45 Long Colt

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skizzums

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Hello, I have been reloading for a year now and just started casting in the last couple months. The hobby has me hungering for a large round that pushes a lot of lead. I am liking the 45LC because it looks like fun and a very flexible round, but I am not totally sold on it, my mind could be changed. My main concern is finding an affordable firearm for large loads, my limit would have to stay under the 700$ mark. I have been served well by Taurus three times now and have no reason t second guess their product(yet?), so I was looking at the Judge .410/45LC

Any other revolvers that fit the bill in the same price range? Are there any other large revolver calibers as versatile as the LC without breaking the bank on the firearm/reloading supplies?
 
.44 Magnum?

Almost as big in caliber, good variety of bullet weights, and you can load (and shoot) the full spectrum of .44 Magnum plus .44 Special.
 
.45 Colt is a great cartridge.
I have a S/A Ruger Blackhawk in .45LC.
I can load from mild to wild for that gun.
The .45 Long Colt, loaded to the max, can outperform a .44 Magnum.

Even loaded to rather sedate original black powder levels, it's still tossing a 255 grain lead bullet at roughly 1000 fps.

I have no idea how hot a load the Taurus can take.

Are there any other large revolver calibers as versatile as the LC without breaking the bank on the firearm/reloading supplies?
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Nice thing about reloading is that all it takes is a set of dies and you're all set to add another caliber to your collection.

I reload for both the .45 Colt and the .45 acp.
For screwing around at the range/plinking loads, I use a 230 grain round nose cast lead bullet, sized @ .452" for both calibers.
 
You'll be hard pressed to find a better and more customizable cartridge than the .45 Colt. Factory loads are light because old guns in this caliber are not necessarily as sturdy as today's stuff. That said, you can always load light for fun. You can also load up pretty far in terms of power. A hot .45 Colt in the right revolver is all you'll ever reliably need.

As far as the right revolver, why use the Judge? On one hand, the long chambers of the Judge will give you room to experiment with longer bullets. On the other, it is way more than you need for that and remember that the bullet has to travel up that long chamber and past an unusually wide forcing cone before it sees any rifling. I also don't know how much pressure those are designed to take, in case you do want to load it super hot. There is a reason some of those rounds are listed as "Ruger only".
 
agree I'm not a fan of the Judge ( for this purpose ) bullet jump & all, but they do make one in 454 Casull, that would handle whatever pressures you may want, & the longer bullets...

however I'd be more inclined to look for a Ruger Single Action... if price were more of an issue, in 44 Magnum ( they are more common, & thus usually cheaper & easier to find than one in 45 Colt )

if you are just looking at throwing big lead, ( not at maximum pressures ) any of the lesser priced 45 Colt cowboy guns should work fine for your purpose
 
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I would not recommend the judge. I won one in a raffle and while fun and pretty cool, I cannot get it to shoot .45LC well. The bore has some shallow rifling as to not make it a sbs. I would assume it would not shoot accurately long range due to this. A problem with my personal Judge is that it shoots way high left. It goups ok but at 7 yards I have to aim at the bottom right of the target to pretty much hit center mass. I am guessing this is due to the rifling. I havent heard of other people having this problem. If you are looking for a compact .410 then the judge is a viable option. If you are looking for a nice .45LC, look elsewhere.
 
If you're set on a double action that also shoots 410, and you can afford it, the S&W Governor is a better made gun than the Judge. Shooting 45 Colt it's more accurate than the Judge, patterns better when using shot/buckshot, and also shoots 45 ACP.

But for shooting 45 Colt I'd recommend a Ruger Blackhawk. It can be loaded to pretty high levels of performance. It's much stronger than any of the SAA clones or the Judge/Governor type guns... can handle much higher pressures.

You can't safely shoot "Ruger Only" loads from a SAA or 45/410 gun.
 
I have both 44mag and 45Colt, I actually prefer the 45 Colt over the 44mag.
However they are both great cartridges in good guns.

I also suggest a good single action revolver, if you want a double action revolver I would look at a Ruger Redhawk or a S&W N frame gun.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
Everyone needs at least one "four click" single action in 45colt.

Mine is a Cimarron Uberti Artillery model. Most fun gun to shoot that I own! The 'four click' actions have no transfer bar safeties, thus they need to be carried with only five rounds in the cylinder, but their design is true to the original 'Peacemaker'. They also are not made for the ruger only pressure ammo.
 
Ruger redhawk

That will open up your performance window quite a bit. To really get everything out of that voluminous case you need to go to a five shot custom single action. Those aren't cheap, but make the .44 magnum seem like a pipsqueak.
 
