Why the 45 long colt

[Gryffydd]

I've heard the bit about Lil'Gun and forcing cone issues. I've only used a pound or two myself. I can confirm the entire gun gets much hotter to the touch while shooting it than with H110.

 

[solvability]

I shoot a Redhawk in 45Colt 5.5inch barrel - 90% of the loads I shoot are lead 255 at about 850fps - very mild and very accurate. I hunt with it too - 300gr xtp at 1200 measured fps - it will go through a deer or a hog from any angle at any reasonable distance - it is not as loud as a 44mag and the recoil is less sharp. I even have speed loaders for it - course I carry a Glock 21. The Redhawk is for the wide open spaces.

 

[jakk280rem]

Why the 45 long colt

P97 had it on post three. its been getting the job done, and done well for 137 years.

 

[Stainz]

I found HP-38 & W231, the same propellant, actually, to be preferable over Unique and others... until I 'discovered' Titegroup. I found it to be much less case position and case volume sensitive than any other powder I had used - important in the cavernous .45 Colt case. I also found it to be frugal - and a minimal load had nearly a maximal W231's effect, too, making it produce a higher velocity. Instead of the unburned propellant granules on the shooting bench and a thicker black staining on the muzzle afterwards, there is an easily wiped off grey soot on the muzzle. It's great negative is the very minimal propellant requirement - with a 4.8-6.2 gr requirement for a 250gr LRNFP, it is easily double charged - be very careful.

Stainz

 

[AStone]

Just checking in here.

.45 Colt is likely to be my next revolver.

RC said it best:

Whether it is or not, the fact is that no game animal could tell the difference
between getting shot with a max .44 mag load and a max .45 Colt load.

I'm good wid dat.

 

[ECVMatt]

I guess I could not get by without my .45 Colt. It is all the revolvers I need rolled up into one. I can shoot very mild loads that are similar to the .38 Spl. or crank it up to + .44 mag levels.

Ross Seyfried first turned me onto the Colt and I am eternally gratefully.


Matt

 

[DWFan]

For a number of years, my backup weapon in the field was a .44 Magnum Dan Wesson rechambered to .45 Colt using these loads...
http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm
Why rechamber to .45 Colt? Because, at the time, factory downloads of the .44 Magnum didn't exist, where factory Colt loads were perfect "downloads".....and I liked the novelty.

 

[MCgunner]

Well, my .45s will never replace my .38 as a pocket defense tool.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

But, they could if your pockets weren't so small.

 

[dagger dog]

A diminutive Texas cowboy named Shorty was once asked why he carried such a large caliber revolver in .45 Colt ? Shortys' reply; "cause they don't make 50's"!

 

[45crittergitter]

I like it because it's better than a .44.

 

[jcjacobvt]

Bullet Kinetic Energy equels bullet weight times velocity squared, divided by 450450.
Power Factor equels velocity times bullet weight divided by 1000.

Bullet Weight---Velocity----Bullet Kinetic Energy---Power Factor
----325---------1325----------1266.68-------------430.625
----300---------1200-----------959.04-------------360
----240---------1500----------1198.80-------------360
----158---------1400-----------687.49-------------221.2
----255----------900-----------458.54-------------229.5
----335---------1050-----------819.93-------------351.75
----200---------1200-----------639.36-------------240

 

[meef]

I have a Ruger Vaquero and a Marling 1894 both in 45LC and both are fun to shoot. The Marling can take the heavier loads and my brother and I like shooting the 45LC+p loads in his Blackhawk.

That's Marlin, darlin'.

 

[gunnie]

what pressures are the S&W triple lock revolvers safe with? i'd assume more than the old army BP loads in a period colt SAA. i can find no listings for circa 1908 45LC pressures, when this revolver began production.

anyone know the period OEM pressures for the 38/40, .44 special or .455 MKII, also chambered in this model?

i have to assume "smokeless" powder 45LC loads were commercially available by then?

"...John Linebaugh says S&W 25-5s will take 24,000 psi loads ALL day. ALL Smith "N" frames are heat treated the same. John's word is good enough for me"...

MANY feel that statement is not true for the above mentioned, very first "N" frame. they have heat treating differences, specificly. i think the break off point is post 1922 mfgd "N" frames, but don't recall for sure.

gunnie

 

[Water-Man]

jcjacobvt...It's divided by 450240 I believe.

 

[Nicodemus38]

well the best summation can be made with this.
what other caliber can throw a 300 grain bullet, at the same velocity and chamber pressure of a standard 38 special wadcutter target load?

 

[nelson133]

If you have a triple lock, it is approaching 100 years old and has considerable collector value. Why hot rod it?

 

[KurtC]

I've been a fan of the .45 Colt in DA revolvers for 20 years. It started with a 25-7, then a couple of 625's, a 25-10 and at least one Anaconda and a DW. My 2nd Redhawk is the one I still have. I've modified it a bit to handle any possible load.

 

[meef]

You know, I don't like this thread very much.

Not very much at all.

In fact, you zealots really tick me off.

I've been a shooter forever - or at least it seems like forever at my age.

I have formed my opinions on what I like and what I just had to have regarding firearms.

In that process and opinion forming I have actually obtained nearly everything I ever wanted, with the exception of the ridiculously overpriced specialty toys. But I resigned myself to doing without those and have managed quite well.

But now, dammit, thanks to this thread.......

I've GOTTA have a .45 long colt.

Hell and dammit again, I may have to have a couple or several of them! Agh! And then there's the addition of more reloading stuff. It never ends!

I managed to do without one my whole life... but you guys really make them sound like fun.

Curse you all and the cowboy action horses you rode in on.

There goes a major chunk of my savings account.....

Again.....

 

[jeffmack]

KurtC:
Please elaborate on the modifications you made to that slick redhawk.

 

[AStone]

^ second that.

My 2nd Redhawk is the one I still have.

Whoa, that's beautiful.

In fact, you zealots really tick me off.

<snip>

But now, dammit, thanks to this thread.......

I've GOTTA have a .45 long colt.

.... And then there's the addition of more reloading stuff.

Dude, that's at least two of us.

And for me, maybe a .45-70 to go with it.

Damn. Just when you think you're done,
the zealots come out and make you rethink things.

 

[meef]

And for me, maybe a .45-70 to go with it.

Oh yeah, that too....

.45-70.....

I want a Wild West Alaskan Copilot, or at the very least an 1895G.

Waahhh....!

I'm never gonna be able to afford to retire!

Too damn many toys out there calling to me.

:banghead:

 

[AStone]

I'm never gonna be able to afford to retire!

Retire?

Retire means couch potatoism.

Not for me. I'll die working.
Less than I do now? For sure.
But I'll never "retire".

Retire and die early
from a loss of sense of purpose.

Keep going, live life,
shoot .45 Colt.

 

[KurtC]

It is a recent production 4" model. I installed an unfluted .45/454 cylinder from a Super Redhawk. I then asked Hamilton Bowen to round butt the grip and install the Weigand interchangeable front sight system.

 

[gunnie]

..."If you have a triple lock, it is approaching 100 years old and has considerable collector value. Why hot rod it?"...

agreed, that is exactly why i asked the question. when you get my age, the imortality seems to have started to wear off. just interested in duplicating the original loads.

[not inclined to go with the elmer kieth load development methods]...

gunnie