1873 Winchester vs a Cougar

[w44wcf]

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Cougar loses.  

Interesting story from Tom Dalton - posted on the SASS Wire back on 3/29/04..........

Just thought I would pass this experience on to all you folks. My Pa runs a Scottish Highland cattle ranch. Its small but he does OK. Well here in the Pacific northwest in Washington state we gots a few mountain lions and one of em got a hankerin after one of our 8 month old hiefers and took after during the night. Tore her poor little throat out and then left.

Cougars like to let their kill ripen a bit before they eat it. Well I wasn't too pleased so I took my Pa's Uberti made 73 in 44-40 and waited near the carcass in the field with my little brother. Sure enough the cougar came to feast and I plugged it with a 44-40 right in the chest. Penetration was clean through the vitals and came out right under her tail and clipped the end off on the way out. She bounced around for about 3 or 4 seconds and fell over dead. I tanned the hide and salvaged the skull and teeth.

The cartridge was handloaded  200 gr RNFP Orgeon Trail laser cast bullet at about 1,200 f.p.s.   Tom D

w44wcf

[Jake MacReedy]

That's what I'm talkin' about!  I bet a lot of cougars have "passed on" due to a .44WCF slug over the years!

Jake

[Rafe Covington]

I love post like this, since I have been telling everyone I wanted to use my 1873 and 1876 rifles for hunting they say it aint got enough power for deer or hogs.. Always makes me laugh my ass off. Thanks for the post.

Rafe

[Shotgun Franklin]

I've killed hogs and deer with a .357 Marlin. I've killed deer with .45 Colt using a '73 and a Colt SAA. You can't snipe'm at long range but if you get up on a hog or deer the .44-40 is plenty of gun if you hit'm in a good spot.

[Jake MacReedy]

I plan on using the '73 "Short Musket" I just purchased from John Jordison here in the Classifieds for both deer and hogs this Fall here in South Central Texas.  A 250-grain .45 Colt slug will do just fine on both, if you keep the ranges sensible.

Jake

[h c ramrod]

WOULD A 200 RNFP OUT OF A 45COLT CAL. 73 AT 1200FPS WORK AS WELL AS THE 44/40 ?

[Shotgun Franklin]

You're duplicating the bullet weight and velocity and have a bit more bullet radius so yeah, you ought to be good to go.