45LC snubbie

C

crobrun

New member
I've heard about the taurus 45 LC snub revolvers, and I have a question. I've heard people mantion that .357 doesn't perform well in a snub nosed revolver, and I wonder if the 45LC has the same problem. So, is this a good idea for a defensive revolver, or just lots of fun? (If that's your idea of fun)

thanks all

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Rob
From the Committee to Use Proffesional Politicians as Lab Animals
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She doesn't have bad dreams because she's made of plastic...
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bad Kiki! No karaoke in the house!
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Larry Flynt is right. You guys stink!!!
 
I have one in .45 Colt. I haven't shot it through the chrony, but it shure puts a whackin' to my semi-solid targets. The .45 Colt load typically does the same work that an equal potential loaded .44 Mag can do in 1/2 the barrel length. Therefore, I wouldn't want to stand in front of it. For research, I will try to shoot the same load through both my Taurus Titanium and the Raging Bull (6.5" barrel)and see how much velocity I lose.

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Frontsight!
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Why is everybody all boud up about the AK-47? YEAH, I GOT ONE, WHAT'S IT TO YA?!
 
crobun,

Being that your defensive shooting will happen at close ranges, I doubt if the drop in FPS or any other performance will be of much importance. In all reality the guy getting shot is not going to notice the difference in 1020 FPS vs. 945.

My experience with the 45LC is that it does pack a wallop. Nothing scientific, just lots of broken things to show for my efforts.

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The best weapon for self defense is the one you have when the need arises!
 
crobrun; I think a snub 45LC is viable. Proload has a 230 gr. Gold Dot HP @900fps with 414 ftlbs. Cor-bon has a 200 gr. JHP @1100fps with 537 ftlbs. Personally, I like the concept. Check out taurus's home page I believe there was a writeup on it. Don't believe everything you hear about .357 maggie snubby's. I love 'em. I've got a Taurus mod 617 seven shot 357 mag snubby. The hot 125 gr. hp's leave a 4" barrel at about 1,450 fps. What would it be from a 21/4" barrel? 1,250? 1,275? That's still excellent performance. You can shoot low power .38's, medium power .38's, or high power .38's, low power .357's, medium power .357's, and high power .357's. Whatever your're comfortable with the .357 maggie has it. Sorry for rambling. I like the 45LC but the ammo is a little bit on the pricey side. Good Luck, J. Parker
 
Corbun,

I got one of those puppies and simply love it. The 45LC willput a big ochie on a BG up close and personal. I roll my own. I can tell you that a 300 grain FMJHP heading out at anout 850 to 950fps, with proper placement, will stop most normal people in their tracks.
Besides if you miss with the shot with all the flash, smoke and noise this fellow makes, you'll probably give the BG a heart attack! ;)



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You can find the price of freedom, buried in the ground.
 
J PARKER YOU SAID PROLOADMAKES THE 230 GOLDDOT, DO YOU KNOW IF THEY HAVE A SPECIAL CRIMP ON THE BULLET ? I HAVE THE 45 COLT IN THE TAURUS TITANIUM AND EVERY THIRD SHOT THE BULLET HAS JUMPED ITS CRIMP AND THE CYLINDER WANT ROTATE.I USE THE LEE FACTORY CRIMPER ON THE BULLETS BUT IT Won't STOP THE BULLET FROM BACKING OUT . I HAVE A 5.5" BARREL COLT AND THE TAURUS 2" BARREL, AND THE DIFFERENCE IN VEL. WITH FACTORY WIN. 225GR. SILVER TIP IS = 5.5" 756fps, 2" 702fps . IN MY HAND LOADS I WAS USING 9.8gr UNIQUE AND A 230 GOLD DOT @ 765fps IN THE TITANIUM . ANY SUGESTIONS ON CRIMP AND POWDER ...
 
Try a Lee "U" undersized sizing die; neck tension, not crimp, holds the bullet firmly.

You may never get enough tension in the Ti guns......

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"All my ammo is factory ammo"
 
Crobrun--
The big, 250 gr or thereabouts, .45 slug, starting at a nominal 855 fps from 6" bbl is still truckin' along at over 800 from a 4-inch. I've never tested it from shorter barrel. It just seems that the bigger, non-magnum loads lose less velocity from shorter barrels.

On the other hand, the smaller, higher-intensity loads, like 9 mm plus P and the various .357, especially in the 110 nd 125, lose quite a bit.

So, I believe the answer to your original question is that, no, the .45 Colt does not suffer from barrel shortening as badly as the .357 mag.

Great load, equivalent to the old 40 gr. black powder load: 250 LSWC with 8.0 Universal. Poofter load, equivalent to the old Scofield army load: The 230 LRN (.45ACP bullet) over 6.5 gr Unique.

