Snub Nose 45 Colt ???

[mothermopar]

Is there a Snub Nose 45 Colt DA revolver (@ 2" barrel) out there? I've searched, but no dice.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Step one: Buy S&W 25

Step two: Take to gunsmith and have barrel lobbed and sight reinstalled on shorter tube.

I don't know that you could get to 2", though, with the ejector rod. May need to be shortened, which would make it less functional. You'd end up with alot of money it it, all said and done.

Otherwise, nothing that I'm aware of. .44 Special, yes, but not .45 Colt.

There is the 2.75" 325 (.45 ACP). .45 Auto will perform as well as standard pressure .45 Colt loads in that short tube. And it's cheaper.

A Uberti top-break .45 Colt shortened would be kinda cool, though. Still SA, but faster to load than a SAA type. This is the 3.5" model:

 

[surjimmy]

I have a Taurus M450, it has a 2in ported barrel. They are kind of hard to find, so except to pay. (This is not the Judge) it will not shoot 410 rounds.

 

[reloaderralph]

Mothermopar;
Try the Taurus model 450 ultra lite. Mine has a 2" ported barrel and shoots where it's pointed at 15yds. with Winchester 250gr. LFN cowboy action load.
reloaderralph

 

[jmortimer]

I have a Taurus "Total Titanium" Model 450 with 2" ported barrel in .45 Colt. It weighs 19 ounces and is +P rated unlike the Judge. Unlike the titanium Taurus Model 85 I owned and dumped it has proven to be a great gun and a keeper for sure.

 

[savit260]

Is there a Snub Nose 45 Colt DA revolver (@ 2" barrel) out there? I've searched, but no dice.

There are a few people on the forums that have cut down Colt New Services. They may be the .45 ACP version, but there's no reason you couldn't do the same thing to one in .45 Colt.

 

[mothermopar]

Thanks folks... I just like the idea of a bigbore snub... If 45 Colt is hard to find outside of the Taurus, what 44 mag/44 special ones are being produced?

*yes I'm going down in caliber, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

 

[MachIVshooter]

If 45 Colt is hard to find outside of the Taurus, what 44 mag/44 special ones are being produced?

That Taurus model is discontinued, which is why I didn't list it.

The first .44 Special snub that comes to mind is the Charter Bulldog, a 2.5" 5-shot DA.

If you can find it, the L-frame S&W 396 (alloy) 696 (stainless) and 296 (alloy DAO) were very nice 5-round .44 Specials. They're all out of production, though.

However, if you don't find an N-frame too large, there are alloy .44 mags, like the standard 6-shot 329 NightGuard

 

[MCMXI]

Is there a Snub Nose 45 Colt DA revolver (@ 2" barrel) out there? I've searched, but no dice.

Sure there is ... it just happens to accept the .454 Casull cartridge as well!! And the barrel is 2-1/2" long rather than 2" but who's counting?!

 

[Oyeboten]

Hi 1858,

I gotta say -

That is one good looking Revolver there.

 

[MCMXI]

I gotta say - That is one good looking Revolver there.

You won't get any argument from me on that ... when I first saw one I knew I had to have one ... it's a real shooter too. First time to the range a few weeks ago with some .454 Casull loads and the first six shots (all DA) out of the new revolver landed on an 8" paper plate at 25 yards! Not bad for a 2-1/2" barrel and 29.0gr of H110 behind a 300gr Oregon Trail FP bullet. Impressed me and my shooting buddy. Recoil is VERY manageable and certainly nothing to whine about.

 

[Stainz]

S&W's Performance Center produced the absurd looking Al/Sc framed 1.88" barrel 625-11 about five years ago in .45 Colt. With only a hundred or so made, don't expect to find one easily - or inexpensively. They look like the similar barrel 625-10 in .45 ACP.

