DA 6Shot 45 Colt High Pressure Recomendations

Ruger Redhawk (non-super) with 4” barrel.

I think there were some distributor exclusives in this configuration within the last few years.

There is one on GB right now.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/863868232

There's a 4.2" Redhawk in 45Colt and 45acp. It will handle sub 454, 45 Colt loads. Good looking pistol.

The 45acp is kind of a nice bonus, although accuracy with the long chambers and headspacing off the moonclips may not be ideal?

ETG got there while I was writing

S&W Model 25/625 is another option to look at.

Targa said:

S&W Model 25/625 is another option to look at.

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They absolutely cannot handle the 30K PSI loads the OP is talking about. They're nowhere near as heavily built.

Targa said:

S&W Model 25/625 is another option to look at.

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Good with mild loads, not with the loads the Redhawk can digest daily.

I wont argue that the Redhawk is certainly a better choice for a steady diet of hot .45Colt loads.

The only other DA 45's that could eat those heavy loads that I know of would be the Colt Anaconda, Dan Wesson (if you can find one), the Taurus 454's and the S&W X-frames

gotboostvr said:

They absolutely cannot handle the 30K PSI loads the OP is talking about. They're nowhere near as heavily built.

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Forgive me for asking, but why couldn't a modern S&W handle hot 45 Colt loads?

44 Magnum max pressure is 36,000psi, and the S&W Model 25/625 is the exact same thing as a Model 29/629 that will happily eat 30,000psi 44 Magnum loads all day long.

Of course I wont argue that a Ruger is heavier built and more suited to the task of taking a beating, but I think a modern Smith could handle reasonable use of hot 45 Colt loads just fine.

fireman 9731 said:

Forgive me for asking, but why couldn't a modern S&W handle hot 45 Colt loads?

44 Magnum max pressure is 36,000psi, and the S&W Model 25/625 is the exact same thing as a Model 29/629 that will happily eat 30,000psi 44 Magnum loads all day long.

Of course I wont argue that a Ruger is heavier built and more suited to the task of taking a beating, but I think a modern Smith could handle reasonable use of hot 45 Colt loads just fine.

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The problem with the 625/25 is that the cylinder is only ~80% the strength of the 629/29. There's some folks that claim occasional use of the 30K loads is OK. A few rounds won't turn the N frame into shrapnel, but it's a thinner safety margin than I would like. It'll almost certainly start showing other issues sooner than a Redhawk/Blackhawk.

The Redhawk is really your only option. I can't remember the last .45Colt Dan Wesson I saw and the Anacondas are bringing stupid money.

fireman 9731 said:

Forgive me for asking, but why couldn't a modern S&W handle hot 45 Colt loads?

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They're known as "Ruger only" loads, which very explicitly excludes S&W, for very good reasons. For the N-frame does not happily digest .44Mag loads all day long. It shoots loose in just a few thousand rounds. Maybe as little as two. Because it is not "modern". It is still based on a +120yr old design. The cylinder isn't the weakest link, it's everything else. That said, it's fine for 21,000psi loads, which will get a 250/260gr to about 1100fps. When Bill Ruger designed the Redhawk, he set forth to deliberately eliminate all the known weaknesses inherent to every other design. Which is why it'll run at 50,000psi.

You can get a 300 gr bullet to over 1,000 fps with several powders while staying under 23kpsi, which the newer S&W 25s will handle easily. Don't try it with the usual W296/H110 or Li'l gun loads, they need more pressure. But Longshot, Accurate #7 and #9, 2400 and 4227 can be down loaded to the right pressures, and will still do anything you want with a handgun. For two-legged defensive loads, you can get a 250 XTP to 1,150 fps at the same pressures.

When you look at a 44 mag cylinder and a 45 Colt cylinder with the same outside dimensions, made for the same gun type, you will find that the cylinder walls are thinner for the 45 Colt in order to accommodate the wider cartridge. Hence, the 45 Colt cylinder can handle less pressure than the 44 mag cylinder.

black mamba said:

But Longshot, Accurate #7 and #9, 2400 and 4227 can be down loaded to the right pressures, and will still do anything you want with a handgun.

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That’s debatable. I wouldn’t consider such loads for heavy lifting.

460 XVR.

Barry loyd said:

460 XVR.

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.460 BFR....

Since you have a 7in Super Redhawk in 454, and want something handy with 45LC hot loads, your "cant lose" choice is the already mentioned 4in Redhawk.

fireman 9731 said:

Forgive me for asking, but why couldn't a modern S&W handle hot 45 Colt loads?

