Why you love .45colt?

A. History. Need I say more?! I love lever action rifles too. Grin.

B. Mild to strong loads. Store bought ammunition or loads that my husband 'reloads' for us.

C. Protection aka self defense loads for a 2 legged or 4 legged creature. Stopping power!

D. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Cavalry
History - thinking of my Grandfather on my late Mother's side and their forefathers.

E. Sweet ammunition for my Ruger Blackhawk and in my husband's firearms from A to Z!

F. Regarding stopping power aka self defense... the size of the hole looks intimidating although my other and/or 22LR guns would look that too if something needed to be 'stopped' - in fear of my life. NO one wants to look at ANY caliber firearm facing them if they had a brain in their head or common sense! NO offense on my bluntness.

Catherine

Sweet gun pictures! Woo hoo! Thanks.

Catherine

just doesn't get any better than is.
pete

Or this ...

USFA Rodeo...highest quality at lowest price...the .45 Colt will throw more lead downrange at lower pressure/recoil per shot than any other caliber...if you're a handloader, it's plenty cheap...the case is huge and inefficient, the "why" of its low-pressure manners....even at factory load levels running at BP pressures, it will put a near 1/2"dia. 250-270gr slug through both sides of any critter in the contiguous US....and the SAA-style gun will give you the smallest launcher for it, with the best grip-frame for recoil....

My first revolver was a Ruger .45 convertible, bought to shoot up my stash of .45 ACP ammo. One day, I just had to try a box of .45 Colt 'cowboy' loads and that .45 Colt cylinder. I was hooked!

Many Rugers, S&Ws, and even a Rossi-Puma later, I still love the round. I am 'down' now to what I really enjoy plinking with - my two S&W 625 Mountain Guns and a Puma 24" SS octagon barrel M1892 in .45 Colt - with a Marbles tang sight (See below.)



I agree with most of what Catherine said - except the 1st item - 'History'. I am afraid the nod must go to S&W and their .44 Russian - which you can shoot in any .44 Special or Magnum revolver today. of course, if you don't like cleaning nightmares, make sure it's loaded with smokeless propellant. Interestingly, the .44 Russian hit the market two years before the infamous .45 Colt - and was produced in higher numbers, Colt not besting S&W's first decade's production volume with their SAA until well into the next century. Still, a cool round.

Stainz

I have a couple .357magnum revolvers, a .41mag, and now a .45 Colt and I've long had a Winchester 94 in .45Colt. I'm thinking about retiring my .357s and .41mag.

Here are two photos of the new addition, with my typical home defense load (200gr Corbon .45Colt +P JHP) next to two typical .357 loads (125gr JSP) for comparison:

"Going to the gunshop this weekend. What guns do you prefer? I want complete versatiltiy to shot a wide variety."

Hawke,

Taurus Judge. You get 45 Colt AND .410 shotgun. Now THAT is versatility. The 410 will do wonders for snakes on your backpacking trips.

Don't know why - I just like big ol' cartridges that shoot heavy pieces of lead. In standard loadings it is pleasant to shoot. I've never shot .44 Special, but I imagine it would be equally satisfying to me.

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Yeah, those big low pressure pumpkin rollers are a ton of fun. I've gone from being the biggest .45 Colt fan around to actually preferring the .44 Special. I have to admit that the .45 is more versatile, but the .44 does everything I need (with handloads, of course), and is more historically correct in the double action guns that I prefer -- not to mention the wonderful history of guys like Elmer Keith, Lone Wolf Gonzualles, etc. So what I'm trying to say is yes, you'd like the .44 Special.

As for the OP, I would suggest taking a hard look at the Ruger Bisley. It is capable of handling loads hot enough to put the .44 Magnum to shame, and more importantly, the grip shape makes it more comfortable than any other style for nearly everyone.

If money is no object, of course, then the Freedom Arms guns are the ones to look at.

The Colt and clones like USFA are wonderful guns if you never intend to fire hot loads, but IMO, losing the ability to fire the hot loads knocks out a big part of the .45 Colt's attraction.

because of these

Stainz,
I ain't doubted your or SW's numbers, I just want to remind you that most of them went to Europe for the varios militaries who bought it.
The Colt is a tougher than a SW, and on the frontier, that was the number one thing. Gunsmithj were few and far between.

They are few problems that a 45 Colt can't solve. Plus, you can find rifles that fire it too.

Looking for revolver for fun mostly(plinking) and for backpacking trips as a side note (only 4-5 times per year). I do my own reloading.

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For plinking, I would probably recommend something that throws a smaller chunk of lead. For packing, okay the 45 LC.

I load a fullcase of black powder under a 255 grain lead bullet, usually a Keith SWC but sometimes the traditional round nosed flat point. Accurate and dependable. I have shot through both shoulder of a white tail with this load and have come to depend on it soley.

Which revovler are you considering? Look at some of the Model P clones if you want a fairly lightweight revolver that points well.

I don't see the point if pushing the old cartridge too hard as it does everyhthing so well with the old ballistics.

Good luck.

This is not everyone's cup of tea, but I use .45'sLC almost exclusively (except for trips to the city, the I use .45 acp 1911) for utility. I shoot a lot of black powder in homemade blanks and some C&B guns I have. So, when I shoot "store bought" rounds, I save the brass and reload them with a lee's hand loader using 35 grains of 3fg BP. I know it's a little messier, but it's easier on the ears, has a big punch, I love the smoke, and I'm sure would scare a bad guy to death if I missed. If not, the smoke cloud makes a good smoke screen, to hide behind..

CH

Nothing says U. S. A. like certain calibers - 50BMG, 30-06, .357, .44spl, .44mag, and of course .45lc.

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WHAT? No .45ACP? JMB is rolling over in his grave.

