# Leverevolution 45 Colt



## Michael F Sights (Nov 21, 2012)

Has anyone used the 45 Long Colt -  225 grn Hornady Leverevolution on game???

I have a Ruger Blackhawk w/ 7 1/2 barrel I need to bloody. Ammo shoots great, but I will only shoot to about  35-40yds or less w/ the iron sights.

Thanks for any thoughts!


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## Troy Butler (Nov 21, 2012)

I have tried the 225 hornady in 44 mag and I did not like the results. I could never get a pass through on deer they shot great and were acurate but I will not use any more to hunt with. This is only my opinion though.


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## Larry Rooks (Nov 22, 2012)

Never tried em,  I'm still stuck on cast 255 gr Keith type SWC for hunting in mine.  Works great and cost bout a penny apiece  Never had a deer or hog walk away with one, 100% so far


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## ejs1980 (Nov 23, 2012)

I've seen several hogs shot with the 225 in 44 mag without an exit. They weren't big hogs either. They kill fine but high angle shots with no exit can leave a tough trail to follow


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## redman2006 (Nov 23, 2012)

I shoot 45 colt.  I switched to cast bullts for hunting after issues like they describe. 

They acted like a thin jacket HP and just came apart with only about 1/2 the initial weight left on recovery.

GAR on the forum makes a great cast bullet that is basically a Keith.  The other one he has is a Penta HP.  It did not feed in my lever gun, but it did fine out of the Blackhawk.  

If you shoot cast from the Backhawk, you may need to get the cylinder reamed.  It is very common that the cylinder throats are undersized and the cast bullet will lead the barrel due to it.  Once I had mine reamed and move away from the soft lead cowboy loads for taget practice, no more leading issues at all.



The Hornaday xtp is a great bullet if you are going to reload and want jacketed hunting rounds for thin skinned game.

That 45 colt has a huge potential that is not met with standard factory loads.  

Good luck and have fun!

EDIT TO ADD:  if you shoot the high pressure loads for Ruger only, get the xtp mag bullets.  They are designed for the extra velocity and pressures


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## rosewood (Dec 14, 2012)

Larry Rooks said:


> Never tried em,  I'm still stuck on cast 255 gr Keith type SWC for hunting in mine.  Works great and cost bout a penny apiece  Never had a deer or hog walk away with one, 100% so far



"a penny apiece"?  Wished I could get them that cheap.  Are you casting them yourself or do you have a large stock from many moons ago when they were that cheap?  Also, is it really that cheap to cast yourself?  If so, I may have to start casting.


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## waverammer (Feb 10, 2014)

I have a 44mag win lever action how do they do on hogs with factory loads?


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## Hunter454 (Jun 25, 2014)

Just agreeing with everyone else on the .44 mag 225 ftx bullets, accurate and deadly but no exit wounds, shot a coyote in the head and it didn't come out, I would say get the heaviest ftx (leverevolution) you can find and maybe it will pass through, I just bought a 45 colt and handloaded XTPs so I can't speak for the ftxs... yet


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## tgc (Jun 26, 2014)

larry rooks said:


> never tried em,  i'm still stuck on cast 255 gr keith type swc for hunting in mine.  Works great and cost bout a penny apiece  Never had a deer or hog walk away with one, 100% so far



x2 !


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