[charcoalburner]

I have always owned and shot .357 revolvers both DA and SA. I am considering getting a SA Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt and I am curious about the cartridge in general as it compares to the .357 Magnum. I own a .45 ACP now and I enjoy shooting it, but it is the only 45 I have experience with. I will be using this as a woods gun, possibly close range deer hunting, snake charmer, all around utility handgun. I also am familiar with reloading, as I load all of my 38/357 and 45 ACP plinking loads. Any info or opinions are welcome!

[SaxonPig]

Bigger and slower.

Wide selection of bullets for reloading but factory ammo is PRICEY (as is all large caliber stuff).

Right now I have 5 revolvers in 45 Colt. A trio of SAAs and 2 DA pistols (1 Colt & 1 S&W both converted from 455 British caliber).

Some folks insist on trying to load the 45 Colt to Magnum levels but I never understood this. It works fine at standard velocities for everything it was intended to do. If you need more, buy a magnum. The Ruger SAs are strong but I still don't like to hot rod the 45 Colt.

Here's the converted Colt New Service,


http://www.fototime.com/C49975FD21E312C/standard.jpg


A pair of Uberti SAAs.


http://www.fototime.com/60EB182E494889A/standard.jpg

[OFT]

The .45 Colt is an obsolete nineteenth century cartridge that makes poor use of modern smokeless powders and is more fun :D to shoot than any cartridge that has came out in the last fifty years.;)

[bac1023]

I love the 45 Colt. I have two single action revolvers chambered in it and find it a great deal of fun to shoot. The Freedom Arms can handle hot loads, while the Colt needs to stick to the standard pressure factory stuff.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n5/bac1023/000_0775.jpg

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n5/bac1023/000_0776.jpg

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n5/bac1023/000_0777.jpg

[Leadhead]

I've got a .45ACP/.45LC convertible Blackhawk that I really enjoy shooting! I usually shoot .45ACP as I have other guns in that caliber and more ammo available at lower prices

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Outstanding round - incredibly versatile. If I could have only 1 gun, it would be a revolver in .45 colt with a 4.5" bbl.

You can load it down to .44 special/.45 acp type power, or load it up to and even significantly surpassing .44 magnum power. With the large case capacity, you get do just about anything when reloading it, provided the gun is strong, and still at relatively low pressures. You can load birdshot/snakeshot, heavy bullets, light bullets, anything. Can shoot rabbits to moose with proper loads. Classic timeless round. :) Winchester model 92 (or clone), and a single action revolver, both in .45 colt, is a classic combo. Or sub out a DA revolver for a modern pair. In fact, the .44 magnum really has no raison d'etre, but for the old old revolvers in which modern heavy power .45 colt loads should not be shot - and thus the creation of a new round, to keep people from blowing themselves up with new hot rounds in old guns.

Example of Standard loading:
http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm#low45

And "+P", so-called:
http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm#45colt

P.S. Some people call this the ".45 LONG Colt" - can't really say they're *wrong*, but they are not *as right*. It's called the .45 Colt. :p

[Z-Michigan]

Read up on "Trail Boss" powder for reloading.

Keep in mind lead and bullet prices if you want to shoot a lot. But if you can cast your own and get scrap lead, this won't be an issue.

[zxcvbob]

Fantastic cartridge. Very expensive to shoot unless you load your own.

I usually reload them about halfway in power between a normal .45Colt load and .44 Magnum, or sometimes I load them with full case of homemade blackpowder. The one box of commercial ammo that I tried was embarrassingly weak.

I don't think there's much reason to use anything but cast bullets in a .45 Colt, whatever power you load it to.

[Snapping Twig]

As others here have said, it's an outstanding cartridge. 255g cast bullet moving 800 ~ 900 fps can traverse a deer lengthwise. When I shoot a gong at 100 yards, I don't need to lob it in, I hold steady and hit it.

You can get a pistol rated to soup up the load, but you won't need to. This round excells and is good as is.

I shoot a S&W 25-7, not a pretty gun but it is a shooter. I can make a single ragged hole at 15 yards all day long with this, and as you know, shot placement is everything. Hunt, SD, target, it does it all.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/P8180006.jpg

[nambu1]

I have a Ruger convertable and enjoy shooting it with 45 ACP and 45 Colt. I think that you can't go wrong with one.