Scrat, those pictures are sexy!!

John Linebaugh puts on an excellent and informative sminar if you ever get the chance to attend, do. I like the 45 Colt Ruger bisley, it's versitility is hard to match.

Before You Blow Your Money

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO USE IT FOR?

As a plinker, it is far more expensive than a .22lr or .38 special. Either will put holes in tin cans just as effectively.

For a rifle caliber (if you intend to get a carbine to go with it), it is a poor choice. The .44 magnum round has a stronger cartridge rim. This can cuase problems when ejecting. Same problem with most double action revolvers.

For self defense, it will work fine, but no better than a .44 special, .44 magnum or .45 ACP with a good hollowpoint. It will cost more than good .45ACP hollowpoints.

If you use the standard factory load, you are getting a large round. It may or may not work well on game, depending on the game size and ammo chosen.
If you handload, you can equal the .44 magnum, but only exceed it at your own risk.

Most of the guns in this caliber are limited. If you go for a single action, it is a very poor choice for self defence.
If you choose double action, you are going for a large gun or a 5 shot with a lot of kick.

Jim

If you go for a single action, it is a very poor choice for self defence.

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If you plan on fighting armies of zombies or testifying against Crips for living ...

Absent those circumstances, most folks you shoot 5 or 6 times with a 255 gr @ 900 fps are going to cease attacking you.

Mike

golden, have you read the articles about the .45 Colt on John Linebaugh's web pages?

http://www.customsixguns.com/writings.htm

For a rifle caliber (if you intend to get a carbine to go with it), it is a poor choice. The .44 magnum round has a stronger cartridge rim. This can cuase problems when ejecting. Same problem with most double action revolvers.

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Surely this is a problem of yesteryear and an urban legend! The Ruger .45 Colt I just purchased has a larger-than-normal ejector star to address that "problem" and a few weeks ago I fired 40 rounds through my Marlin 1894 in .45 Colt without a single FTE (failure to eject ). Also, carbines in .45 Colt typically have a 1:16 twist which is ideal for stabilizing heavy bullets. From what I've seen, most of the .44 Mag carbines have a much higher twist rate.

From your obvious disdain for the caliber, I'm guessing you don't have any handguns or rifles in .45 Colt. Perhaps others here that have a number of them such as Stainz, chaim, mtngunr, scrat etc can comment about "problems" with extraction.

Sorry, 1858, but you're wrong.

Everyone knows the factories use regular brass for .44 Magnum cases and specially ordered "weak" brass for the Colt.

HTH!

Wrong

1858,

You assume much and are wrong.

My Long Colt experience has been limited to my S&W model 25. I only use standard pressure loads, so it is not a problem.


Check with the AMMO COMPANIES as to how strong the .45 Long Colt rim is. I believe it was STARLINE BRASS who said they make a strengthed rim .45 Long Colt case just for carbines. Regular factory ammo is the same, weak rimmed case it has always been.
Put a .44 magnum case side by side with .45 Long Colt and say the rim is not stronger.

Oh, did somebody mention self-defence. I hope you are limiting this debate to double action handguns. I get sick when I see someone pushing single actions for self defense.
You can tell how good single actions are for defence by the total lack of police departments and military agencies that use them today.

Jim

I don't own any .45lc's, but have had the chance to shoot several, and they are very pleasurable to shoot. Instead I have a love affair with the next most comforting round to shoot, the .44spl. Loaded anywhere from 800 to 1000FPS, she will do 90% of what needs being shot. I have both a 4" 624 and a 3" 624, either of which are very comforting to carry in the woods or other places. One day I'll hace that Blackhawk in .44spl!!!!!!!

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Well, I know many .44 Russian S&W #3's went abroad - and many were used here by bad guys and sheriffs - for their fast reloading. Target shooters, male and female alike, enjoyed them. They were far below the .45 Colt in hitting power, but it didn't take much to be a mortal wound considering the medical care of the day.

My first love was the .45 Colt - and remains so today. I divested myself of SAs - and the only DA I owned that would skip over the dimunitive rim of the .45 Colt - my 5.5" SS Redhawk. The first designed-for-ejection .45 Colt-ish round was the .45 Schofield of ~1875, the case being available today from Starline. Made for an 'adapted' variant of the S&W #3 for the U.S. calvary, it became known as the '.45 Short Colt', the regular .45 Colt gaining the name of '.45 long Colt'. Both would fit the SAA - as they do the SA and DA revolvers of today. The base thickness of the cases was thickened once they changed production from the 'balloon' head cases - now a definite antique, if you can find them.

I started reloading because of the .45 Colt - I had over 2,700 empties I had kept in ziploc bags under my workbench. A Dillon 550B was ordered - some Lee carbide dies, too - all sight unseen - and without ever touching a reloading press - some six years back. The real madness began!

My only problem with .45 Colt brass, and even some nice Starline, has been in Ni cases - they do split - just like the .357/.38s, I found out later. Other than that, my Rossi/Puma M1892 and S&W 625MGs (I have two!) have never had a feed or eject problem... the only eject problems were in that RH - and it's gone.

Jim... a thought... when was the last time you saw a revolver used in LE or by the military? Been a while... not saying it's a good thing!

Happiness:



Stainz

Colt .45 SAA

I have a Colt SAA in .45 LC that has been a favorite for years. Back in 2000, I sent it back to the custom shop and had a .45 ACP cylinder fitted to the gun. This made my trips to the range more affordable while still allowing me the option of the bigger cartridge that I wanted in the first place. Its an all time classic.

golden said:

Oh, did somebody mention self-defence. I hope you are limiting this debate to double action handguns. I get sick when I see someone pushing single actions for self defense.

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Lets see how sick this makes you...

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1156494/fastest_gun_ever_bob_munden/

Ed