Case seperation in .45 Colt

[Oyeboten]

Hi 243winxb,


Nice images, and mighty nice of you to take the time, thank you Sir!

( Inspired now, I went on to Gunbroker and looked at various Auctions for new, unprimed, .30-'06 Cartridge Cases, finding lots of 100. Figuring, I may as well seek new unfired ones, than have someone else's who knows used ones. )


If I am to use .30-'06 Cartridge cases, modified to suit, they would be used with the Full Moon Clips, just as .45 ACP would...and, I would have them be as long as .45 Colt cases, rather than shortening them to be as .45 ACP Cases.

Or, at least, that is how I have it in my mind, to do, if it is possible to do.

AND, I would bear in mind, that the Case volume will be a little less than .45 Colt, for respecting Loading Density considerations.

This would eliminate any Head Space issues, even if obviously occasioning a very small unsupported area.

There was no 'bulge' in the .45 Colt Case which did seperate...nor in any other of the Cases fired that day in New Service Snubby.

Of course, I do not know what pressure I was getting with 10 Grains of 'Unique', but if Lyman felt in the early 1950s, that it was alright enough for New Services, and, for 1st Generation Colt SAAs without any caviat, then I expect it is less than many .45 ACP Loadings, for which the Revolver was originally intended anyway...or, that people at the time considered it forgivable, anyway, and not a problem or worry.

If we had to guess, what would we guess, the pressure to have been with that Loading?

.45 Colt Cartridge...10 Grains of 'Unique'...230 Grain Lead Bullet seated to normal depth for the Cartidge.

14,000 lbs PSI maybe? 14,500? 15,000?


And, the normal range for .45 ACP being...? 21,000 ish?

The figures attributed to these Cartridges are not fresh in my head right now...


Edit:


Just 'googled' for some 'SAAMI' references, found 'em here -


http://www.leverguns.com/articles/saami_pressures.htm

 

[Oyeboten]

Well...here's my thought -


.45 Colt enjoys a 'SAAMI' blessing of 14,000 'Piezo'

.45 ACP, of 21,000 'Piezo'


( I wish they would just use "PSI" so a Man could get a handle on the attributions...but, oh well )

So to my reconning, my Colt 'New Service' Revolver, made for the .45 ACP, was intended to handle let's say, something about as the 21,000 'Piezo' we have now for a Standard, or, nothing less anyway...and to do it with Copper Patch Bullets ( which as we know, 'spike' pressures something aweful, compared to nice, friendly mushy low BRN Lead ).


I had loaded up and fired some .45 Colt Cartridges, to what now-a-days is maybe just a tad over the 'SAAMI' Max of 14,000 'Piezo'...( if being under the accepted Standards of decades past )...because they happened to fit into the Colt's tapered Cylinder Bores ( even if this occasioned a generous Head Spacing).


So, as far as the Charging I had made, of 10 Grains of 'Unique', and, a 230 Grain Lead Bullet, in the .45 Colt Cartridges, with a likely 12-ish BRN Lead Bullet, seated to normal depth for the Cartridge, what would we expect the Pressure to have been?

Maybe 15 or 16,000 'Piezo'? - and, should this have been any bother for the Revolver, with it's 21,000 'Piezo' rating..?


Seems to me, all should be well in the Garden with this...


Unless I am missing something?


I won a Gunbroker Auction for 100, once fired, .30-'06 Cartridge Cases.

So...soon to be seeing about modifying them for the Snubby, so as to allow the use of Moon Clips, and, for other amenity.

 

[243winxb]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge/firearm.. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information. Someone using Quick Load could give you an idea of the pressure with that deep seated wad cutter. Go look at pressures on the Hodgdon website. See what the "working loads" , CUP's are - ACP (17,000) & Colt (13,500) & 45 Colt in a Ruger (30,000). Remember also Unique has went thru a change in its makeup in the last 30-40 years (if i remember correctly). Current data @ Alliant website using Unique with a 250gr lead bullets is 9.5 gr. maximum for a 45 Colt. (Yes, i know cast can be pushed faster and harder). But to be on the safe side, i would not load above this listed maximum powder charge. But thats just me. Plus the fact your shooting a colt in a acp firearm, overal, not a good choice i would guess. The experts are who you should listen too, and i am no expert. IMO. Good Luck, be safe.

 

[Oyeboten]

Hi 243winxb,


Much obliged...

I am trying to distinguish betwen the ratings of the Cartridge, or of the respective Cartridges, and, of the Gun itself.

I do not intend to continue using .45 Colt Cartridges in the Revolver.

But I wanted to work out, how, for having done so, I was still well within what the Revolver itself was comfortable with Pressure wise, even if possibly the .45 Colt Cartridge itself, or present standards for Revolvers Chambered for the .45 Colt, might be different.

I intend from here on to use .45 ACP Cartridge Cases, and or, .30-'06 Cartridge Cases which have been modified.

So...thinking...