[rcmodel]

8.5 Unique and a 250 grain cast Keith SWC will kill anything that walks in north America.

And without the annoying muzzle blast of a Magnum, and moderate recoil.

rcmodel

[Majic]

Since you are considering a Blackhawk you can skip over the comments about it being old and slow or not being able to make use of modern powders. The .45 Colt loaded correctly and used in a suitable revolver like the Blackhawk can put the .44 magnum to shame.

[Water-Man]

Wonderful cartridge! Just be sure to use a heavy-frame revolver (Ruger makes several) if you're going to shoot the hot ammo.

[tipoc]

One of the more versatile rounds in existence. In it's standard pressures and loads (a 250 gr. bullet at about 900 fps from a 6" barrel) it will serve for self defense and hunting taking any deer or hog and black bear.

Guns for standard pressure loads include the Colt SAA and it's clones, the New Vaquero from Ruger and the S&W da revolvers and the old Colt New Service. These guns will handle up to about 1000 fps with a 255 gr. bullet much more than this over time presses them and they will wear out more rapidly than they should.

The Ruger Blackhawk is a stronger gun yet and will handle loads up to 1100-1200 fps with the 255 gr. pill. Lower velocities with a 300 gr. The Freedom Arms and Ruger Redhawk are stronger still.

As others have said you can magnumize the .45 Colt but personally I don't think one needs to, it will do what you want it to do at the lower velocities and is pleasant to shoot.

Compared to the .357...You can't stick the .45 Colt in a J frame. But otherwise it will do anything that one would want the .44 Magnum to do and is potentially a much more powerful load than the .357 can be. In it's standard pressures and velocities it is as effective a hunting round as the .357, and though devotees of the .357 will argue this all day, IMHO slightly better.

If you pick up a Colt SAA with a 4 3/4" barrel in .45 Colt you hold one of the best balanced handguns ever made. Light and fast. Pick up the same piece in .357 and it is too heavy and cumbersome and slower.

Elmer Keith used to say that if he had only one gun and only commercial ammo to use in it he'd go with the .45 Colt SAA. This was decades back when the choices of factory ammo were much more limited. Now days there are decent loads for about any purpose.

tipoc

[zxcvbob]

8.5 Unique and a 250 grain cast Keith SWC will kill anything that walks in north America.

And with 10 grains of Unique, it'll also kill the one standing behind or next to it. ;)

Elmer Keith used to say that if he had only one gun and only commercial ammo to use in it he'd go with the .45 Colt SAA. This was decades back when the choices of factory ammo were much more limited. Now days there are decent loads for about any purpose.

I think I'd pick a Ruger New Vaquero --the wimpy one-- with about a 5 or 6" barrel, and load to the high end of standard pressure .45LC data. I have a Bisley-Blackhawk with a 7.5" barrel, and I love it, but it's a bit too big and heavy (like Tipoc said about the .357 Colt SAA's, but much more so)

[Janitor]

I have a Bisley-Blackhawk with a 7.5" barrel, and I love it, but it's a bit too big and heavy (like Tipoc said about the .357 Colt SAA's, but much more so)
Exactly why I picked up a 5.5" Bisley BH. ;)

[wheelgunslinger]

Best round there is for a revolver, imho.

[35Rem]

You will be able to pass the 357 CARTRIDGE through the cylinder of the 45 Colt.
Not a reccommended practice, but interesting.
Drops straight to the ground. That tells you something, right there.
I would get the convertable model, so you can shoot the 45 ACP, if you choose.

[Colt46]

A standard(850fps) velocity keith type bullet will do just about everything you could want a handgun to do. And, be easy on you and the gun. There are a bazillion foreign made clones of the SAA and even a few modern ones such as the Beretta Stampede and Ruger New Vaquero that incorperate a transfer bar to make it safe to carry six.
Heavy frame guns such as ruger can really open up the potential of the case and the caliber of this old blackpowder round.

.45 colt is my favorite caliber.

