45 Colt DA Revolver Choice

[rWt]

If I was interested in obtaining a double action revolver in 45 Colt with fixed sights, which ones would you recommend?

Is the Colt New Service a well made gun? What factory ammo will it digest safely?

What are my choices in S&W. I know some 1917's were chambered in it.

Has anyone had a Bowen conversion done on a S&W? If so, how did it turn out?

Thanks. Dick

 

[wheelgunslinger]

yeeha

Redhawk, or Super RedHawk.

Redhawk can be had in colt chambering and is invincible to any round you can cook up or buy for it.
Super Redhawk is doubly tough and is chambered in 454 casull, but will fire the colt round accurately due to the chamber sizing.

Also, a smith model 25 is a better than good choice.

Taurus makes a 5 shot da in the colt round, but I DON'T think much of tauri. They don't seem to be as durable as a ruger or smith.

My perspective stems from my own belief in not playing musical revolvers. I get something, and I keep it. That way, when and if I ever have to use it for defense, I know it intimately.
Plus, I love the 45 colt round, and am making the switch to a d/a 45 colt weapon from an S/A carry weapon at present.

 

[targetshootr]

A conversion would be really nice, if expensive. I had a 38/44 converted to 45 colt and may do a model 28 the same someday. But lately I've been on a 44 spl rampage. Waiting on a p&r 28 right now that's turning into 44 spl. Either caliber would make an effective carry piece.

 

[P95Carry]

Dick ... a .454 Redhawk would do nicely and - give the option for .454 if you wished

 

[rWt]

Thanks, Chris et al.

I think the Redhawks have adjustable sights. Likewise S&W's Model 25. Am I wrong?

The Bowen conversion sure looks great? But, I need a different budget program to go there. One advantage is that you know that everything is bored to the correct dimensions.

Any other thoughts?

 

[wheelgunslinger]

converting a redhawk to fixed sights isn't a big deal either. Certainly not as costly as a bowen conversion. It's what I've got slated for my project redhawk.

Sounds like you're looking for an out of the box weapon though.

Check out clement's custom guns. They do Redhawk custom work, and even offer a 4" carry conversion for less than 500 bucks. Which is pretty rad, considering you get a custom tigger, chamfered cylinger, roundbutt gripframe, bead blasted finish, and a blade front sight. and other stuff too.
I haven't personally done business with them, but have heard good things from people I trust. which is worth what I pay for it.

 

[P95Carry]

Adjustable rear sights Dick yeah.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

quote:
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Is the Colt New Service a well made gun? What factory ammo will it digest safely?
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The Colt New Service is a superb revolver and will be safe with all factory ammo that doesn't carry "for Ruger only" and similar safety labels.

Older versions (mine was made in 1906) had atrocious sights -- a razor-thin front blade and a tiny rear notch. Mine shot a foot and a half high and a foot to the left. It had been reblued, so I replaced the front sight with a thick slab of steel, and then adjusted elevation by filing. I adjusted windage by cutting the rear notch wider, shading it to the right.

 

[Old Fuff]

Most of the fixed sight .45 Colt revolvers were made by Colt before World War Two. Colt's "big gun" was the New Service. Today they often fetch collector prices, and repairing one can be expensive because both parts and the skilled labor required to work on them doesn't come cheap.

Smith & Wesson made .44's - as in .44 Special. Again these are now becoming costly collector's toys.

After the war Colt didn't make BIG revolvers with fixed sights, and S&W made very few of them relatively speaking. By then, adjustable sights were the norm.

One possibility - if you can find one - is a S&W model 58 (.41 Magnum/fixed sights/6 shot/4" barrel) that can be rebored into a .45 Colt. I suspect it would be close to what you are looking for, but one might kill your budget.

Unfortunately you arrived about 60 years too late. But hang in there.

