I have a question for the forum about this full length rifle in 45LC.

The rifle is standard M94, recent (2000) manufacture and I've had trouble with it since the beginning.

It just won't shoot well.

My best load has been the unsized Lyman 457191 at 300 grains and 0.457 diameter over 19 grains WW296. This load did well enough to give me hope until the soft-as-butter receiver got hammered out by the locking lug, mushing over the recesses badly enough to restrict bolt movement. This took several hundreds of rounds but it did happen for sure.

I filed out the obstruction and returned the rifel to service but now I'm back to the same old problem: The rifle just won't shoot any mild load worth a damn. Sized or not.

Do any of you fellows out there have one of these rifles and a load that works?

Good afternoon,
Forrest

FAsmus...I can't imagine what is the matter with your rifle as your load isn't all that hot. I have a 45 LC Trapper I bought in the 80's and I've run some pretty stout loads through it without any problems. I miked the bore on mine and it is a tight .452 so since I size cast boolits for my 45 acp 1911 Colt that size I size my 255 gr cast for the Winchester that size and boy it's a shooter. Have taken alot of groundhogs with it. About the only criticism I have of it is the chamber is fat, it's not as tight as my 45 LC handguns nor my Marlin Cowboy rifle in that caliber. But it does shoot and it's not battering the locking mechanism. You know your rifle is the same as Winchesters other calibers and by god a 30-30 has more pressure then the 45LC that is suppose to be fired in your rifle. The only thing I can think of is your receiver might not have gotten the proper heat treating. The very first thing you do when having a problem with any firearm is contact the manufacturer and tell them. See what they say and alot of times they will fix your firearm sometimes for nothing or for very little.

Joe

Joe,

Yes, I've had the same thoughts about the action's problems. The 45LC, no matter how hard a fellow pushes it should never be in excess of the cartridges the M94 was built to handle.

Perhaps I will contanct Winchester. My main idea here is that I've never fired factory ammunition in the rifle and they'll likely say it was my fault for loading it beyond it limitations.

What powder do you use for your Cowboy guns?

Good afternoon,
Forrest