Stainz

 

[MachIVshooter]

S&W's Performance Center produced the absurd looking Al/Sc framed 1.88" barrel 625-11 about five years ago in .45 Colt. With only a hundred or so made, don't expect to find one easily - or inexpensively. They look like the similar barrel 625-10 in .45 ACP.

I remember those. They did it with the 327 as well (still available).

 

[mothermopar]

I saw the Ruger Alaskan... but figured it was 'too much gun' for my purposes... now I'm reconsidering! That is a GREAT looking revolver my friend.

How does it compare in size to the other snub noses mentioned here (44 Charter, S&W)???

***I"m really envisioning that Alaskan with some nice wood stocks...***

 

[MCMXI]

I saw the Ruger Alaskan... but figured it was 'too much gun' for my purposes... now I'm reconsidering! That is a GREAT looking revolver my friend.

How does it compare in size to the other snub noses mentioned here (44 Charter, S&W)???

***I"m really envisioning that Alaskan with some nice wood stocks...***

Thanks ... but I can't be of any help with regards to how the Alaskan compares to the 44 Charter or S&W in terms of size since I've never handled any of the other revolvers mentioned here. It's easy enough to compare the weights of the revolvers but that doesn't tell the whole story. What's your intended use for the revolver? You mentioned that you "like the idea of a bigbore snub" which makes me think that you won't be using it for concealed carry so size may or may not be an issue.

Wood grips would certainly look a lot nicer than the Hogue grips that come standard on the Alaskan but they'd probably be prohibitively uncomfortable for hot .45 Colt loads or any .454 Casull loads.

 

[mothermopar]

Primary use for a snub would be home defense... to compliment the Colt 1911... if I had the Alaskan, she'd be loaded with 45 Colt... probably would only shoot 454 out of it at the range "just because it can".

I'm a few months away from buying a Colt Single Action Army in 45 Colt, but wanted a more practical defensive frame/action revolver for my wife to use as well. Being a DA, this Alaskan would be relatively easy for the wife to shoot, should the need arise, with standard 45 Colt loadings suitable for HD applications.

The 454 capabilities would be for 'showing off' LOL.

I'm not rich, so I'm trying to keep my weapons of the same caliber (45 Colt/45 ACP).

 

[MCMXI]

Do you reload? If you go the .45 Colt route, it REALLY helps to reload since you'll have so many more options open to you. I don't plan on shooting any .45 Colt loads in my Alaskan but a CAS .45 Colt load would be good for home defense I'm sure. A 250gr lead bullet moving at 800 to 900 fps would be very easy on the shooter but more than enough to stop a home invasion.

As for shooting .454 Casull loads ... it's no big deal, and in fact, it's a lot of fun. I just wish that Marlin made a '94 or '95 in .454 Casull.

I'm not rich, so I'm trying to keep my weapons of the same caliber (45 Colt/45 ACP).

The Alaskan can be had for around $750 so it's a lot of revolver for the money. Just make sure that the wife finds it ergonomic too if she intends to use it.

 

[mothermopar]

She's been able to accurately fire glocks in the past and my Colt 1911 well... none of which are small framed weapons. She's all center mass shots up to 7-10 yards (plenty good for HD purposes).

I'd consider reloading, but it takes time... and my 2 year old son (and wife) ain't willing to share time with anyone! LOL

I have been thinking about one of those one-caliber reloading kits you need a mallet to seat the bullets with...

 

[Daizee]

If it's for HD and not CCW, then why not a proper 4" barrel?
More velocity, and sight radius.
Less noise, blast, and recoil.

The only rationale for a 2" handgun is for easy carrying or entertainment. By all other metrics, a full service-length barrel exceeds it in a big way.


-Daizee

 

[MachIVshooter]

How does it compare in size to the other snub noses mentioned here (44 Charter, S&W)???

The SRH frame is bested only by the X-frame Smith as DA's go. It's big. Tonight when I get home I'll do comparative photos between a SRH, an N-frame, L-frame, K frame, SP-101 and J-frame. No GP-100 (same size as L-frame), and my security-six (between K and L frame) is living with my folks.

