45 Long Colt Snubbie......

E

Eric Larsen

New member
I am still throwing around the idea of a big bore snubbie...
Taurus has a great little gun the 450 and is available in a light
20 oz model also...its chambered for the 45 long colt...I am wondering about the versatility of this caliber...I want to be able to shoot less potent loads at the range until proficient with the gun and then...get some nasty defensive rounds for CCW duty.

I have little info on this caliber and would like any "hands on" information...especially regarding them in a snubbie platform.
Shoot well and thanks
 
In my opinion the .45 Colt is one of the most flexible. I load light 250 grain SWC "pumpkin roller" loads with just enough power to punch paper. These shoot great and still let you know your shooting something. But with the .45 LC you have the option of some great defensive loads. In the heavier revolvers like the Blackhawks or S&W Mountain Guns I really like the Federal classic loading of a 225 grain soft hollow point. When one of these hit they go SPLAT and flatten out like a manhole cover. In lighter revolvers you may have problems with soft lead bullets jumping the crimp and tying up the gun. In these cases I like the old Speer 210 grain "flying ashtray" loaded to regular .45 colt pressures. I would not trust any of the Taurus revolvers with hot loads like we are using in the Rugers.
 
I had a 450 a couple of years ago. Mine was not the lightweight one. I shot about 300 rounds through it before I traded it to an officer I know who wanted it for a backup gun. I shot factory lead with it and a few silvertips with it and it shot point of aim with both loads. There wasn't much recoil thanks to the grips that come with it. I really liked it and it carried very well. I was also able to use HKS 44spl speedloaders for it.
 
I like the idea of the 450 and would buy one in a heartbeat if they could be had in an unported version--I'm of the school that believe ports on a defensive weapon a big mistake. There is a good range of factory load available from the "Cowboy Action Loads," which are downright wimpy (but cheap if you buy from the right people), to just about as hot as you want to go.

I went with the Taurus 445 because you can buy a version of it without the ported barrel and have had no trouble with lead bullets jumping the crimp even with the hotter loads (200-grain LHP by Federal and R-P). You might have trouble with lead and the ported barrels though. I have never had a ported barrel, but I have read different posts that indicate lead may foul your ports (and be a royal pain to clean).
 
Juliet,
I have only put a few hundred rounds through my ported Taurus 445 . No problems with the ports to report:D I shoot berry's 180gr plated lead instead of plain lead though. I like my ports, I think they make the gun more controlable. I know I'll never be able to use in IPSC if I wanted to, but I use it just for concieled carry. My carry load are the Hornady xtp 180's

Cajun
 
45 Colt is a nice flexible cartridge. Much like the .44 Mag. that said, not wise to shoot stout loads in big cartridges in little guns.

Nuther thought on porting.....if you gonna carry defensive ported.
Tell the perp to give you time to don your goggles before firing from close retention position.

Sam
 
. . . or right-handed out the driver's window in a car, or in a hand-to-hand struggle (I know it's not supposed to happen--anybody want to bet it doesn't?), or maybe across someone like maybe a family member who might be with you (not pleasant ported or unported, but if I had my druthers I would prefer the hot gases and small particles going away rather than toward).

Ported barrels are fine on a firing line at a range under controlled conditions. They have no business a weapon intended for combat (again, unless CR says you can find a very, very cooperative bad guy).
 
Sam and Juliet..I appreciate the ported concern and all. IMO any short barrel/large caliber-magnum gun...you run the same risks with or without porting.

Flash, recoil and noise are all very substantial in all snubbies...357 mag and larger, potent defensive loads...of equal or more FPE than the 357....

My backyard testing..between a ported Taurus and non ported Rossi and Ruger...the difference in flash was negligable....almost no difference. The difference in s/autos was more substantial...ported Glock and Taurus compared to many other s/autos w/ similar barrel length and ammo. The ported autos gave substatially more flash than non ported autos.....the non ported snubbies still had more flash than the ported autos....just for reference....

