Can you shoot 45 colt in a 45-70?

Didn't you or someone else ask this somewhere else? I know I have seen it on a board recently.

Oh well. The answer is NO WAY!!!!
I would not even think of doing this. Very few weapons are multy calliber. .357/.38 .44mag/.44spec and .454/.45L are the main ones. unless that specific weapon states it. DO not try it.
 
There is no chance of damage to the .45-70 firearm and the bullet has a lot of free bore before it hits the rifling. There are a couple of "derringers" chambered in .45-70 that are advertised to be able to fire the .45 Colt cartridge. The major problem is the rim diameter, the .45 Colt rim is much smaller than that of the .45-70.

------------------
Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
If it's a tight breach, I can't see any real problem from it if your rim will fit, but... WHY? As stated, there will be some bore diferential. (.451 as opposed to .458!)

I wouldn't try this with a ROMP-EM, STOMP-EM .45 Colt load,(case might split in the oversized, under-supported chamber) but with a medium-light standard lead .45 Colt load, while wearing glasses... sure, I'd do it if I had to.

Again, though-- why would you wanna? :)

Note: I ain't in the advice-giving bidness. This was talking about what my silly self might do. I am NOT advocating such activities.
 
Gentlemen,

Thanks for the replies. You're gonna laugh when you find out why I'm asking the question but here it is...

I love derringers. I have started collecting them and am trying to get together a nice litle display of both original styles (percussion and cartridge style)and modern examples. Anyway, I have one in 45-70 on the way just for the sake of saying I have one. I figure that one of these displayed in a glass shadow box all polished up with some 45-70 rounds would be, if nothing else, an example of the derringer concept taken to the EXTREME. I was just wondering if there would be any way to fire it just to test functioning without actually blowing my hand and arm off with a real 45-70 round.

And there you have it.

Chris Canis
 
I imagine your deringer was designed for the low-pressure factory loadings. It wouldn't "blow" your hand/wrist, but it might well be more recoil than you want.

You could take a .45-70 round, pull the bullet, and replace the powder-charge with maybe ten grains of 2400, and have no notable recoil...

FWIW, Art
 
Thanks Art! That may well be the answer. I normally do not have any trouble with recoil. I find full house .44 mag to be no problem the same as 50 AE or any of the other big bores. I might just see if I can handle one 45-70 round (the lightest loading I can find) and give it a try.

I'll either report back after the
forehead-ectomy (removal of hammer from my forehead) or it will be something I can handle :) ;)

Chris Canis
 
It should be entirely feasable to make up a chamber adapter to let tou fire it, all right. probably wouldn't feed in a lever-gun, though.
crankshaft
nralife, goa, jpfo, fcsa, smvfm
 
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