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Puma 45 Long Colt Lever Action?

36K views 78 replies 18 participants last post by  Clinebo 
#1 ·
Anybody here know anything about the Puma Lever Guns? They sure have an attractive price but I've never heard anything about them good or bad.
 
#3 ·
Don't own one, but I've had my eye on one in .44mag. Seems like a very nice rifle and is way lighter than my Winchester in .45Colt.
 
#4 ·
These guns are fun to shoot especially if you get involved in Cowboy Action shooting.

Then it can get a bit expensive trying to feed that puppy .45 LC commerical loads.

If you're gonna buy one in .45 LC I'd suggest you take up reloading that caliber. :thumb:

MOONDAWG
 
#5 ·
My son-in-law has a .45 Colt and I have one in .357 magnum. They're pretty awesome, quite accurate, smooth action. I handload light .38s that approximate .22LR and are very accurate, capable of small game hunting to 50 yards. I also handload a 158 SWC .357 magnum with which I've taken a deer, but don't really hunt iwth it, much. With hot Ruger only handloads, the .45 Colt will surpass the .44 magnum and I do handload. My load involves a 300 grain XTP Hornady and it clocks over 1400 fps out of my son-in-law's gun and this load isn't pushing any pressure limits. I like the .357, though, for the versatility. The .38 special is just too much fun and useful in the squirrel woods. Makes a great woods bummin' rifle, capable of killing black bear and deer to rabbits and squirrels, just pick the load.

One thing I can say, the rear sight sux. Plan on either having a receiver sight installed like my son-in-law did or a better dovetailed sight on the barrel which is what i did. I have a ghost ring aperture on mine that has a click adjustable elevation knob that is very repeatable. This is a good thing as the POI for the light .38s is quite different from the .357 loads. This allows me to instantly adjust for the load.

These guns are quite beautiful. I sit around and just admire mine, deep blueing, oil finished walnut stock, those awesome western lines of the 92 Winchester. It's a beautiful rifle. I reckon it's the most desirable firearm Rossi offers.

There are some posts to check out in "rossi firearms", too. Here's mine, UM's sling swivels installed and different rear sight.

 
#6 ·
twist rates

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I'm looking at the Puma 92 and others in 38/357 or possibly .45. So far most posts say the Puma is a great value. However, the twist rates for Pumas in all calibers is 1:30, which sound pretty slow to me, while most others have 1:16 or so. I called Legacy and they report no accuracy problems. I asked Dave at Montana Bullet Works, and he suggests a max bullet weight of 141g in the 357, and 362g in the .45LC.
For CAS, the range is so short accuracy isn't a big deal, but for longer ranges I'm cautious. Any accuracy problems noted for Pumas, in the 75-125 yard range?
 
#7 ·
All I can tell you is my Rossi shoots 4" 100 yard groups regularly and repeatably with 158 grain cast, gas checked SWCs (my preferred load) at about 1850+ fps and the same with a 180 XTP JHP at something over 1600 fps. My son-in-law's .45 Colt is great with 300 grain XTP JHPs at 100 yards, about 4" groups. The 255 flat nose is accurate at 50 yards, under 2". This is all with iron sights. If it suffers from rifling twist rate problems, you couldn't prove it by me. It's hunting accurate to 100 yards on medium game and 50 yards on small game. My 105 SWC .38 handload at 900 fps is a 1.5"-2" at 50 yards load. My .22s are more accurate, but it's accurate enough for small game hunting.

Yes, I have more accurate guns and, no, it won't shoot MOA. But, it's plenty good enough for what I do with it. Is it CAS accurate? I don't know, but I suspect so. I've never shot CAS, but it doesn't look like you're shooting a half inch bull at 100 yards. I've done a lot of IDPA. CAS impresses me as IDPA with antique designs and bullseye accuracy is not required in IDPA. I know the Puma is very popular in IDPA.

Here's a guy with all the answers. You might e-mail him about the guns. He makes a living slickin' up Rossis for CAS shooters.

http://www.stevesgunz.com/
 
#10 ·
I've been thinking about buying one of these. .45 LC or .44 mag. Either one would be a good choice as it would work with my handguns. For that matter so would .357/.38.
 
#14 ·
I didn't own one when this thread started, but I do now. I gotta say, it's tighter and just as accurate as my Winchester levergun in .45 Colt. Color case hardening and octagonal barrel. The overall function is even smoother. More handsome too.
 
#15 ·
I haven't given up on getting one of these. It's just that with ammo being so hard to come by I would rather shoot it in my pistols for now. I will get one of these someday.
 
#16 ·
I shoot the ammo in both, BigSkiff. Don't wait to long. They're a hoot to shoot! :thumb:
 
#17 ·
Which barrel length do you have? Round or Octagonal? Bud's has a 24" Octagonal Barrel in 45LC for $508 delivered. They've also got a 16" barrel in 45LC with a 2 stage trigger.. Not to sure about that one. The 24" has a case hardened receiver and the 16" has a blue receiver. I like the blue receiver better but the 2 stage trigger I'm not sure about. Whatcha think Smoke?
 
#18 ·
Mines the 20 inch octagonal barrel. Seems a little heavier than round. It has the color case hardened receiver, which gives it more of an antique look. Not sure myself about a two stage trigger. The octagonal barrel is what caught my eye and made the sale though. I like the barrels of 20 inch and more, as to me, they are more asthetically pleasing.
 
#19 ·
I can understand a two stage trigger on a target rifle or an AR, but I'm not sure I get it on a lever action carbine. It's kind of an odd duck. So here's what I guess I've come to weighing the pros and cons; on the plus side for me is the carbine length, the blued receiver, and the $422 price tag is $86 bucks less. On the con side is the trigger and the round barrel. I guess that makes it 3 for and two against. I would probably like the octagonal barrel in the longer length as well. Dilemma.
 
#20 ·
Bud's also has the 45LC in the 16" barrel, with the large lever loop, ala John Wayne. You have an opinion on those? I've never shot a lever gun with a large loop.
 
#21 ·
Nope. Never handled one of those. Just isn't very appealing to me. Looks like there would be a lot of hand play in that big ol' lever. I can say, that my Winchester in .45 Colt, has a 16 inch barrel and is quite accurate to 100 yards.
 
#22 ·
Correction to the above. That carbine does not have a two stage trigger it has a double set trigger. The difference is that with a double set it either has two triggers or you push the single trigger forward to off load the sear, then fire with a very short very light trigger. I think I like that!
 
#23 ·
Smokewagon said:
Nope. Never handled one of those. Just isn't very appealing to me. Looks like there would be a lot of hand play in that big ol' lever. I can say, that my Winchester in .45 Colt, has a 16 inch barrel and is quite accurate to 100 yards.
Yup, I think it's kind of flashy, a bit too Hollywood for me.
 
#24 ·
O.K. Done deal I just ordered the 45LC 16" Carbine with the double Set Trigger. This should be interesting. It usual takes Bud's about 10 days tro get the gun here. I let you know how the trigger works once I get it out to the range!
 
#25 ·
And some pictures with that report, please. I think you'll like it BigSkiff. These are fun guns, and I really like mine. What style is the butt? Mines the crescent shape. You can lean 'em up in the corner and admire their good looks all day long.
 
#26 ·
I've wanted one of those in .44 Rem for a long time and now want want even more.

Can't afford it rignt now, though.

They remind me of a Winchester 92, which I have ALWAYS preferred over the 94 and have heard NOTHING negative about them.
 
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