44 Magnum max pressure is 36,000psi, and the S&W Model 25/625 is the exact same thing as a Model 29/629 that will happily eat 30,000psi 44 Magnum loads all day long.

Of course I wont argue that a Ruger is heavier built and more suited to the task of taking a beating, but I think a modern Smith could handle reasonable use of hot 45 Colt loads just fine.

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Howdy

One of the very subtle things Ruger did when they started putting transfer bars in their revolvers is they relocated the position of the locking slots on the cylinder. These are the slots that the bolt engages to fix the cylinder in battery. If you look at a Colt or a Smith and Wesson revolver, the deepest section of the slot is directly over the center of a chamber. This makes that spot the weakest point on the cylinder, not the thin section of metal between chambers. If a cylinder is going to burst, the failure almost always starts right at that spot. What Ruger did is subtly move the locking slot slightly, so the deepest spot is not directly over the center of the chamber. This means there is more metal between the deepest part of the slot and the chamber. That makes any Ruger cylinder inherently stronger than a Colt or S&W cylinder of the same size and caliber.

This photo shows, top to bottom, a S&W Model 19-3, a Ruger GP100, and a S&W Model 28-2. Compare the cylinders of the Ruger and the Model 28. Notice how the locking slots on the Smith are directly between the cylinder flutes. Notice how the slots are shifted down slightly on the Ruger cylinder, they are clearly not centered between the flutes. That is not an optical illusion caused by the camera angle, I have both revolvers in hand right now. Disregarding the actual steel alloy and how it has been hardened, from a simple physical standpoint the geometry of the Ruger cylinder means it should be stronger.






Here are a couple more photos for comparison.









This is the only Ruger double action revolver I own, but I have lots of their single action revolvers. I noticed this feature a long time ago on my Ruger Single Actions. Anyone who is familiar with Ruger single action revolvers knows that unlike a Colt, it is almost impossible to avoid getting a 'ring around the cylinder'. When a Colt SAA is properly timed, the bolt will pop up in the lead to the cylinder slot, and will not rub against the surface of the cylinder. With a Ruger single action, the bolt pops up early, and always rubs against the cylinder for about half of its rotation to the locked in battery position.

Texasgrillchef said:

Any recommendations for a Double Action, 6 shot 45 Colt revolver that can handle the 30k high pressure 45 colt rounds?

Barrel. Length anywhere from about 4” to no more the 7”

I already have a Ruger Super Redhawk in 454 Casull with the 7” barrel. Was wanting to find something a little bit smaller and a little easier to carry, yet be able to handle some of the higher pressure 30k ammo. I’m not looking for it to handle 454 Casull ammo.

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The Redhawk in 45 Colt used to be available in a 5 1/2 barrel. I strongly suggest you wait until finding one. I had both a 4.25 and 5.5 barrel and was interested in shooting the more serious loads only in the longer gun. I did favor the bantam grip from the 4.25.

The Redhawk isn't really "less bulky" than the Super Redhawk. Both cylinders have the same diameter. I own both and to me at least, both are somewhat bulky. N frames are noticeably less bulky, but you'd need to work up a load and see where you get signs of over pressure. I suspect that's going to happen before you get to 30K. ( But I have been wrong many many times! )

Pressure signs are meaningless in revolvers.

Yup, only the frame extension and the grip frame differs between the Super Redhawk and the Redhawk. Otherwise they are the same dimensionally.

CraigC said:

Pressure signs are meaningless in revolvers.

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Meaningless in you over pressure before you see signs, or you see signs while still within margins?

Above and beyond primer push back I normally look for sticky cases. That said I rarely load hot. I much rather just go up in caliber. I prefer to shoot a light loaded 454 over a hot loaded 45 Colt.

Not familiar with the Taurus but the Anaconda and Dan Wesson in a given barrel length are as heavy or heavier than the Redhawk. One could also purchase several Redhawks for the price of the Anaconda or Dan Wesson.

wagonburner said:

Meaningless in you over pressure before you see signs, or you see signs while still within margins?

Above and beyond primer push back I normally look for sticky cases. That said I rarely load hot. I much rather just go up in caliber. I prefer to shoot a light loaded 454 over a hot loaded 45 Colt.

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Both. You can be way overpressure and see signs or see signs and be way under maximums. Sticky extraction is usually due to things other than pressure.