When I was looking to acquire a Single Action Army clone, I went with a USFA Rodeo in .45 Colt. I reload for the cartridge as feeding it with factory ammo is cost prohibitive, plus I can tailor the loads for what I want. Great cartridge, and for a woods gun, very versatile as others have said. At some point I will get the stronger framed Ruger for carrying the stouter loads, than an SAA can handle, but it is a great cartridge even with limiting to the SAA loads. Hard to complain about a 255 grain slug going 950 FPS from a cowboy gun.
45 Long Colt
- Thread starter KnotRight
- Start date
I wish someone would introduce a decent snubnose five-shooter for it again. I should have snagged a Taurus 450 when they were available...
Super Sneaky Steve
New member
To the OP, stop thinking about the Colt unless you're willing to scavenge some lead and cook up your own. Otherwise it's like dating an expensive super model.
Actually buying .45 Colt lead bullets from say, Rimrock bullets, is still way cheaper than factory.... No need to 'cast' ... although someday I'd like to get into that too for even more savings. I figure about $20 per box of 100. I can afford that for the moderate shooting I do.
Nice and compact like the CA Bulldog.... Yeah.... that would be nice! Wouldn't mind it in SA either ... But if only DA ... I'd really think about that too!
Just pick yourself up a nice .45 Colt Ruger BH in your favorite barrel length. Your all set. Believe me ... it won't be your 'last' one either
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newfrontier45
Moderator
I don't agree with this either. You can still save a hell of a lot of money with commercial cast bullets. I don't spend more than $7-$8 per 50rds with commercial cast bullet loads, which I use almost exclusively. I find handloading saves a lot of money for the time spent doing it. Casting bullets, not so much when all factors are considered.
QuarterHorse
New member
Lead is no problem. I just put in an order from SnS for another 500 lot of 'em.
ChaseReynolds
New member
I enjoy shooting my .45 colt. It is my only wheel gun and the first large caliber gun I got. It was a gift from my uncle after a night drinking and playing cards with my dad and other uncles. It is a 1917 colt service revolver and I plan on keeping it in the family at least until I am gone. Hopefully my kids understand the sentimental value and history and keep it too.
I also have a Bisley like 45LC and it's second only to my Bisley 44 Special as a favorite. I have two loads that shoot very well, a 275 LFN at 1060 and a 255 at 1100. As Brian Pearce stated in the latest Handloader, using 285 RCBS loads at 1050, "these loads were used, with authority, on Black Bear". His son shot a large bear, in the chest, at 40 yards six times. Not one bullet was recovered and there were exit wounds "half the size of my fist". I hardly shoot my 44mag and 41mag any more.
.....Mike Irwin
Staff
I will say it AGAIN.
This is NOT going to become another thread about whether it's more or less correct to say Long Colt or Colt.
This is NOT going to become another thread about whether it's more or less correct to say Long Colt or Colt.
newfrontier45
Moderator
Between Pearce and Scovill, Handloader is probably the best source for loading data that is between SAAMI spec and "Ruger only" for mid-frame Rugers, Colt SAA's and USFA replicas.
I have a 7 1/2" barrel Italian SAA clone that has work well for many years.
If I were to look for another I'd get a Blackhawk or old model Vaquero.
.45 is a great caliber no mater what cartridge you use. There's a lot of case capacity in the .45 Colt that in modern guns can be a monster.
To be honest most of that capacity is wasted on me and a lot of other shooters. .45 S&W would probably work just as well for the many shooters.
I will say that every time I shoot that gun I get a stupid grin on my face from start to finish.
If I were to look for another I'd get a Blackhawk or old model Vaquero.
.45 is a great caliber no mater what cartridge you use. There's a lot of case capacity in the .45 Colt that in modern guns can be a monster.
To be honest most of that capacity is wasted on me and a lot of other shooters. .45 S&W would probably work just as well for the many shooters.
I will say that every time I shoot that gun I get a stupid grin on my face from start to finish.
