.45LC vs .45ap? Same bullet?
- Thread starter The Rabbi
- Start date
- Status
HankB
Member
Most .45 ACP pistols have a bore a few thousandths of an inch smaller than .45 Colt . . . nominally 0.451" vs 0.454." And .45 ACP rifling may be shallower than .45 Colt rifling, as it was intended more for jacketed bullets vs. the .45 Colt's usual lead bullets.
Have to use "nominally" in the measurements as these things do vary considerably.
Unless it's really oversize, a 200 grain LRN bullet ought to be just fine in a normal .45 ACP, as long as you follow all standard loading precautions. (I assume you're not using a Glock .45 ACP . . . they supposedly don't like lead bullets.)
Have to use "nominally" in the measurements as these things do vary considerably.
Unless it's really oversize, a 200 grain LRN bullet ought to be just fine in a normal .45 ACP, as long as you follow all standard loading precautions. (I assume you're not using a Glock .45 ACP . . . they supposedly don't like lead bullets.)
Thanks. The .45acp is going into a Smith 1917 revo so it should be pretty ammo tolerant.
I always thought you couldnt use lead in Glocks either but I met a fellow at a recent shoot who was doing just that. When I asked him he said he used hard cast bullets and had about 5k rounds through his Glock with no problem at all. Soft lead is a different story.
I always thought you couldnt use lead in Glocks either but I met a fellow at a recent shoot who was doing just that. When I asked him he said he used hard cast bullets and had about 5k rounds through his Glock with no problem at all. Soft lead is a different story.
Frohickey
Member
45ACP bullets, at least the jacketted kind, usually measure 0.451 inches in diameter. Lead bullets for the 45ACP can be 0.454 inches in diameter and still work fine.
45Colt bullets are usually 0.454 inches in diameter, and most are lead. But the barrels for the 45Colt guns, at least the Ruger and other modern firearms can handle 0.451 inch bullets just fine.
45Colt bullets are usually 0.454 inches in diameter, and most are lead. But the barrels for the 45Colt guns, at least the Ruger and other modern firearms can handle 0.451 inch bullets just fine.
popbang
Member
Was the switch from .454 to .451 in 45 Colt done after WWII? Modern 45 Colts are .451.
popbang: The info I have from Lyman and from Speer both indicate that prior to WWII it was .454; after WWII the switch was made from to .451 (or .452). They didn't give any details as to why. I presume the proliferation of the .45 ACP during the war was a factor.
Johnny Guest
Moderator In Memoriam
Standard bullets for both - -
.45 Colt and .45 ACP are .451 to .452. I believe most of the jacketed bullets are .451 to .4515, while lead are usually sized to .452. You have to special order .454 and .455 lead bullets from commercial makers.
Many years ago, Winchester/Western, at least, standardized their old style .45 Colt bullet as a .452" diameter copper washed "Luballoy" lead bullet. It was a round nose design with a very small flat meplat, and a hollow base. Being relatively soft lead, the HB would open out nicely to fill the .454 bore of Pre-WWII barrels, and yet not leave big lead deposits in the tighter-bored postwar barrels.
Several years back, I bought a nice old Colt New Service in .45 Colt. I was very disappointed to find that my pet handloads didn't group worth a hoot when fired in it. I was using fairly hard cast bullets from a Lyman 454424 mould, sized at .452, at about 850 fps. I did well to stay on a sheet of 8 x 10 paper at 25 yards. I had about 40 rounds of old Western factory ammo with me at the range, though, and THAT stuff shot very decent groups. Finally figured it out . . . . I special ordered some 250 gr. LSWC bullets, sized .454, and they shot well in the old Colt.
I shared my new-found knowledge with some Cowboy Action Shooters and was greeted with wry smiles and rude snickers. Many of them had been shooting pre-war SAAs for a long time, and it seems I was the "last kid on the block" to learn this gem of wisdom.
Best,
Johnny
.45 Colt and .45 ACP are .451 to .452. I believe most of the jacketed bullets are .451 to .4515, while lead are usually sized to .452. You have to special order .454 and .455 lead bullets from commercial makers.
Many years ago, Winchester/Western, at least, standardized their old style .45 Colt bullet as a .452" diameter copper washed "Luballoy" lead bullet. It was a round nose design with a very small flat meplat, and a hollow base. Being relatively soft lead, the HB would open out nicely to fill the .454 bore of Pre-WWII barrels, and yet not leave big lead deposits in the tighter-bored postwar barrels.
Several years back, I bought a nice old Colt New Service in .45 Colt. I was very disappointed to find that my pet handloads didn't group worth a hoot when fired in it. I was using fairly hard cast bullets from a Lyman 454424 mould, sized at .452, at about 850 fps. I did well to stay on a sheet of 8 x 10 paper at 25 yards. I had about 40 rounds of old Western factory ammo with me at the range, though, and THAT stuff shot very decent groups. Finally figured it out . . . . I special ordered some 250 gr. LSWC bullets, sized .454, and they shot well in the old Colt.
I shared my new-found knowledge with some Cowboy Action Shooters and was greeted with wry smiles and rude snickers. Many of them had been shooting pre-war SAAs for a long time, and it seems I was the "last kid on the block" to learn this gem of wisdom.
Best,
Johnny
PinnedAndRecessed
member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2004
- Messages
- 1,541
My loading data from 1978 shows I was loading 260 grain JHP w/6.0
grains Unique and CCI 300 primers. At the time I guesstimated mv to be around 775 fps. No data on grouping size. This was out of a Mk4/Series 70 Govt. model Colt.
grains Unique and CCI 300 primers. At the time I guesstimated mv to be around 775 fps. No data on grouping size. This was out of a Mk4/Series 70 Govt. model Colt.
- Status
