Shortened .45 to the range....

[Bob Wright]

Took my shortened New Frontier to the range this morning, my .45 Colt, originally a 7 1/2" tube, now 5 1/2". Ran about 100 rounds through it, and as would be expected had to resight the gun.



Firing at twenty yards my first groups printed high and I lowered the rear sight four clicks. But then I was using a big (6" dia.) stick-on, so switched to a smaller bullseye and had to raise two clicks to get centered.

Keith did a little slicking up of the action and the gun is much more "user friendly" as they say now.

Bob Wright

 

[walks with gun]

We'll I guess you really ruined it now, nobody's going to want a cut up colt, I'll send you a self addressed box for you to ship that thing to me and I'll dispose of it for you. ( very nice gun)

 

[Prof Young]

Help me out here . . .

Help me out here. Why would one shorten the barrel of a gun like this?

Live well, be safe
Prof Young

 

[walks with gun]

Unless your on horseback long barreled guns are just a pain.

 

[rclark]

1) Because it is his gun.
2) Shorted to a 'proper' length... by my eye.
3) The work done looks great!
4) Sounds like it shoots good too!

 

[Bob Wright]

Prof Young asked:Help me out here . . .
Help me out here. Why would one shorten the barrel of a gun like this?

I already have a good 7 1/2" .45 Colt New Frontier, and was looking for a 5 1/2". Expected to pay around $1400 for such a gun. Hard a hard time finding a 5 1/2" gun, was beat out on GunBroker with my maximum bid of $1450 two different times. This gun I was able to get for $950, which left my treasury with enough funds for the alteration.

Here prior to surgery it is second from left, two .45 Colts, and two .44 Specials:



And I just have to have those custom touches. The 5 1/2" .44, by the way, is unmodified.

Bob Wright

 

[Colt46]

Still not short enough

I think perfection in a single action is 4 3/4". Fortunately you still have room on your barrel for another cut

 

[Bob Wright]

Colt46 said:
I think perfection in a single action is 4 3/4". Fortunately you still have room on your barrel for another cut[/QUOTE

I do like the 4 3/4" length. However, to cut one down, as I did, is far more involved to go to 4 3/4" as the barrel has to be shortened from both ends in order to preserve the rollmarks. As it is, Keith located the front sight a little closer to the muzzle than Colt normally locates it. And I think the front sight needs to be as close to the muzzle anyway.

I'm not trying to pass this gun off as a factory original 5 1/2" barrel, but did want the rollmarks intact. I don't care two whoops and a holler for collectability, but I do want a gun that suits me.

Bob Wright

 

[Prof Young]

Okay!

Well, okay. I think I get it sort of. Thanks for the responses.
Live well, be safe
Prof Young

 

[Nick_C_S]

I'm not a big fan of barrel shortening. But this one looks fantastic. Well done.

 

[Archie]

One can spot who is who in this question.

A shooter wants a handgun of proper size and balance to achieve the goals he has in mind.

A collector wants an intact artifact as the manufacturer released it.

Frankly, a seven and one-half inch barrel on a Colt model P is great to shoot at longer ranges and a pain to carry.

 

[RickB]

I'd want a 5 1/2 too, as it would fit my holster.
Beauty!