45 colt for cc
- Thread starter czcmcd
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If you ask Paco Kelly yes .45 Colt = .45 Long Colt as there was a ".45 Short Colt" - "Those that voraciously disagree with the word ‘LONG’ in the phrase 45 Long Colt............don’t e-mail me.....my spiritual brother (for almost a lifetime), and dear friend, John Taffin, has been trying to change my position for decades....and John may be correct, as all of you may. But in this, I am unrepentant...why? Because among other reasons, I have a full box of 45 Short Colt ammo produced in 1883 and that got me to really investigate! Not Schofield...but “45 Short Colt” Ammunition.....(230 grain bullet/hollow base/28 grains B.P.) People back then called them LONG or SHORT Colts when making purchases......so do I today."
You would need something like the Cimarron Thunderer or an Urberti Cattleman or USFA Double Eagle all with a 3 1/2" barrel. They all weigh in the low 30 odd ounce range and would put a hurt on any bad guy. I tend to agree with Paco but to each his own.
You would need something like the Cimarron Thunderer or an Urberti Cattleman or USFA Double Eagle all with a 3 1/2" barrel. They all weigh in the low 30 odd ounce range and would put a hurt on any bad guy. I tend to agree with Paco but to each his own.
Yeah, same thing. And it's very appropriate for CCW as a caliber...similar to the 44spl or 45ACP, with slightly more power on tap. Speer has a 250gr Gold Dot with a massive hollowpoint cavity, as if they scaled up the 38+P 135gr slug. The 250 does about 900fps give or take a bit. Should work fine.
Problem is, most of the guns chambered in it are too dang big for most people to CCW. And you really need at least a 3" barrel to make most of the ammo work properly (read: expand). You can shoot that sort of load out of a Taurus Judge but...then you loose speed and accuracy with the oversize chamber and the short barrel.
If I had to carry a Judge with a 2.5" chamber for CCW purposes, I would get the longest shells I could find that would hold a .45 slug (like say the S&W 460), load it with the Penn Thunderhead 270gr giant wadcutter from hell, moving at around 800fps (in other words, loaded pretty dang light). Don't even worry about expansion, not with that giant flat nose going "splat" on whatever it hits
.
If I had a 3" chamber Judge, I'd go with 00 .410s, five big .38cal round balls.
Problem is, most of the guns chambered in it are too dang big for most people to CCW. And you really need at least a 3" barrel to make most of the ammo work properly (read: expand). You can shoot that sort of load out of a Taurus Judge but...then you loose speed and accuracy with the oversize chamber and the short barrel.
If I had to carry a Judge with a 2.5" chamber for CCW purposes, I would get the longest shells I could find that would hold a .45 slug (like say the S&W 460), load it with the Penn Thunderhead 270gr giant wadcutter from hell, moving at around 800fps (in other words, loaded pretty dang light). Don't even worry about expansion, not with that giant flat nose going "splat" on whatever it hits
.If I had a 3" chamber Judge, I'd go with 00 .410s, five big .38cal round balls.
The 45 Colt cartridge is very much a man stopper, . . . in fact, . . . it can be loaded up to darn near .44 mag specs if you need to carry out in bear/cat country.
As is, most loads are a tad above .45ACP.
I have a beautiful Beretta with a color case hardened frame, . . . shoots better than it looks too, . . . other than reload, . . . I would have no qualms carrying it for a CCW.
May God bless,
Dwight
As is, most loads are a tad above .45ACP.
I have a beautiful Beretta with a color case hardened frame, . . . shoots better than it looks too, . . . other than reload, . . . I would have no qualms carrying it for a CCW.
May God bless,
Dwight
orionengnr
New member
As long as I can wear a sweatshirt or jacket, I can and do carry a 4" N-frame in .45LC (or .41 Mag). I'm wearing my M25 Mountain Gun on my hip as I type this.
It is a great caliber, especially for a reloader. Good factory ammo for carry, cheap reloading is do-able for practice ammo.
It is a great caliber, especially for a reloader. Good factory ammo for carry, cheap reloading is do-able for practice ammo.
.45acp, .45LC or .45ColtLong....
For many years I've heard or read the caliber term; .45LongColt or .45LC.
I've also seen .45ColtLong but not as much.
I'm not a bullethead expert, but I always thought the name was used to avoid mix-ups with the smaller, wider .45acp(automatic Colt pistol or 1911).
Most .45LCs I've seen are in use with single action Colt cowboy type revolvers.
Years ago, as a teen I knew a gun shop clerk who rattled on about how great the .45LC was for CC or protection. Today, I can see the caliber's practical use but would use a .44spl or .357magnum first.
For many years I've heard or read the caliber term; .45LongColt or .45LC.
I've also seen .45ColtLong but not as much.
I'm not a bullethead expert, but I always thought the name was used to avoid mix-ups with the smaller, wider .45acp(automatic Colt pistol or 1911).
Most .45LCs I've seen are in use with single action Colt cowboy type revolvers.
Years ago, as a teen I knew a gun shop clerk who rattled on about how great the .45LC was for CC or protection. Today, I can see the caliber's practical use but would use a .44spl or .357magnum first.
I have a Taurus modl. 450 in .45 Colt.
I picked it up used 6 or 7 years ago, I think, for about $275.
It's stainless steel, with a 2" brrl., and it is ported.
