Shake your head questions

[herrwalther]

It has been getting around at work that I am quite the "gun guy." So I get asked questions about guns, military stuff etc. But today I got a special...special one. A co worker was talking about an old .45 Long Colt handgun he has. He described it as being with side by side barrels like a shotgun. He has fired .45LC in it and 3" .410 shotgun shells. And then he had the idea to shoot a 30-30 round in it. Because the projectile diameter is "pretty close and shouldn't be a problem". So he asked me if that was a bad idea.

After shaking my head so hard I thought I was going to give myself a concussion I told him that would be a really bad idea.

 

[Flechette]

It might not be that old. Cobray made such a thing a few years back:

 

[Coyote3855]

As "quite the gun guy," you should know there is no such thing as "45 Long Colt." There is .45 Colt, .45 ACP, and .45 Schofield. Oh, the Cowboy Action Shooters have popularized a .45 Colt Short powder puff load, so maybe you are not wrong.

 

[ironworkerwill]

There is a video of two guys shooting everything you could imagine through a .410 single shot shotgun. One was a .30-30 and it fired and ruptured the case and had a much softer report than usual.

On the downside, he could possibly fire a .444 Marlin, .45-70, or probably a .303 Brit. I imagine you could shoot lots of stuff out of it... ONCE.

 

[Walkalong]

As "quite the gun guy," you should know there is no such thing as "45 Long Colt."

As a gun guy, you should know some people still call it that.

so maybe you are not wrong.

Good point.

Anyway, not everyone knows all the million nuances of gun stuff. I know I don't. I also don't sweat it when someone calls a mag a clip. I bet more more people call them clips than mags.

 

[wojownik]

.45 Long Colt ... it might not be "correct," but its part of the vernacular...

or

I also don't sweat it when someone calls a mag a clip. I bet more more people call them clips than mags.

My wife calls a mag a "bullet holder thingie". I'm good with that She may not be a "gun gal," but every wise "gun guy" knows not to argue with the better half.

 

[cfullgraf]

My wife calls a mag a "bullet holder thingie".

That's creative.

 

[Walkalong]

And she's correct, it does hold bullets, which is what some folks still call loaded rounds.

So he asked me if that was a bad idea.

At least he asked.

 

[entropy]

It might not be that old. Cobray made such a thing a few years back:

I have one of those: I'm leery of shooting most 2.5" .410's through it. It often pops open when I shoot them. I handload light .45LC for it.

I suspect running a .30-30 through it would garner me a Darwin Award. Think I'll pass, I've had too many Honorable mentions in that category...

 

[Jim Watson]

Just to add to the "don't be too precious on nomenclature" history:

"Today we often hear the .45 Colt Peacemaker cartridge referred to as the .45 Long Colt. Some newcomers to the game claim there is no such animal but if they had shot the short variety that Remington turned out in such profusion before, during, and after WWI, they would see there was some basis in referring to the .45 Colt as the .45 Long."

Elmer Keith.

 

[Lafitte]

I have seen guns described as ".45 Long Colt" in Colt catalogs. That's good enough for me!

Lafitte

 

[Tirod]

At least you get questions.

For the most part when talk turns to guns I keep quiet as possible and walk away now.

I was told recently that MO had a legal interpretation defining "offensive" and "defensive" cartridges. .45 was considered offensive and illegal to CCW, 9mm was defensive and legal.

I had just purchased a 3gen S&W Auto in .45ACP, and plan to shoulder holster carry in winter under coats now and then. Glad I was brought up to speed on that one by someone who doesn't have a CCW.

 

[Flechette]

At least you get questions.

For the most part when talk turns to guns I keep quiet as possible and walk away now.

I was told recently that MO had a legal interpretation defining "offensive" and "defensive" cartridges. .45 was considered offensive and illegal to CCW, 9mm was defensive and legal.

I had just purchased a 3gen S&W Auto in .45ACP, and plan to shoulder holster carry in winter under coats now and then. Glad I was brought up to speed on that one by someone who doesn't have a CCW.

