.45 colt for self defense ?

4

41special

New member
I just picked up a model 25 Smith and Wesson mountain gun, and it's great!

The gun got me thinking, if one of those compact frame Taurus revolver's in .45 Colt would be a potent enough for self defense ?

Any opinions ?
 
I, too, have a Smith .45 Colt Mountain Gun (625-9). Even at its more anemic defensive loadings, the .45 Colt essentially equals -- or exceeds -- the .45 ACP +P's ballistics. For example, my 625-9 is loaded with Georgia Arms 200 grain Gold Dots that provide 1100 FPS muzzle velocity. I suggest that is a potent defensive round by any standard.
 
I personally carry a Taurus tracker .45 colt, 4inch in stainless steel. I have it loaded with Speer Gold Dot 250 grainers @ 1000 FPS. I feel perfectly comfortable using this gun anywhere, I even keep it while hiking. You do have to keep in mind that the Taurus trackers, have a shortened cylinder to keep them from being loaded with the Heavier Magnum .45 colt loads. Good luck, and enjoy.
 
132 years ago, the original .45 Colt load with 40 grains of FF and a 250 grain bullet left a 7 1/2" revolver barrel at nearly 900 fps. It was definitely the magnum of its day, and even today, 900 fps with such a heavy bullet is still pretty impressive! Like 44mag@ucnsb.net just pointed out, 1000 fps is easily attainable with modern guns & loadings. In stronger revolvers, such as Freedom Arms and "old" New Model Rugers, 1200 fps+ with a 250 grainer is not a problem.
 
Of course not! People are a lot tougher today and all BGs have skin at least 4 inches thick, requiring at least a 25mm cannon or a 4.2 rocket launcher to do them in.

OK, I couldn't resist. Is .45 Colt enough for self defense? Unless it involves defense against an elephant, you better bet it is.

Jim
 
I will add this about 45 LC

Yes N frame smith 25 can take 250 gr bullets out to 1000 FPS, but, the case for the 45 lc is weak when compaired to the 44 mag.
If you start loading a 45 lc that hot, only do it with NEW cases and look for lines that show up on the case about 1/3 the way from the head.
If you see what looks like strech marks, BACK OFF the case is failing.
 
Ozzieman, am I reading you correctly? You are stating that MODERN 45 Colt brass is weaker than 44 Magnum brass? If that is what you meant, you are wrong. It is a myth that must die. John Linebaugh, Ross Seyfried, John Taffin and others have debunked this one numerous times. The confusion arises because way back when 45 Colt brass had so-called balloon heads. That stuff really was weak. But it's been out of the pipeline for many decades. Possibly that was what you were getting at when you cautioned people to use new cases?
 
There is nothing wrong with modern .45 cases. I shoot 23 grains of H110 with a 300 grain Speer PSP in my .44mag Super Black Hunter and 3 .44mag Vaqueros and the cases stick at times on extraction. In all 3 of my .45 Colt Vaqueros the cases fall right out that are loaded with 25 grains of H110 and a 300 grain Hardcast.
 
Is the 45 colt enough for self defense??? To put things in perspective:

A 147gr bullet from a 9mm at 1000 fps has around 326 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle.

A 165 gr bullet from a 40 S & W at 1000 fps has around 360 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle.

A 230 gr bullet from a 45 auto at 850 fps has around 370 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle.

A 230 gr bullet from a 45 colt at 900 fps has around 415 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle. Run that up to 1100 fps in a modern gun like a ruger and your pushing 600 ft lbs of energy.

What were you saying about enough for self defense??????
 
Ozzieman, just remember that the .454 was created by loading the modern .45 Colt cases to the ultra high pressures.
 
Nah, even a Casul or a .50 are barely adequate when confronting such critters. I'm talking 3 rd. auto mode off course with at least 20 rd. magazines.

Oooops....couldn't resist but you troll a real effective jig here Mr. 41friend.
 
I think 41Special was not asking about the cartridge itself, but the viability of using the .45 Colt in a small frame revolver, most likely with a shorter barrel.

Given that a "standard" .45 Colt round out of a 7.5" barrel was supposed to jog along at 900 fps, a 2" barrel would reduce that to around 700fps -- in theory. With a slightly lighter bullet (read: Silvertips or modern JHPs) you'll get more thump for your buck.

But the .45's large frontal area and mass make it a good performer for self defense. There's little need to rely on velocity for bullet expansion.
 
The problem I found was finding a gun I liked, that I could conceal.
Fanny packs are hard pressed to cover a 45 Ruger, but, my gun does have a
6 inch barrel.

Concealing the 45 LC is the real problem.

s
 
Socrates, what are the laws in respect to gun ownership in Greece or are you the resident "Cultural Attache" to the US Embassy in which case no such banalities apply?
 
Well thanks for all the input, I think I'm going to invest in one of the Taurus compact frame 45's, from what I can gather that big bullet with a little less recoil than most big bores should work out well.
 
My only question

would be what kind of self-defense loads are being made? If you reload, what kind of self-defense bullets are on the market.

I've always liked the idea of a 45LC revolver because, other than the 44 special, it's really the only big bore revolver not made for hunting. Seems if you like the idea of revolver chambered in a heavy, large-caliber bullet for self-defense, but you don't want a magnum, the LC is the way to go.

But, I always wondered if I would be able to find the full array of self-defense
loads offered for more common revolver rounds (e.g. 357, 38 etc.).
 
Ammo

The only non-cowboy ammo I've ran across so far is some Corbon, but I think's it's max load stuff.

I'm sure everybody makes some I just havent seen any.
 
would be what kind of self-defense loads are being made?
Click to expand...
I like the Blazer 200 gr. myself. I'd be a little happier if they weighed a little more, but they shoot very true out of my Blackhawk and my Winchester Trapper.
 
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