Friends:

A .45 Colt 255 gn Keith-type SWC at 1050 fps from a 7-1/2" Blackhawk kills deer deader than a doornail, provided the shot isnt more than 50-60 yards and the shooter does his part and hits the vitals. A Marlin 1895 Cowboy in .45 Colt will stretch that to perhaps 125 yards. The pip-squeak commercial cowboy loads are intended to play a game, not take game, as they barely break 600 fps in many cases.

If you have a .45 Colt with factory or better loads, it should be an adequate short range deer round. So, Lowell, yes, you have a deer gun.

Regards

GKT

Texas Declaration of Independence 1836 -The Indictment against the dictatorship, Para.16:"It has demanded us to deliver up our arms, which are essential to our defence, the rightful property of freemen, and formidable only to tyrannical governments."