I've carried it off & on as a CCW. It's a bit thicker than my Ruger SP101, in
.357 magnum. I normally carry the SP101, tho.
It Roars! And it'll sure destroy your night vision if you fire it in the dark, or even dim light.
I'd never part with it, just for the "cool factor". But it really is a pretty good gun for CCW. I carry it with Winchester Silver-tips, or Remington LHJHP's.
I wish Taurus still made them as well as the .44 Special, 2", 5 shot.
They do still make the 2", .41 Magnum, as well as a couple other brrl. lengths.
At 30oz. It'd be fine for a CCW...........
I picked it up used 6 or 7 years ago, I think, for about $275.
It's stainless steel, with a 2" brrl., and it is ported.
I've carried it off & on as a CCW. It's a bit thicker than my Ruger SP101, in
.357 magnum. I normally carry the SP101, tho.
It Roars! And it'll sure destroy your night vision if you fire it in the dark, or even dim light.
I'd never part with it, just for the "cool factor". But it really is a pretty good gun for CCW. I carry it with Winchester Silver-tips, or Remington LHJHP's.
I wish Taurus still made them as well as the .44 Special, 2", 5 shot.
They do still make the 2", .41 Magnum, as well as a couple other brrl. lengths.
At 30oz. It'd be fine for a CCW...........
carguychris
New member
You forgot a very important disclaimer... in the right gun.
The popular .45 Colt +P "bear loads" are generally OK in large-frame Rugers, FA revolvers, X frame .460 S&Ws, and newer lever-action rifles, but they're generally not OK in Colt SAAs, N frame S&Ws, Taurus Judges, and most types of "cowboy action" SAA clones.
Not quite; as other posters have already said, there was a slightly lower-powered .45 "Short" Colt cartridge produced in the 1880s, and there was also the .45 S&W cartridge for the S&W Model Number 3 Schofield, which was briefly used alongside the Colt SAA in US military service. The Colt ammo was longer, so you could use Schofield ammo in a SAA, but not vice versa. US military personnel started calling them the ".45 short" and ".45 long" cartridges to keep the logistics straight, and the names stuck.
357 Python
New member
Lets go with a model that can use the 45LC, the S&W 25. Yes it can be chambered for the 45ACP but certain variants have been made for the 45LC. I don't have one but have always wanted one in 4 inch. I do have a 4" S&W 28-2 357 Magnum. With the execption of a slightly wider barrel (for the 45 instead of the 357) they have basically the same outer demensions. I carry my 28-2 concealed during the winter very easily. The N frame S&W is big but it can be done if your body type and clothing match
S&W 25
I have a S&W 25-5 in .45 Colt. It's a great shooting gun but a bit large for CCW (7 3/8" barrel). I carry it in the woods when I hunt deer. I would not try the +P loads in it or even real hot handloads since it's basically a model 29 that's been bored out to .45 Colt. I like my handloads a little on the hot side but don't get carried away with them. I really like the way the Hornady XTPs shoot in my gun and prefer the heavier bullets. I figure there's not many critters (2 or 4 legged) that are going to go very far after being hit with a well placed 250gr XTP. I would have no problem using a shorter barreled .45 Colt for CCW with the right loads.
I have a S&W 25-5 in .45 Colt. It's a great shooting gun but a bit large for CCW (7 3/8" barrel). I carry it in the woods when I hunt deer. I would not try the +P loads in it or even real hot handloads since it's basically a model 29 that's been bored out to .45 Colt. I like my handloads a little on the hot side but don't get carried away with them. I really like the way the Hornady XTPs shoot in my gun and prefer the heavier bullets. I figure there's not many critters (2 or 4 legged) that are going to go very far after being hit with a well placed 250gr XTP. I would have no problem using a shorter barreled .45 Colt for CCW with the right loads.
Deaf Smith
New member
The S&W N frames made with 3 inch barrels for .44 SPL to me should have been in .45 Colt! Same gun, same cylinder size but much better slugs! And the piece would have been a bit lighter to boot.
Deaf
Deaf
ammo.crafter
New member
45 colt
Tarus Raging Bull 5-shot 45 Colt?
Tarus Raging Bull 5-shot 45 Colt?
The Real Wyatt
New member
Rep ...
Couple of gorgeous pieces you have there. I'm envious.
Couple of gorgeous pieces you have there. I'm envious.
Single actions for self defense might appeal to some, just remember they tend to be large, are slow to reload and eject cartridges from, and lack a double action trigger option. Many have "gutter" sights, which can be hard to pick up in low light conditions.
For carry a Model 625 Smith and Wesson in .45 ACP could also be an option. Moonclips load quickly, range brass is free and factory ammo is plentiful.
I went with a 4 inch N frame in .44 magnum with 240 grain bullets that I load at 1,000 fps. Whatever the .45 LC does the .44 magnum does it at higher pressures, which means more efficient powder burn for medium loads like mine. Brass and bullets for the .44 are cheaper as well.
For carry a Model 625 Smith and Wesson in .45 ACP could also be an option. Moonclips load quickly, range brass is free and factory ammo is plentiful.
I went with a 4 inch N frame in .44 magnum with 240 grain bullets that I load at 1,000 fps. Whatever the .45 LC does the .44 magnum does it at higher pressures, which means more efficient powder burn for medium loads like mine. Brass and bullets for the .44 are cheaper as well.