Mike Irwin
Staff
So far I've deleted about half a dozen posts from this thread that served only to drag this thread into a topic I said would not be discussed.
Enough.
Infractions start next.
Enough.
Infractions start next.
5.5" 45 Colt Redhawk
I found the 335g about all I could take.
I had great results with one of the 350--360g choices, but I just could not take the thrust. Same as I went to the 395g and 405g; way too much.
There were also other issues.
The 350-360g bullet that worked so well might have been better served at an ever-so-lessened launch speed, but I was afraid it would lose down-range accuracy.
That's why I tested those super-heavies; I wanted big-bear penetration capability yet something still controllable for further shots.
This remains the reason I recommend the maximum usable 45 Colt weight of 335g: sufficient-to-superior accuracy; sufficient sectional density / momentum / velocity balance; field proven.
I found the 335g about all I could take.
I had great results with one of the 350--360g choices, but I just could not take the thrust. Same as I went to the 395g and 405g; way too much.
There were also other issues.
The 350-360g bullet that worked so well might have been better served at an ever-so-lessened launch speed, but I was afraid it would lose down-range accuracy.
That's why I tested those super-heavies; I wanted big-bear penetration capability yet something still controllable for further shots.
This remains the reason I recommend the maximum usable 45 Colt weight of 335g: sufficient-to-superior accuracy; sufficient sectional density / momentum / velocity balance; field proven.
In .45 Colt I bought a Taurus 6 shooter a few years ago, not very accurate.
I found a nice Rossi Puma with the octagonal barrel at a gun show for a decent price. That led to my exploration of the "outer limits" of .45 Colt reloads, and to the purchase of two Ruger Blackhawks, 4.5" anvil handle & 5" Bisley.
I also discovered the S&Ws. Started with a 6" "Classic" nickel, bought the 25-13 Mountain Gun and the 25-7.
Great cartridge for reloading. Lots of fun to shoot variety of loads from 200 gr to 340 gr.
I found a nice Rossi Puma with the octagonal barrel at a gun show for a decent price. That led to my exploration of the "outer limits" of .45 Colt reloads, and to the purchase of two Ruger Blackhawks, 4.5" anvil handle & 5" Bisley.
I also discovered the S&Ws. Started with a 6" "Classic" nickel, bought the 25-13 Mountain Gun and the 25-7.
Great cartridge for reloading. Lots of fun to shoot variety of loads from 200 gr to 340 gr.
.45 Colt
I have a Ruger BHK in this caliber. I shoot all the main revolver calibers and IMHO the .45 Colt is by far the most difficult caliber to reload accurate ammo for hands down. After try well over one dozen .45 Caliber bullet molds I found the best was the Lyman 255 Keith (452424). I struggled with the Lyman 250 RNF (454190) which is the old standby for this caliber---yes I used different powders, primers, sizer dies, even brands of brass...
Years ago, as luck would have it, Lee offered a closeout on a .45 Cal 235 grain WC DC bullet mold....I bought one. I tried it and never was very happy with it as it was not accurate...years later I tried it again... My mistake was that I was shooting it at too long a range... out to 100' or so it is very accurate. At 50 yards +, not so good.
I have a Ruger BHK in this caliber. I shoot all the main revolver calibers and IMHO the .45 Colt is by far the most difficult caliber to reload accurate ammo for hands down. After try well over one dozen .45 Caliber bullet molds I found the best was the Lyman 255 Keith (452424). I struggled with the Lyman 250 RNF (454190) which is the old standby for this caliber---yes I used different powders, primers, sizer dies, even brands of brass...
Years ago, as luck would have it, Lee offered a closeout on a .45 Cal 235 grain WC DC bullet mold....I bought one. I tried it and never was very happy with it as it was not accurate...years later I tried it again... My mistake was that I was shooting it at too long a range... out to 100' or so it is very accurate. At 50 yards +, not so good.