[mavracer]

I shoot a S&W 25-7, not a pretty gun but it is a shooter.
sure looks pretty to me.
45 colt is a wonderful old round. I like the original 250@900 Lead RNFP for just about anything but I have a few 250 golddots for serious social work.there kinda like the Short barrel 38 bullet on roids.

[machinisttx]

The Ruger Blackhawk is a stronger gun yet and will handle loads up to 1100-1200 fps with the 255 gr. pill. Lower velocities with a 300 gr. The Freedom Arms and Ruger Redhawk are stronger still.

I dunno where your loading info comes from, but I have loads from hodgdon that push a 250 grain XTP at around 1425 fps from the muzzle...and that's with the starting load(and verified by my chronograph). A cast bullet could be pushed faster, should someone be so inclined.

With the above said, I've found that a 255 grain cast SWC at around 1100-1200 fps is pleasant to shoot, and still has plenty of power.

[Colt46]

Most blackhawks should be around 30,000 cup to allow for a safety margin. A blackhawk cylinder won't take .44 mag pressures for very long.

Sheepish grin on face:
A check of some reloading tables show that XTP's can get that kind of velocity for that kind of pressure.

[eliphalet]

And with 10 grains of Unique, it'll also kill the one standing behind or next to it.Hornady Handbook II printed 1973 lists this exact load and was worked up in a SAA.
10.0 grains Unique -250 hollow point bullet.

Lyman 44 and 45 edition also list 10 grains Unique with a 255 grain cast.
Both manuals were also using a Colt S.A.A.

[zxcvbob]

I'm gonna guess 26 grains of Lil'gun powder or 26.5 of H110. Pressure should be just over 26000 psi with either load.

Almost 1200 foot-pounds of energy. That'll leave a mark.

[highlander 5]

Can't go wrong with the 45 Colt. I shoot several bullets that I cast that vary in weight from 200 gr to a 320gr LBT WFN.
My pistols 2 Ruger Blackhawks and a Ruger Redhawk. And the nice thing also is if you don't want to use 45 Colt brass you can get 45 Schofield loads and brass. Kinda like 45 acp but with a rim

[MCgunner]

Bigger and slower.

All depends on the gun. I shoot a 300 grainer to 1120 or so out of my Ruger's 4 5/8" barrel using a hot load of 2400. I'd call that bigger and nearly as fast. :D It's really not a MAX load straining the screws, either, fairly easy on the gun. Lesser strength guns need not apply, but my 255 grain flat point/8.3 grains Unique load will do about anything that needs doing around here and it's safe in Colt clones. It moves along around 900 fps or so IIRC.

[Vern Humphrey]

I have three -- a Colt New Service, made in 1906 and two Rugers, one with a 7 1/2" barrel and one with a 5 1/2". The .45 Colt will do anything any other handgun cartridge will do, and usually with less pressure and blast.

[RPCVYemen]

With 45 LC wadcutters, I can see the holes in the targets at 25 yards without using a spotting scope. :)

Fun round - big enough for even a clumsy guy like me to reload.

Mike

[machinisttx]

If you want some real fun with the .45 Colt, pick up a copy of Lyman's Pistol and Revolver Reloading Handbook. It's got a really light round ball load that will make you laugh when you shoot it. It's great fun to stuff the cylinder with them right after someone just got through shooting some of those 250's at 1400+. :D

[Darkness]

I wasn't so sure about the .45 Colt until I actually got one. I was a big .357 and .44 mag fan for a long time. I decided to try out a single action revo for a change of pace and picked up a New Ruger Blackhawk with the 4 /58" barrel. Ammo costs were through the roof! I managed to get a little loading gear and now use 8.1gr of Universal with a 255gr round nose wad cutter. Nice snappy round that is not too punishing on the hand.

I am trying to find an IWB holster for it, I like it that much and am that accurate with it. It's a natural pointer.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l231/tvannelli_2006/DSCN1835small.jpg

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

It's great fun to stuff the cylinder with them right after someone just got through shooting some of those 250's at 1400+.

