost 3X as much.

Thanks for the advice, guys. Much appreciated.

 

[ShunZu]

Range Trip - followup (pics)

Here's her 2nd target. 10 shots. Took me 5 shots on the 1st target to figure out where she was shooting... so it's ugly This one's a bit better.
Great wood, wonderful finish. Highly recommend to any .45LC rifle shooters on a budget.

 

[ScottsGT]

Historically speaking....

They originally did not chamber 45 Colt in model 73s or 92s because the rim was rather small and the straight sided case made black powder residue blow back along the case walls and foul the chamber faster than it should have. So the 45 Colt was not reliable in lever guns as an ORIGINAL chambering.

Now everything I read was that Colt owned the patent on the .45LC (or .45 Colt as it was called before the .45ACP was intorduced) and would not allow any other firearms mfgr to make a gun that shot their round in it. How many other guns do you know of (other than the COlt SAA) from the 1800's that shoot the .45 Colt?
I too got bit by the cowboy lever gun bug last year. Here's my score (.45LC, of course!)

 

[ShunZu]

Very fine looking piece, Scott. I've got the cowboy bug too... all the tacticals are migrating to the rear of the safe and the old tech is slowly working its way up front.

 

[horserider]

Howdy Boys
I inherited a large amount of guns when my fishin partner (Dad) died. They are mostly the high powered 30-06,22-250 etc for target and moose hunting. I have horses and marvel at the old days before we were born like the 1800's. I see John Wayne with the lever action and just feel the need for my own. Am I crazy for wanting a Puma M92 or a Marlin 1895 in a 45-70 or 45 long colt? Don't some of you guys just wish we were born 100 years earlier? Which way should I go? May the sun be on your face and the dust in your trail!

 

[JustsayMo]

Horserider - Welcome to THR. I don't mind living in present times as the selection of leverguns has much improved since the Late 1800's. Better steel, better variety of propellants and projectiles. Plus the 45 Colt didn't make it into a rifle until modern times.

I will admit that it would be nice to have seen massive herds of Buffalo, pristine waters and to have lived by one's own devices back in the day though...