[44and45]

I've got an early 2nd model .45 Long Colt converted from original .455. Its one of those revolvers made for the Brits before WW-1.

It sure is sweet and a great favorite of mine. But it has some cranky excentrics about it...when shooting low pressure loads in the 600 to 700 fps velocity the primers tend to back out of the brass rims just enough to bind up the cylinder from rotating proporley. Then there is the problem of trying to open cylinder from the gun's frame...things get too tight because the primers back out a thousands or so.

The overall converted cylinder 1,592 inch long. I have another S&W cylinder that is 1,552 OAL, will that solve the primer backing out problem or will it just allow the primer to pop out completely.

Also with some low pressure loads you don't get good expansion of the brass casing in the cylinder and hot gases soot up the sides of the brass when view upon extraction.

I've tried to load these soft for this old gun as I want to make it last as long as I do as a shooter. The metalurgy is pretty soft so I'm told on these early guns.

So, what is good advice to load in these old timers and avoid the primer backing out scenario...load a little hotter?


Thanks for any help forthcoming.

44and45:

[Mike Irwin]

Couple of solutions...

Load a little hotter.

Increase your crimp incrementally.

Seat the bullets incrementally deeper into the case.

Essentially what you're trying to do is raise the pressure in the case just enough to overcome the problems you're having.

One final solution to the primers backing out if you don't want to do any of the above...

Open up the primer flash holes a bit with a twist drill bit.

Mark these cases so you know that they have been altered and you don't use them for anything else.

The metal on the older guns definitely isn't what it is on new guns, but at the same time it's perfectly suitable for the loads that would have originally been run through the gun.

I really don't see any problem in loading up to the traditional .45 Long Colt pressure/power levels.

[Jim March]

Ehhhh....what gun is this?

[Mike Irwin]

From the "second model" my best guess is that it's a Smith & Wesson New Century N-frame.

That's bolstered by the fact that he talks about having another S&W cylinder.

[44and45]

Mike and others, check out pix in the reloading section.

Thread titled: Ever make some .44 or 45 HB lead bullets with a mini lathe.

See attached photo, this is the gun but the bullets pictured with it are not .45 LC, they are .455. This photo is only a simulation of my gun not the actual gun itself...though in about the same condition except my grips look nicer.

The patent dates on the barrel top begin in 1901 and end in 1908 so it is an early one that came on the scene right after the Triple Lock.

44and45