Ahhhhhh - ye olde "expose the flinch" trick. :D :evil:

[phoglund]

You guys are a real pain in the rear end. I've been resisting a strong urge to pick up a .45 Colt six gun for some time now and I'd finally thought I had it beat...now I'm going to have to pick one up. :cuss:mumble mumble grumble :scrutiny::scrutiny:;)

[loneviking]

That's right, darn every single one of you!! I've been wondering about this round for some time and I just picked up all of my dad's reloading equipment. Thanks to you guys, I've found out that Ruger just came out with the Redhawk in a 4" barrel. How am I going to explain this to the wifey? 'Er, it followed me home, can I keep it??!! :fire:

[zxcvbob]

Hornady Handbook II printed 1973 lists this exact load and was worked up in a SAA.
10.0 grains Unique -250 hollow point bullet.

Lyman 44 and 45 edition also list 10 grains Unique with a 255 grain cast.
Both manuals were also using a Colt S.A.A.


Should be a perfect top-end load for a New Vaquero. They are stronger than the old Colts, but I'm not sure how much stronger (that cylinder wall must be awfully thin unless you have a 5-shot conversion)

[machinisttx]

Ahhhhhh - ye olde "expose the flinch" trick.

The guy that I let shoot it with the heavy loads nearly fell through the little divider thing at the indoor range when he touched the first roundball load off. :D The sound is so puny that he busted out in a fit of laughter.

[zxcvbob]

The guy that I let shoot it with the heavy loads nearly fell through the little divider thing at the indoor range when he touched the first roundball load off. The sound is so puny that he busted out in a fit of laughter.

Try a blackpowder load sometime. The fire and smoke and deep BOOM sound is really impressive.

[Rugerlvr]

So which would you rather have if confronted by say, a black bear, .44 Magnum, or .45 LC?

[Matt-J2]

In general, either would do for me. But if we're talking about a cowboy action light .45 Colt vs a hot .44 mag hardcast, then the .44 all the way. Same if it's 'normal' factory ammo.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

So which would you rather have if confronted by say, a black bear, .44 Magnum, or .45 LC?


Depends on the loading. But if I can have +P BuffaloBore or my hot handloads, then definitely .45 Colt! If going with ordinary factory fare, .44 mag.

The guy that I let shoot it with the heavy loads nearly fell through the little divider thing at the indoor range when he touched the first roundball load off. The sound is so puny that he busted out in a fit of laughter.

Hee hee. :)

[Z-Michigan]

"Flying ashtrays" are most likely the Speer Gold Dot bullet. It looks kinda like an ashtray from the front.

[RPCVYemen]

Fair warning - after you shoot the 45 LC for a while, when people start telling you how big and bad the "other 45" is, you may smiled to yourself. :)

Mike

[machinisttx]

So which would you rather have if confronted by say, a black bear, .44 Magnum, or .45 LC?

Depends on the load in question. A 180 grain hp in the .44 magnum isn't going to do much good. If we're talking hard cast 250 grain bullets at around 1000 fps, either one is fine. Original blackpowder .45 Colt loads were said to have enough power to completely penetrate a black bear.

I'd really rather have the .45 Colt(even in factory 800-900 fps loads) than a .44 magnum.

[mtngunr]

I prefer .45 Colt with 250-255gr SWC's loaded to 900-1000fps for all uses.....but my Redhawk .44 will push a 180gr XTP to 1800fps using published load data, a spectacular killer, while the Colt is comfy and staid....

[mtngunr]

"Should be a perfect top-end load for a New Vaquero. They are stronger than the old Colts, but I'm not sure how much stronger (that cylinder wall must be awfully thin unless you have a 5-shot conversion)".....

The USFA's and New Vaqueros can safely handle 22,000psi loads, perhaps as high as 24,000psi, but why do that to a smaller gun?.....if hotrodding is on the menu, just get the 30,000psi Blackhawk or an earlier/larger Vaquero....

[charcoalburner]

You have definitely given me a lot of food for thought. So much in fact that I went by my local FFL to see if he could get a 5 1/2" barrel Ruger Blackhawk in .45 ACP/45 LC. Unfortunately, none of his distributor's had any in stock. I'm still saving up for it so I have some time. Man is it ever hard to wait for something you really want.:evil: