.45 Colt +P In Uberti 1873 Rifles?

Bad idea, it says so in the Uberti manual of course, and if you ask Buffalo Bore or Garrett they will say "no way". On the other hand Uberti has offered their 1873s in .44 Magnum, does that version have different materials or a different heat treat? Who knows. Will those pins and links stretch or peen? In any case no one responsible will recommend it.

...loads are broken down into two categories; standard pressure and +P. Standard pressure .45 Colt loads should generate no more than an average of 14,000 CUP +P .45 Colt loads can be loaded to pressures as high as 25,000 CUP. Probably the best source for information about what ammo can be fired in what gun is to look at the warnings on the ammunition boxes from ammunition manufactures.

Buffalo Bore, a much respected ammunition manufacturer, is owned and operated by an enterprising fellow named Tim Sundles. Buffalo Bore is specifically known for offering higher pressure or “heavy” loads for cartridges like the .35 Remington, .45/70 and the .45 Colt. On each box of +P .45 Colt Buffalo Bore ammunition you can find the following warning; “All heavy .45 Colt +P ammunition is to be fired only in a Ruger large frame, Colt Anaconda, Freedom Arms revolvers, T/C, Winchester 94 and Marlin 94, NOT for use in the small frame Ruger Vaquero.”
https://gunsmagazine.com/exclusive-web-extra/the-45-colt-lever-action/

That pretty much says "no toggle-link actions"

You’ll get enough boost from the longer rifle barrel it’ll be a lot like shooting +P ammo from a revolver. Those are really nice rifles, I have no doubt you’re going to really like it

I love shooting the .45 Colt in my 16” Rossi, it thwacks my scaled down critter silhouettes with more ooomph than rounds from the Vaquero or Super Redhawk do.

Stay safe.

I don't think running .45 +P through a 1873 will blow it up, but a continued diet may stretch the frame.
Consider what Riomouse911 said:

Riomouse911 said:

You’ll get enough boost from the longer rifle barrel it’ll be a lot like shooting +P ammo from a revolver. Those are really nice rifles, I have no doubt you’re going to really like it

I love shooting the .45 Colt in my 16” Rossi, it thwacks my scaled down critter silhouettes with more ooomph than rounds from the Vaquero or Super Redhawk do.

Stay safe.

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The rifle length barrel certainly does help.

If you really want to run a steady diet of plus P then I really suggest the Rossi R92 in .45 Colt, or a Marlin 1894. The Rossi has a stronger receiver and is more suitable.

I have to wonder why people buy 1873 rifles and want extra-strong ammo to run through 'em. I LOVE the 1873 design ...... but when I want magnum power or something more than what the rifle is designed for I turn to a rifle chambered appropriately for it.
I'd like my 3 1873 models to last a loooonng time!

Absolutely not, never, ever, ever, ever. However, in Handloader magazine, Brian Pearce suggested they are fine for slightly higher than SAAMI Colt-level loads in the 21,000psi range.

That said, the longer barrel does wonders, even with medium burn rate powders like Unique. My deluxe sporting rifle is a .38-40 and gets nearly 1500fps with a 180gr cast bullet.

There is no SAAMI spec for .45 Colt +P
It doesn't matter whether you are loading to 21,000 psi with Pearce, or 25,000 psi with Mann, it is still an overload completely dependent on your estimate of your gun's strength. And whether you are paying attention to the commercial overloaders' caveats.

As said on another thread, Uberti makes 1973 pattern .44 Magnum rifles and they have to pass Italian proof... once. I have not seen mention of shooting one of them with Magnums routinely like we do with Marlins and 1892 copies. It would be interesting to know if it holds up.

If you want to hot rod it get a Marlin.

I would not try high pressure loads in an 1873 action. What @Riomouse911 said is very true. Check this info out on Ballistics by the Inch. It’s very limited but you can see that the Federal standard load gets a boost from the longer barrel. http://ballisticsbytheinch.com/45colt.html

If you wish to shoot higher pressure.45 Colt loads the Rossi 92 would be your best bet followed by the Marlin 1894 action for strength.

I would not feel nervous about standard load 250 grain hardcast in a .45 Colt long gun “in the back country”, where ever that is, here in the USA. Especially having 8 or 10 rounds on tap.

Glad you are still gonna get it. I have a Winchester 73 and my standard load is 8.5 gr. Unique over a 250 gr hard cast just for fun. Its a beautiful rifle. Rossi isn't that expensive if you want one to hotrod, and it is a kick in the pants gun also.

Any 250gr/900fps Colt-level load is going to be 1200fps out of a rifle. More than enough for anything up to and including elk.

I love my 1873 Miroku Winchester in 45 Colt. Never saw a need to hot rod it.

That is a beautiful rifle!!

Stretching out the 45 Colt in an 1873 Winchester. Edit: not me, another Steve

Another justification for my irrational dislike of 45 Colt as a rifle cartridge.

Crunchy Frog said:

Another justification for my irrational dislike of 45 Colt as a rifle cartridge.

Click to expand...

There IS NO "justification" for your IRRATIONAL dislike for .45 Colt as a rifle cartridge.

Wow. Great shooting.

Considering how many deer, elk, and bear have been taken by '73's in .44-40, I wouldn't worry too much about a .45 Colt cartridge not doing the job. Big heavy bullets are not dependent on velocity, as small light bullets are. Any advantage a "+P" round would have, would be mostly psychological.

You’ll likely run into what I and a friend of mine ran into with the .45colt in 24”bbl rifles.
Light loads won’t fully obturate the cases in order to maintain a seal against the bore. This allows combustion productions and bullet lube to blow back into the action causing considerable fouling.
I recommend slightly increasing the powder charges just enough to get chamber seal.
This is more than enough power!
A 255gr Lee RFN over 8.2gr of Universal will run 1,225fps and shoot completely end to end through a deer.
My Win M94 will handle very warm loads. BTDT. But they gain little real performance.
I also have a S&W M25-5 Mountain Gun. A RCBS 270gr SAA SWC will feed and tack drive from both. I use Hodgdons LongShot to achieve 900fps from the 4” Smith. It’ll do anything I need. (Hint, about 9gr). A clean, accurate load is all you need!
For Cowboy style loads, a Lee 200gr RFN over a “pinch” of Clays does the trick!
Consult Hodgdons for powder charges.

Magtech brass has given best results. Starline if going “hot”... but not for me, anymore.

No way, no +P in that rifle.

Personal experience? The closest I can come is with a Uberti '73 in .44 Special. I was working up loads in it and got to a point where I had a case head separation, which of course is indicative of something flexing. SMLE's and some old '92's are bad about this. Anyhow, I backed off the load and all was well.

35W

40 grains of 3f in the .45Colt will produce 1000fps in a 7.5 inch pistol barrel, which I think is about the best you can safely do with smokeless. (in old guns and replicas of) You would get your 1200+fps out of the rifle barrel. I believe that black powder has a pressure curve that is more "gentle" to weak actions. That may be a good way to go for a powerful load, with no worries about pounding that toggle link action. You can also shoot jacketed bullets, which will keep the bore pretty clean with repeated shots. One is not limited to plain lead bullets when using black powder. I shoot jacketed bullets out of my .45-70 Marlin over black powder, and she is super accurate.