Help? Confused about calibers...

B

BoneDigger

New member
I am thinking of picking up a SA revolver, cowboy style, like maybe a Ruger or even a Charles Daly (see other post). But, I have never shot a 45 LC and don't know anything about it. How does the recoil of a 45 Colt feel versus a .357? I have shot a 357 but never a long colt. Also, how expensive are the 45 LC to shoot versus a 357? Is ammo readily availible? Which ammo is more powerful and which is more accurate (ballistically)?

I appreciate any help you can give.

Todd in TX
 
I had shot .45 ACP and .38 Special, but never .45 Colt until I rented one (Beretta Stampede) at a local range. My wife was shooting next to me and when I first shot it she heard: BOOM!/WHOAA! The latter was my reaction.

The recoil isn't brutal, but it is something quite interesting. It's a rolling recoil. You feel that someone has given your hands a shove. And that was with Cowboy Action loads, which are not heavy loads. After a few cylinders, I got used to it and loved it. The second time I rented it, I did some one-handed shooting, which was really nice. It will push your arm up. If you expect it and don't fight it, it's not bad at all--and I'm not a big recoil fan.

I'm going to buy one. Just which one and which gun shop....

As for availability, well it's not as available as .357 or .45 ACP. I'm hoping to reload it.

Ya know, I don't have nearby any table to show relative power between the .45 Colt and .357 Magnum, but I know that there are a lot of Boot Hills with a lot of residents whose last moment in life was looking at a .45 Colt pointed at them.
 
Most .45 Colt loads are a push over to shoot. Think in terms of the .45acp so you should see that the .357 magnum quite a bit more powerful. The downside is the .45 Colt load can be expensive. The Cowboy loads may have brought the prices down some, but nowhere near the prices of the WWB loads found in Walmart. If you want to shoot inexpensively then the single actions are also chambered in .357 mag and .38 spl.
 
There are a lot of old fashioned revolvers chambered for the 45LC and, because of that, most of the commercial ammo chambered is pretty weak stuff. It has really low recoil and is, as others have suggested in this thread, pretty easy shooting stuff. A 357 will normally have more recoil.

Don't let that fool you about the 45LC though. Using an appropriate platform such as a Ruger (don't no sicem about Charles Daly) and the "right" load the round can approach (or beat) the performace of a 44 magum and is a particularly effective hunting round.

It has become really popular among the so-called "Cowboy Shooters" and the loads for that endeavor are pretty mild.

I have found it to doggone always be expensive with not many bargains to be had.
 
.45 LCs are nice, but go .357 and shoot mostly .38s (of any strength) for target and even H/SD (if you use the gun for that)..and save the .357 for trail/camp duty. Less expensive than the .45 and mostly as rewarding to shoot - Though I admit there is something about those big bore SAs that is kinda nice; I have a .44 Mag (old model) Vaquero and enjoy that with both .44 Sp and .44 Mag loads. Of the ones you're considering, for practicality, go with the .357.
 
I had the LC as my "big bore gun" and the recoil is different but easy to handle :).

It was just one of the guns that I just enjoyed shooting. Expensive but worth it to me.

I've found that all guns have their own "recoil" and if you just let it go (don't try to strongarm it) then your body will learn how to handle it.

The ones that I sometimes don't like are the "wrist snappers", the ones that snap the wrist on recoil like a 2.5in .40. Fun to shoot but only for a limited time.

Wayne
 
Mostly for fun...

It would be mostly for fun, although I might also use it for home defense in a bind. I could also see me taking it as a backup while deer or pig hunting, but rarely would it be used for that. Mostly I want to have fun at the range with it and maybe a little defense (car, home, etc.). I know that DA revolvers and autos are much more desirable than a SA revolver for defense, but there's just something about a SA that draws me to it. Maybe it's the nostalgia aspect. But, I definately don't want to go broke trying to buy ammo. Also, Tyler, TX isn't known for being the ammo capital of the world... might be hard to find 45 LC?

Todd in TX
 
The range I go to (suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota) keeps some .45 Colt on hand for the range. I haven't shopped upstairs at the shop for it, though I would assume they have some there. (I suppose I should look, eh?)

Another option is ordering by mail--Natchez Shooter's Supply and Midway USA are two I have used. Of course, I work at a government office and it always feels a bit odd to have a 40 pound box of ammo brought in, but the UPS guy knows me and is very cool about it.

I know that DA and semi-autos are considered better defensive options because of faster follow-up shots. <shrug> Frankly, I am far more accurate with the Beretta Stampede than I am with my own 6" barrel DA S&W. However, after shooting some rounds through the Stampede, .38 Special through the S&W is like shooting .22.
 
Where I live is hard to find .45LC most places I go to don't handle it and if they do is expensive to buy. If your set on a SA .45LC why not look at the Ruger Blackhawk Convertible you can by changing the cly. shoot .45 ACP and by switching to the extra Cly. shoot .45LC. Shoot the cheaper .45ACP and when you want change over.I like the one I got about a year ago and as far has heavy loads the Blackhawk will take them all .:p
 
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