I'd just carry what you think is the best gun to defend yourself with.

If the cops/prosecutor want to argue the caliber size or the color of the gun just hire a good lawyer.

Good lawyers are expensive but they are less expensive than being dead.

 

[DPris]

I like parakeets.
They're pretty.

But, veering back to the subject at hand, it's a good thing you caught him before he tried the .30-30 round in a .45-caliber ANYTHING, whatever you want to call it.
Denis

 

[Panzerschwein]

Reminds me of the time this guy had my buddy convinced he could fire 7.62x39mm through his 5.45x39mm AK.

Neither one of them were "gun guys".

 

[skeptical_in_Ohio]

I also don't sweat it when someone calls a mag a clip. I bet more more people call them clips than mags.

Apparently this distinction isn't something that Marlin worried about in the past - if in fact it does now. An ad for the 989m2 and 99m1, apparently from 1965.

 

[Warp]

Apparently this distinction isn't something that Marlin worried about in the past - if in fact it does now. An ad for the 989m2 and 99m1, apparently from 1965.

Sometimes even manufacturers...or their marketing department...are incorrect. Believe it or not, because a gun manufacturer prints it, that doesn't make it right.

 

[Decoy80]

I think I bought my single barrel Cobray 45/410 in the 90's for $49.99 it is very effective on snakes at close range. I shoot 3in. 410 #6 shot. I've yet to have a safety issue or failure. It's nothing fancy and the bare bones tool, it does work for what I bought it for, pest control.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

I love that HK ad, BTW. It makes me giggle. Because in a world of compromise...

 

[Flechette]

I love that HK ad, BTW. It makes me giggle. Because in a world of compromise...

...some *** don't.

 

[skeptical_in_Ohio]

Believe it or not, because a gun manufacturer prints it, that doesn't make it right.

Fair enough. This noted, I don't recall saying that Marlin was right; just that this was apparently a distinction that it didn't make in the ad in question.

 

[CajunBass]

I bet more more people call them clips than mags.

Back when I was a teen-ager, and knew everything, I knew they were properly called "magazines."

One of my high-school teachers, who had been a Marine Gunny in WWII, kept talking about putting a "clip" in his "45 automatic."

Well, I just knew he was wrong.

But I also knew enough to not correct "Gunny Mac." He was the one who had been on a half dozen islands I couldn't even pronounce the names of. Somebody else could tell him he was wrong, but I wasn't going to.

Oh, to stay on topic...Back then I had a buddy who had a 410 single shot. He used to tell me that he could shoot 44 magnums in it. I'm just glad he never had any 44 magnums around to try it.

 

[GBExpat]

... Good lawyers are expensive but they are less expensive than being dead.

Remember, you heard it here first, Folks.

 

[entropy]

Oh, to stay on topic...Back then I had a buddy who had a 410 single shot. He used to tell me that he could shoot 44 magnums in it. I'm just glad he never had any 44 magnums around to try it.

That arose from the markings on some of the old Iver Johnson and Champion .410's that read .44/.410. There were .44 shotshells loaded for some reason back around 1900, (I have them listed in my 1900 and 1908 Sears & Roebuck catalogs), that could be shot through the .410 shotguns. I also had a friend who fired .45 LC through his 1900-vintage H&R. (The anemic factory stuff made before T/C and Ruger made guns in that caliber) They keyholed, and he stopped doing it.

Of course the .44 Magnum wasn't around when those guns were made, but you could see where your buddy could get that idea. I'm glad he never tried it either.

 

[BlkHawk73]

Funny how gun folks will bicker back and forth about correct terminology and names and accept it as "we all know hat it means" but if the media incorrectly uses a term or or incorrectly describes anything gun related it calls for a hanging?
Rather than worry about 45 Colt vs 45 Long Colt, maybe start using "caliber" and "cartrdige"/"chambering" correctly.