With that budget, I would recommend the .44 Magnum. If you like Taurus, that is more likely to fit the budget. I have a Judge but use it for shot shell. The chambers are .454 and the rifling is shallow, so it's not going to be very accurate with .45 Colt.

The .44 mag is ubiquitous and versatile, so I think you will do better finding ammo or reloading components than with .45 Colt. The .45 Colt documents will constantly refer to low level cowboy loads, and that's the predominant ammo you will find. Far more powerful ammo to buy is more than a dollar a shot.
 
Since you reload and are starting to cast, you'll be able to make your own dollar per cartridge loads for 10 to 15 cents or less depending on the price you pay for your lead. I load for three .44 specs. a 396 Mountain Lite that I cast a 200gr. bullet and load to (I believe) 750fps+, a flat top ruger blackhawk, and a S&W M-21-4 that I shoot a 260gr Keith and a heavy RN from 750fps up to 1150fps.

I have a Colt SAA and a Uberti clone that I cast various 250gr to 260gr SWs and round with flats up to not so comfy 1000fps. I shoot the RNFP in a 92 Winchester clone @ 1350 and still working up loads for that.

I know this is way too much info, but I just started using my Chrony Pal and can't seem to shut up.

Anyway, my advice is a Blackhawk .45 Colt, a Blackhawk flat top .44 spec. or if you couldn't stand it a Super blackhawk. I personally prefer the 4 5/8s" barrel length. I wouldn't have a Judge, fearing someone I know would find out and tell all my friends.......both of them.
 
Look into the RCBS 270 SAA

That mold drops a slug that weighs around 280 grains and, traveling around 900-950 fps, ought to do just about anything needed from a revolver.
 
There is an easy choice and within your price range... The Ruger Blackhawk (or the Bisley if you prefer that) in .45 Colt. Since you reload you have the full range of power you'll ever need. Even if you go to Africa. See Ross Seyfried article on th .45 Colt for example on that. Check out the Linebaugh .45 Colt Dissolving the Myth article as well. My .44Mags are really gathering dust as I find them completely unnecessary for my uses.

Here is article on the 45-270-SAA bullet as well by Brian Pearce:

Brian Pearce .45 Colt 45-270-SAA

Brian Pearce Lipsey's .45 Colt

As a side note Brian's son took a large Black Bear with the 'medium' frame flattop .45 Colt revolver using this bullet. Article was in a handloader article last year.

My General purpose load moves a 250g RNFP to around 900fps. My woods load is 255g SWC at 1100fps. Both safe in my medium frame Flattops and large frame BHs.
 
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I personally consider the 410/45 revolvers an abomination. Big, heavy, cumbersome and ugly. Ugh.

In a single action revolver many choices. Ruger, genuine Colt (high panache, even higher price and $700 won't do it), or one of the Italian clones.

I have one of those and it's fun.


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In double action revolvers the choices are more limited. I think you might find a S&W Model 25-5 for your price limit. I got the one below for $550 two years ago.


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Decide what action type you need and start looking. Peruse local shows and check Gunbroker listings. Sometimes there are good deals there.
 
Realistically under $700 in 45Colt you can choose from the Ruger Vaquero, Ruger Blackhawk and Italian clones.

You _might_ find a redhawk in 45 Colt at $700, but if its on an auction site is more likely to go for like 850-ish.

You might find a S&W 25 variant, more liekly to go for north of $1000.

It was model 25 prices that got me to buy a Redhawk in 45Colt a couple years ago.

I own a Vaquero and a Redhawk and looking to pick up a Blackhawk.

Do try some black powder loads if you get a dispenser that yu can clean thoroughly. Super fun, historic roots, blam whoosh just awesome.
 
You might try the Ruger Blackhawk 45 convertable. That gives you a 45 Colt cylinder and a 45 ACP cylinder. In 45 Colt, the Blackhawk can handle very hot loads. Another choice, the Ruger New Vaquero in 45 Colt, is not quite as big and strong, and it should not be used for the hottest 45 Colt loads.
 
FYI for those critics who don't really know much about them or never shot one, the .410 is loaded with magnum handgun powders and can do some damage with #4 or #000 buckshot. It's a close range gun, so can be effective with .45 Colt as well. It just wouldn't be the best choice here, nor would the New Vaquero, because the OP wants to explore the range of .45 Colt loads.

I still think the .44 Magnum is the better bet, considering the budget. I have $940 invested in my Redhawk .45 Colt 4+", second hand, and counting $75 for opening the throats for lead bullets and a new return spring. If determined to go with .45 Colt, then those suggesting the Super Blackhawk have the right idea. Personally, I have never found those extreme looking single actions appealing, but don't doubt they are fine to shoot.
 
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