J.Parker, you must have some POWERFUL .357 loads. What brand, or what handload are you using, when you say, "The hot 125 gr. hp's leave a 4" barrel at about 1,450 fps. What would it be from a 21/4" barrel? 1,250? 1,275? That's still excellent performance."

Did some testing last year testing two different .357 mag 125 loads against the .357 SiG from a Glock. From S&W,barely got 1275, and not quite that from the Colt, both 4" guns. Believe me, this is pretty good. You only get HIGH velocities from longer barrels. I have one handload I use with 160 gr. SWC bullets that goes beyond 1200 in a 4-inch, and this is JUST under the point where cases begin sticking in the chambers.

Yep, test sample is small--Two revolvers, one chronograph (Oehler 43) and less than i0 rounds of each load, Speer Gold Dot and Federal JHP.

You continue, "I like the 45LC but the ammo is a little bit on the pricey side." This is not my experience. The (high grade) mag revolver ctgs cost more around here than .45 Colt. Maybe we're just lucky with our dealers. If you're talking handloads, yes, it may cost a dollar more per 50 rounds.

I think the Taurus snub .45 Colt is VERY promising. It will probably be the best defense revolver since the days of the old British Bulldog .455s. I don't have one, but I'm about to talk myself into one. My only current .45 Colt revolver is a S&W Mountain Gun, and it is a joy for intended use. Now, a belly gun . . . .


Best regards to all--
RR

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---The Second Amendment ensures the rest of the Bill of Rights---
 
crobrun,

I may be all wet on this, but I think part of the reason behind the poor performance of magnum calibers in short barrels is due to the fact that the magnums use slower burning powders. It's my understanding that essentially the bullet leaves the barrel before the powder has completely burned and therefore the potential peak of the pressure curve is not achieved which results in reduced velocities. Factory ammo for 45LC is not made to reach magnum velocities (the manufacturers don't want to have to replace somebody's vintage Colt SAA)and as such it uses faster burning powder than the 357. All calibers will of course have reduced velocities out of shorter barrels, but the velocity lost from a faster burning powder will not be as great as the loss from a slower powder. I guess. :confused:

I started to get one of the Taurus 45LC snubbies myself (I just love the caliber) and I would feel perfectly safe carrying it as a defensive piece. That's a big, heavy bullet that will make a big hole even with reduced velocity.

Jack
 
Jack Straw, all of the defensive loads mentioned typically have a warning on them so that you don't use them in Colt SAAs.

BTW, I carry the Blazer 225 gr. 1100fps Gold Dot loads in mine.

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Frontsight!
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Why is everybody all boud up about the AK-47? YEAH, I GOT ONE, WHAT'S IT TO YA?!
 
I dunno, I just have a fondness for the .357 maggie. I've always had at least one or two. My next gun is going to be a 357 SIG. I've got a Glock-21 so I'd like to get something other than a Glock. Any suggestions? Interesting comparison between the .357 mag and the .357 sig in the Guns&Ammo 2000 Annual. The hottest magnum loads were the Pro Load 125-gr.JHP and the Winchester 125-gr.JHP.Out of a 2" Colt Magnum Carry the Pro Load did 1,250fps. The Winchester load did 1,267fps. Out of a 4" Ruger GP-100 the Pro Load did 1,473fps. August 2000 copy of Combat Handguns tested a Ruger SP101, ported, with a 21/4" barrel. A Cor-bon 125-gr. load did 1,309fps. All from a 21/4" ported barrel. After 65 years it's looks like the .357 maggie is going to lose it's crown to the 357 Sig. 357 magnum performance in a semi-auto. Sounds good to me. Best Regards, J. Parker
 
.357 mag may be outclassed by a few larger cartridges but the .357 Sig isnt there. When comparing 125 grain loads, seems that the .357 mags used are moderate to mild while the .357 Sig loads are usually on the hot side. When the .357 Sig can safely move a 180 or 200 gr bullet at supersonic speeds, then I will sit up, take notice and want one.

Sam....my favorite 9mm is the 9X32R
 
There was a right up on these 2" .45 Colt Tauris revos in Combat Handguns about three issues back. They chronographed several factory loads. You were lucky to get 700 fps. Most .45 Colt bullets do not have large flat points and at 700 fps they aren't going to expand. They also noted heavy bullets pulling their crimps, as mentioned by Doc H.

I don't think it is worth the trouble. A 2" .38 with the 158 +P lead SWC HP has a good chance of expanding as many times it leaves the barrel in excess of 800 fps. It does this in a much smaller package.

After reading the CH article it made most sense to me to get one of the compact (short butt) 1911s with about a 4" barrel if I felt the 2" .38 was not adequate. Much better performance than the snubbie .45 Colt.

Short .357s still easily produce enough velocity to expand their bullets, if you can put up with the blast.
 
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