Snub Nose 45 Colt ???

[MichaelB]

Nice job, too bad Colt will not likely make a run of these, they'd sell like the proverbial hot cakes. I have a 45 Colt New Service out for bobbing and rounding and will post when it arrives. Even at 750 fps or so the terminal effect a 250-gr 45 Colt lead bullet or the Gold Dot cannot be downplayed.

 

[sublime167]

Funny, I also have a 1917 at a gunsmith right now getting snub nosed and the hammer bobbed. I also might have him make a set of grips for it.

 

[clang]

Here is my S&W .455 Hand Ejector that was converted to .45 Colt and had the barrel shortened:

I still have to do something about the hokey front site, but I really like this gun - it means serious business.

 

[mothermopar]

Mach,

First, nice collection! Second, thanks for taking the time to take the picture and measurements!

That really helped me get a better grasp for comparison's sake.

 

[Oyeboten]

Thank you MichaelB,


Oh yeah, if Colt had any imagination or interest in making cool Revolvers again, they would do very well...and with variations for them, like .45 ACP 'Snubbies', everyone would have fun.


Good luck with your 1917 Snubulator and make sure to post some pics when you get it back.



You too sublime 167..!


Lovely S&W there clang..!


What to you mean 'Hokey front Sight'..?


Looks like a half-round to me, which in my view, is about as good as it can get.


Wow...Three in a row there! Maybe four if mine is counted...

 

[mothermopar]

How much would it cost to convert the 2 5/8" SW 629 to 45 Colt? Where in the heck would I get it done?

 

[Buck Snort]

Hi 1858,

I gotta say -

That is one good looking Revolver there.

AND, I've read one account of where a guy saved his bacon during a bear attack with that very item.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Colt 1917

I'd like to have a .45 Colt snub gun. Until that day I enjoy my .45 ACP Colt snub.

 

[kenno]

Yeah, a 45ACP duplicates the 45 Colt, which is a bear to handload due to it's thin case wall, 44Spl is Far better.
so stick with a 45 ACP, or a 44spl

 

[MichaelB]

When did the 45 Colt become a bear to load? In my experience the case walls are anything but thin.

 

[mgkdrgn]

When did the 45 Colt become a bear to load? In my experience the case walls are anything but thin.

I was rather curious about that statement myself. 45 Colt has got to be about the easiest, most versatile hand load there is going. Big, easy to handle straight wall case, large primers, bullet ranges from 150gr to 300+, and a recipe -somewhere- for just about every powder type ever produced.

 

[shoot2kill]

I have a Colt New Service which has a 2 & 1/2 inch barrel and says Colt New Service .455 Eley Webly & is DA, blue 2 1/2 " barrel & has B.N.W.M.P. covered by the grip. It shoots the .45 ACP round and is very accurate. I only wish it were as beautiful as Oyeboten's New Service revolver is.

Anyone have any idea what it might be worth as I was considering selling it?

 

[rdrancher]

Without pics it doesn't exist.

rd

 

[shoot2kill]

Here are a couple pictures I just took. This isn't an ankle carry pistol as you can see.
IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c333/Lives2hunt/100_1431.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Old John]

I have a Taurus 2", .45 Colt, that I picked up 6 or 7 years go for about $250.
It is the heavier version with non-adjustable sights. I do not know what Model it is....
maybe 450 or 455 or something. Anyone know??

I've carried it some. but it's fatter than my SP101, and doesn't conceal quite as easily.
Still, it is a mighty Comforting sidearm to have. I'd never part with it.

 

[shoot2kill]

Only one picture came through so here is another.

 

[3845]

Clang:
I think the front sight is in character for that piece, as it looks now. I had a Smith 1917 shortened to 2 1/2 " 20 years or so ago but had a M19 front sight put on it. It just never looked right to me. I ended up replacing the barrel once again, with an original 5 1/2 " specimen.
Nice looking "retro" revolver!
All of them are BTW. Not to slight any, they are great.

 

[rdrancher]

Thanks shoot2kill! Nice piece and a really fun thread.

rd

 

[MachIVshooter]

How much would it cost to convert the 2 5/8" SW 629 to 45 Colt? Where in the heck would I get it done?

Well, you're looking at cylinder reaming and barrel replacement. I'd think it'd be more cost effective to start with a 625 and have a 629 cylinder installed and reamed, and the barrel forcing cone redone after shortening it to fit the longer cylinder.

Cheaper still would be to start with a model 25 and just cut it down, like I suggested in the very beginning. If you're sold on the stainless look, have it matte hard chromed.

 

[savit260]

I <3 this revolver!

 

[whitecoyote]

Not a .45 Colt, but a .45 ACP.

 

[MichaelB]

Savit260, that early NS looks so right with that barrel length and front sight. Well done!

I posted this on another forum and got no response. Mebbe here... Sitting at my bench, I happened to look at my 325PD and a box of 45 Colt Speer 250 gr GDHPs. Hmmmmm.....Placing one of the cartridges against the cylinder (no, it did not fit within....) and....it might JUST fit if reamed out. Reaming the Ti cylinder is out of the question, but I wonder about reaming the stainless cylinder of the 325 Night Guard to 45 Colt?

The 45 Colt measures 0.480 at the head; the 45 ACP is slightly smaller at 0.476 in. The cylinder width of my 625 in 45 Colt measures 1.710; the 325 PD measures 1.718. The 625 cylinder wall is 0.068 thick over the cylinder notch; the 325PD is 0.074 inch.

The 625 MG cylinder is 1.670 inches long; the 325PD cylinder is 1.541 inches long.

The 250 gr Speer GDHP measures right at 1.530 inches from the inside rim to the bullet nose. The width of the 45 Colt rim is 0.580; that of the ACP is 0.573.

So, AT A SUPERFICIAL LEVEL, the conversion looks feasible. Thoughts?
Or has this already been tried and failed/succeeded?

 

[shoot2kill]

Oyeboten I love your New Service revolver and everything you did on it. How is the recoil? Mine is so heavy that it isn't bad at all.

 

[Sam71]

Shoot2kill's Colt

I think what you have there is a Colt New Service revolver originally supplied to the Royal North West Mounted Police in Canada in .455 caliber sometime before that organization became known as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I'm not sure when that occurred, but I know that the RCMP later bought Colt New Services in .45 colt, so I'm thinking that it was between the world wars sometime. As far as value, I'm afraid that almost all of the collector value left with the front 3" of barrel and the original grips. Not much finish left there, either. I recently bought a similar gun, a cut down Colt model 1909, I paid $350, and some might think I paid too much. That being said, its a very cool peice and you should shoot it and be happy. I have 7 of the big Colt DAs and they are great guns.

 

[shoot2kill]

Sam, Thanks for all the terrific information on the history of my revolver. As I said I am really impressed with the accuracy of this revolver. How about posting a picture of your Colt 1909? Thanks again my friend.