Bula
Member
A standard 45 colt load will easily kill a deer.
And you will not likely find the bullet either...
Either will do what you need, but if you're like most I know, you'll end up owning both.
A standard 45 colt load will easily kill a deer.
Who cares about sectional density in a handgun?Case strength is a non-issue. The case is only a gasket, it's the chamber that contains the pressure. Using good Federal and Starline brass, case life is not a problem unless the chamber is very oversized. Which many are. Point being, there is no reason NOT to load the .45 heavy in proper guns. The difference is just not what most people believe it to be after 30yrs of "more performance, less pressure" propaganda.
Linebaugh does cover it well, very well. However, his article is nearly 30yrs old and is HEAVILY biased towards the big .45. He made his name building .45's, .475's and .500's, not .44's. Times have changed, bullet selection has improved and the .44 stands in the .45's shadow no longer.
Maximum loads:
.44Mag - 330gr (.255) at 1350fps = TKO 27.4
.44Mag - 355gr (.274) at 1250fps = TKO 27.3
.45Colt - 335gr (.234) at 1240fps = TKO 26.8
.45Colt - 360gr (.252) at 1150fps = TKO 26.7
Also note that at comparable bullet weights, the .44 has a significantly higher sectional density. With only the 355gr .44Mag equalling the sectional density of the mighty 430gr .475.
Anybody who hunts more than paper targets.Who cares about sectional density in a handgun?
Got any evidence to support the theory that the .45Colt's case is "weak"? If you do, you're the only one.Gaskets fail. Seems to me it would be possible to rupture a thin walled case if you have a stretched top strap and lots of end shake.
Sectional density gives you effective range and thus flatter trajectory in rifles...and penetration against hard targets. Against targets made of meat penetration is moot. With a handgun, trajectory is nearly moot.Anybody who hunts more than paper targets.
Got any evidence to support the theory that the .45Colt's case is "weak"? If you do, you're the only one.
Sectional density is what yields deep penetration with non-expanding bullets. Has nothing to do with trajectory. Are you thinking ballistic coefficient???Sectional density gives you effective range and thus flatter trajectory in rifles.
Uh, what???Against targets made of meat penetration is moot.
He certainly was. Casull is a world class gunsmith and was utilizing custom Colt single actions with scratch-built five-shot cylinders and special heat treatment.He likely would not if he was using a decent gun...which he most likely was...
What are you talking about? Who said anything about the .45ACP? If you don't know the difference, you probably should bow out of this discussion.I don't think there's too many single actions out there machined for moon clips.
No, wrong again.Not only is the original 45colt inferior to the 44mag, but its my understanding it is also inferior to the 44 special and the old 44-40. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
I guess you never heard of the 445 super mag., or the .444 Marlin.DM said:[Quote="evan price":]
44 Magnum is a great caliber but it is pretty much maxed out. There's not a lot that more velocity is going to get you in .430".
CraigC said:Maximum loads:
.44Mag - 330gr (.255) at 1350fps = TKO 27.4
.44Mag - 355gr (.274) at 1250fps = TKO 27.3
.45Colt - 335gr (.234) at 1240fps = TKO 26.8
.45Colt - 360gr (.252) at 1150fps = TKO 26.7
Also note that at comparable bullet weights, the .44 has a significantly higher sectional density. With only the 355gr .44Mag equalling the sectional density of the mighty 430gr .475.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DM
Quote:
Originally Posted by "evan price":
44 Magnum is a great caliber but it is pretty much maxed out. There's not a lot that more velocity is going to get you in .430".
I guess you never heard of the 445 super mag., or the .444 Marlin.
DM
Sure, and I've heard of 454 Casull and 460 S&W Magnum.
My answer is in response to the popular notion, propagated by Linebaugh 30yrs ago, that the .45Colt offers "more performance at less pressure". Like this:So what was the question?
When in reality, they are very, very similar. A difference of 100fps is really insignificant. The difference in diameter is made up in the difference in sectional density. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. IMHO, the more important difference is the tendency for the .45Colt to have oversized chambers and under or oversized chamber mouths. While the .44's are nearly always accurate out of the box. Where the .45 really shines is in much stronger gun like the big Redhawk and custom five-shot single actions but really, even then, all you're gaining is velocity. Tighter chambers and proper dimensions yield better accuracy and a tad more velocity but what does that really gain us in the field? A lot of recoil for one thing. So if you're going to the expense of a custom five-shot gun, which will cost at least $2500, why not go bigger? Bigger and heavier bullets are far more effective than more velocity. In this context anyway.The simple answer is that your Blackhawk can safely shoot any factory .45 Colt factory ammo, is suitable for deer season, and if (and only if) handloaded will exceed the .44 Magnum.
Okay.Not only is the original 45colt inferior to the 44mag, but its my understanding it is also inferior to the 44 special and the old 44-40. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Cases fail all the time in semi-auto guns. All it takes is an unsupported area and high pressure. Common sense should tell you a big enough gap between rear of cylinder and breech face would give you an unsupported area. Especially if you have a cylinder machined for moon clips and you are not using moon clips.