If I were to get another snubbie for a b/up gun....It would be at least a 357...maybe even a 41 mag......

IMO all snubbies are a trade off....but as a back up gun...I think its a worth while trade off......Shoot well
 
I saw a guy put substantial powder burns on his jacket sleeve shooting a 4 inch 29 S&W with the barrel rested on left fore arm. Sleeve was smoking after the shot!! If you are talking about close retention shooting you would do well to watch the cylinder gap on your magnum revolver. Pretty much hazardous on both sides.
 
Eric -
Sam and Juliet..I appreciate the ported concern and all. IMO any short barrel/large caliber-magnum gun...you run the same risks with or without porting.
Click to expand...
If we were talking about just flash and blast, you might have point, but we're talking about of lot of other stuff light hot gas, particles, and we are talking about it being directed out 90 degrees from the direction of fire. Riddle made a good point with the very small cylinder gap, now multiply two or three ports, and what do you have--a tenfold or more increase? If you really want to go this route, additional weight/big grips rather than ports is the way to go--but then you have to give up "carryability" for "shootability."

Again, ported barrels (and even .357 Magnums with hot loads like the 125-grain JHPs) are great for the range and impressing people who don't know better, but they are not for serious life and death carry. I could see where the actual use of these weapons/loads under the wrong (but nontheless, realistic) conditions could conceivably leave the user in worse shape than the target. You give up far more than you can ever hope to gain. Even if you did manage to achieve sufficent velocity for minimal expansion, it would still nowhere approach the effectiveness of the rounds in the full-size service weapons for which they were designed. Like you said Eric, these weapons involve trade-offs--why trade-off shootability, follow-up shots/accuracy for maybe (and a very big maybe) a very slight increase in terminal effectiveness if any--it's just not worth it. These weapons, by design, are calibre holes in, calibre holes out weapons regardless (if you want anything that approaches sufficient penetration).

Probably the best way to improve the terminal effectiveness of this class of weapons would be the "big and slow" approach. The .45 Colt or .45 ACP would be ideal if one were to stick to heavy blunt-nosed bullets at say between 750-850 fps (and loose the ported barrels). Taurus already makes one excellent weapon of this class with the 445 in .44 Special. Going to the .44 Special will give you about a 44% increase in crush cavity over the .38/.357.
 
My 445T needed no ports, 200gr Gold Dots at about 850fps, 44special. Recoil very managable.
My 415T needed ports badly, 170gr Silvertips at 1150fps, 210gr JHP at 1150fps, 41magnum. Recoil very managable, but without em, ZOWEEE, that thing would jump.
I would love to get a 45colt, I just love those coffee can sized hollowpoints. :D
Get the 45 you won't be dissappointed in the least.
 
Top strap keeps most of the ejeculate out of one's eyes when shooting from tight against your body. Ports tend to direct the stuff into your face. Especially if you are holding low and shooting at an upward angle. As in just clear of your holster and trying for chest on a close target.

Sam
 
CDNN has the 28 oz and 20 oz 450 snubbies on for 269 $ right now....and the 415 30 oz gun for 249 $....if you are in the market ....now is a wonderfun time..especially the light weight 45..
Shoot well
 
If you want light loads in any common wheelgun caliber (38, 357, 44, 45LC) check out some "cowboy loads". They are made light so you can shoot accurate all day. Don't expect them to be any cheaper though.
 
For lighter .45 Colt loads, try .45 S&W - -

- - -The so-called "Scofield" load--Shorter case, loaded with, I believe, a 230 gr bullet, rated at about 750 from a standard length barrel. I think Black Hills loads 'em. This should give you maybe 625 to 650 from a two-inch. Very much like the old English "Bulldog" revolver performance in a modern, well-built revolver. Also, it wouldn't be throwing as much blast and ejecta from the ports. I think I'd want two of these and then three more powerful rounds in the Taurus lightweight.

Hey--this is sounding interesting.;)
Best,
Johnny
 
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