Pre-Magnum Outdoors Cartridge

[StrawHat]

Barrel was probably cut to order at the factory, they did a fair amount of that, but not "converted", clearly invoiced from the factory in .45 LC. Long thread at
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...5-colt-made-skeeter-skelton-smith-wesson.html

But his FIRST special order .45 LC was a 6.5". Will post clip from his book in his words.

Converted may be the wrong word. He was sold a S&W Model 25-2. These came standard chambered for the 45 ACP. His came from the factory as a 45 long Colt. Somebody did something to it.

Kevin

 

[Smaug]

My great uncle carried his 22LR Colt Woodsman when out fishing and probably when out bird hunting too. (Backing up his shotgun)

In central IL and IN, he wouldn’t have been worried about bears or wolves or cougars.

I don’t think 44 Spl would have been seen as adequate for dangerous game, unless hand loaded to higher levels. Same for 38 Spl.

45 Colt maybe?

38-44 certainly.

 

[BobWright]

After some time, I realized another popular practice. Memphis had a number of wealthy cotton men back in the 'Thirties and 'Forties and they had a hunting club down in Mississippi, in the swampy thickets around oxbow lakes where wild boar roamed. Popular practice was to hunt these critters from horseback using handguns. The popular gun was a modified Colt New Service taking a wildcat cartridge such as the .401 Eimer. These were based on the .401 Winchester Self Loading case, or the .303 Savage. Bullets were .401" cast hard and propelled by generous doses of Hercules #2400 powder. Barrels were scrounged from .38-40 or .41 Colt stocks. Cylinders were either .357 Magnum or .38 Special rebored. Another cartridge was a .43 Eimer, which was a .30-06 case shortened and reamed to accept .429" bullets. A .45 ACP cylinder was reamed out to take the longer case, and .44 Special or .44-40 barrels were utilized. The late Memphis gunsmith, H.L. Highsmith, was famous for these renovations.

Here is a .400 Special made on the .303 Savage case, along with a .41 Magnum:



Bob Wright

 

[Tall]

Is there any additional rearward movement when the ACP cylinder is installed and you go to eject the shells? I ask because the frame lug on a S&W Model 25-2 is different than the frame lug on a S&W Model 25-5.

Kevin

No because the Model 25-2 uses the Model 25-3 cylinder. There are no 25-5 parts involved.

 

[StrawHat]

No because the Model 25-2 uses the Model 25-3 cylinder. There are no 25-5 parts involved.

Thank you.

Kevin

 

[35 Whelen]

Before the advent of the .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, etc... when an individual needed a sidearm for The Great Out-of-doors, what was their preferred cartridge ? I know both we and the Brits had our respective love affairs with large bore, low pressure cartridges; but what of "Average Joe" who wanted an outdoors gun ? I know S&W has sold a slue of the 32/22 Kit Gun, among others; but I'd love to know what the preferred woods handgun cartridge was back in say, 1920 or 1930. Probably something along the lines of a .44 Spl or similar. Grandpappy's Colt Single Action, or what have you.

Elmer Keith, who very much used a revolver in his work as a working cowboy, wrote that his first choice was a handloaded .44 Special but if he was limited to factory loaded ammunition he would choose a revolver in 45 Colt.

35W