 

[Sam]

I'm spoiled.
Grew up on a Colt 1909 model and to this day, it is easily the finest made revolver I have ever shot! That includes just about every one of the newer Colts and Smiths and Rugers and a Korth and 2 Bowen jobs. Grandfather gave it to me when I was assigend to the Phillipines, said it was "just what you need over there", they're tough customers. He was 92 yr old and reliving the Insurrection.
It still drives tacks and it shoots to POA at 30 yards.
If you can find one in good shape, grab it. It is a bit bigger through the grip than an N frame Smith so you need fairly good sized hands but it is a wonderful piece both as a shooter and collection piece. Thier like will never ever be made again.

Sam

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Quote:
--------------------------------
I'm spoiled.
Grew up on a Colt 1909 model and to this day, it is easily the finest made revolver I have ever shot! That includes just about every one of the newer Colts and Smiths and Rugers and a Korth and 2 Bowen jobs. Grandfather gave it to me when I was assigend to the Phillipines, said it was "just what you need over there", they're tough customers. He was 92 yr old and reliving the Insurrection.
It still drives tacks and it shoots to POA at 30 yards.
If you can find one in good shape, grab it. It is a bit bigger through the grip than an N frame Smith so you need fairly good sized hands but it is a wonderful piece both as a shooter and collection piece. Thier like will never ever be made again.
-----------------------------------

My Colt New Service (made in 1906) is certainly a fine revolver. If you like full charge loads in this revolver, more modern grips help a lot. With the issue grips, it raps my middle finger -- something not conducive to long shooting sessions.

You can occasionally find Pachmayers for sale (I bought a pair through Gunbroker.com fairly reasonably.) I also had a few "python" frame grips kicking around, which I had replaced with Hogues. With a bottoming riffler and a sharp chisel, I was able to modify these -- so as to have the "Magnum" style grip with the Colt logo.

 

[MrMurphy]

I'd go with a Redhawk, or a 625 if I found an affordable one.

The New Service is an excellent piece but very large (I have small hands) I'd love to collect one but probably wouldn't shoot it much. The S&W 1909 or Triple Lock/M1917 in .45 Colt fits me better, but still has the WW1-atrocious rear and front sights.

In that period of weaponry the Webley MkIV and VI were better guns in a similar-powered cartridge.

 

[Dr.Rob]

The New Service is my favorite revolver in my collection.

Stout, heavy, purrs like a kitten with full power .45 acp ammo... definitely wouldn't hesitate to pick on up in 45 Colt.

You can get a Tyler's T-grip to fit your hand better and not alter the "look" of the old war horse.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The Colt New Service is definitely a big gun -- especially in the 7 1/2" barrel format, as mine is. Fitting Python frame grips to it requires cutting quite a bit of wood, and if you have larger than average hands, that's an advantage.

It is also one heck of a fine revolver. Despite all the stories about differences in dimensions, and having to fit a bullet to your particular revolver, mine likes Lee 255-grain flatnoses and shoots them beautifully.

The old sights are flat bad, though, and you need to be willing to replace them if you want a shooter.

 

[Tom C.]

Fixed sights? Particularly for the .45 Colt, adjustable sights are very useful. For me, each bullet weight shoots to a slightly different elevation. I have a .45 Redhawk. It will absorb any reasonable .45 load, and shoot it very well. It is an extremely versatile revolver. I also have a .45 Colt NMBH, with a .45 ACP cylinder. Shoots both cylinders very nicely. It also benefits from adjustable sights.

 

[SnWnMe]

Well since you said DA, fixed sights, the least $$$ route would be a Colt New Service. I got mine for $375 about a month ago. It's about 85%. Beautiful gun though. It does feel larger than a N frame. The trigger pull is classic Colt. I put 200 rds of .452 255gr on 7.5gr Univ Clays through it in the intervening weeks. Turned out to be a good shooter and reliable too. Last Saturday it was connecting quite regularly @ a steel ram @ 100 yds at a SoCal range. KY windage applied as needed of course.

A pre war HE from S&W will set you back quite a bit more.

Here's a pic of my NS with my M25 Mtn Gun

 

[BluesBear]

You could take a S&W 25-5 remove the adjustable rear sight, fill in the "gap" and recontour the topstrap into a fixed sight configuration.

Then find a model 58 barrel and have it rebored to .452".




If you have trouble finding a Model 58 barrel. Just let me know. I just happen to still have one laying around.