Have your wife hold them before you buy. She may find it too large. Even the N-frame S&W's are too big for many females to shoot comfortably, especially in DA mode. The five-shot Charter .44 is about L-frame size, which just about any adult can handle.

 

[mothermopar]

Daizee,

Understood. This gun will be a backup to a backup (1st: 12 gauge, 2nd: Colt 1911, 3rd: snubnose)... so your point is totally valid... I'm biased towards the shorter barrels is all. My Colt 1911 is 5", my planned Colt SAA will be 5.5"... want something different, yet still effective and handy.

Also, folks, I just noticed SW has a 2.6" model 629 in 44 Mag (would use 44 specials) that looks quite nice, from the performance center.

 

[Rexster]

When the time is financially right for me, a Ruger SRH Alaskan in .454/.45 is on my short list. I will install a Ruger GP100 grip. While I like the S&W 625, the reach from backstrap to trigger is a bit much, unless the grip panels are VERY narrow, and in that case, recoil has a concentrated edge to slam into my skinny hand. (Been there, done that, with a Model 25 "Effector" snubby, distributed by John Jovino in the mid-1980s.) The Alaskan has a trigger reach of GP100 dimensions.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

This is in current production: 325 Night Guard It has a 2 5/8" barrel, not a true two-inch, but I think it looks better proportioned. A few years ago - possibly through the Performance Center - there was a lightweight frame, true two-inch .45, somewhat resembling this Model 327, but its model number escapes me.

 

[MachIVshooter]

OK, as promised:

Super Redhawk, S&W 629-2, S&W 686, S&W 65-3, Ruger SP-101, S&W 37



OK, dimensions

I know in the photo, the 629 actually looks bulkier than the SRH. It's an illusion from the short barrel.

From the top of the inside of the trigger guard to the top of the top strap, the numbers are in the order the revolvers are pictured:

-2.69"
-2.48"
-2.37"
-2.23"
-2.07"
-1.96"

The more important number is the reach. The Hogues on the 629, 65-3 and SP-101, as well as the Pachmayrs on the 686, make them slightly thicker than original grips were. But anyway, measured from center of trigger (both axis) in a straight line back to the center of the grip, they are as follows (rounded to the nearest .1"):

-5.0"
-4.8"
-4.8"
-4.7"
-4.4"
-4.2"

Hope this helps!

there was a lightweight frame, true two-inch .45, somewhat resembling this Model 327, but its model number escapes me.

It was a 625, like the ones I posted an image for above. Very silly looking, IMO. N-frames just shouldn't have barrels that short.

 

[Oyeboten]

Colt 'New Service' Model of 1917, for the .45 ACP Cartridge.

Barrel had been Hack Sawed off, but, was otherwise original and somewhat worn and pitted when I got it. So I tidied up the Barrel, changed the shape of the Grip...made some Walrus Ivory Stocks, Bobbed the Hammer, and checkered the Back Strap in an Art Moderne sort of way, draw Filed and sanded and polished and re-blued it.






Fired some old Hardball through the Chronograph recently with it.

Averages were around 650 FPS.

I dug some of the Hardball Bullets out of the Earth Berm, and, noticed they had only very faint and partial lines for where the Rifeling impress should be.


Did some Measurements of the Bore, and, the Cylinder Bores, and, realized .45 ACP as it usually is, is in fact way too small for these respective diameters.


I will begin to deferentially Load for it then, using far fatter Bullets, and, 'Lead' ones also.

Probably they will need to be around .455, maybe .456...


This might just bring the FPS 'up' a ways, also.


Anyway, Frame was de-blued to affix a new Front Sight in like 1990...I would like to do a Half-Round Front sight instead, and, re-re-Blue it. Then it will be finally 'finished'.


Used to carry it off and on in my Pants Pocket or in a Shoulder Holster I made for it back when...it's a lot of fun.