Which revolver for first .45 Long Colt?

Used to run 200gr SWC's...

In my .45 Long Colt EMF/Cimarron 4 3/4" SAA clone. The 200gr SWC's came from my supply of bullets intended for my 3 .45 ACP (Really Short Colt) 1911 autoshuckers. I got to Jonesing for another 1911, and traded the SAA clone for gunsmith labor on the new 1911. Kinda wish I hadn't gotten rid of the SAA clone, now, it was a lot of fun. :(
 
.45 LC v .45 Colt

I don't want to beat a dead horse, but there IS a reason to use correct terms to describe things. In fact a number of reasons to do so.

First, when we use inaccurate terms we perpetuate wrong information... after a while people believe the wrong is right and we get into discussions like this.

Second, somewhere along the line someone will wind up with some of the old stuff (ammo in this case) and have no idea what they have. The use of wrong nomenclature results in accurate information being lost.

Finally, historical accuracy is important for it's own sake.

My view FWIW....YMMV

Chuck
 
Question

I ordered a .45LC/.45ACP 5.5" convertable Friday it will be my first .45 colt.
Question for you guys why did the DIA of the .45 Colt bore change after WWII from .454 to .452 of today?
MP
 
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How about one of these?

A S&W .45 Colt Mountain Gun, can be used for hiking, light hunting, self defense and even concealed carry in the right holster. I would not use one for a steady diet of .45 Colt hotrod loads. However, I have fired some junior LAW rockets out of mine so I know how it would do in a pinch. When I hit the woods with it, it will be loaded with ammo appropriate for the biggest, most dangerous thing I can expect to find.

mgholstercocobolo.JPG
 
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I have several .45 Colt guns. The one I like the most is an old Smith 25-5. In the Ruger line, I favor the old three screw convertables I bought in 1972. One with the 4 5/8 barrel, the other with the 7 1/2 The bill of sale from Lionel Playworld states $97.50 each. I have a new Ruger Blackhawk, but it shoots no better than the old ones.

My choice for ammunition is about the same as others have mentioned. I like the 225 grain SilverTips, and the 200 grain Corbon loads. For more serious work, I use a 311 grain hard cast LSWC over a lot of WW231.
 
I have a Hawes, made by Sauer some time ago, that I am quite fond of.

And there has to be a reason old timers called it .45 Long Colt, but I'm not up for research right now.

I just know it's an excellent cartridge.
 
Mike Irwin,

Your memory is a little different than mine. I distinctly remember reading a Venturino story in Shooting Times about the Schofield cartridge being the the "Short Colt"; and I do remember him relating a story of being flamed by other "experts" who told him that there never was a "Short Colt". I remember it well because Venturino is one of the few gun rag writers that I respect. He is not a poser like Masaad Ayoob or Chuck Taylor, so I usually remember what he writes.

Having said all that, I don't believe any useful purpose is served by arguing about terminology. I think it is mostly a case of anal retentive people trying to prove that they are "experts."
 
Answering the question asked:

There's basically three "levels" of .45LC load.

Cowboy stuff is the mildest - 200 to 250 grain, seldom more than 800fps. Anything can eat these. They're at 15,000psi or less.

"Modern defense loads" usually involve JHPs, 200 - 225grain, hovering around 20,000psi and between 950 and 1100fps. The Winchester Silvertip and Cor-Bon JHP defense load are the most common, they're also available from ProLoad and a few others. The S&W 625 can eat these all day long, ditto the various Rugers, Anaconda, etc. Too much of 'em will slowly stretch an SAA or Italian SAA replica; the best Italians can take a fair diet of these.

"The monsters": anything labeled "45LC+P" is up over 30,000psi, sometimes pushing 35k. Buffalo Bore's 325grain hardcast at 1,300fps is typical, and labeled "Ruger ONLY", and they mean it. Just one of these in an Italian Scofield replica and you've got a grenade...the solid-frame Italian SAAs probably won't blow up, but they'll break. The 625 can maybe take a few of these in an extreme emergency, but I wouldn't recommend it. The Anaconda is tougher. All of the New Model Ruger SAs can take these, as can the Redhawk/SuperRedHawk. Cor-Bon also sells 45LC+P, and say that if the same gun is chambered in .44Mag their stuff is OK...they're not quite as wild as the hottest Buffalo Bore load.

The Ruger SuperRedHawk in .454Casull can shoot all of these, plus the even wilder .454s.

The Anaconda is probably the most refined of the DA 45LCs. The Rugers are tougher, esp. the SRH in 454. The S&W is OK as long as you avoid the Buffalo Bore stuff, stick with Cor-Bon for the small number of .45LC+Ps that you carry strictly for bear defense, using the 20,000psi stuff for most carry.

------------------

As to nomenclature: screw history. .45LC is what most manufacturers call it today. It's critical that newbies not pick up the wrong stuff, and not get confused at the gun store with the .45ACP - trust me, too many gun shop clerks will hand you a box of ACPs if you ask for ".45 Colt".

Historical quibbling is a BAD reason for steering inexperienced buyers wrong.
 
Mike Irwin wrote:
Get an older Smith Model 25.
Click to expand...

Just HOW old? Back in '77, I purchased a new Smith 25-5 in .45 Colt, and I had TERRIBLE accuracy problems with it. I could only go 3 for 6 at 1 gallon milk jugs set up at 15 feet. (I could 6x6 with my M-19 and 1911's all day.)

I heard (but never had it substantiated) that the factory had overbored the fronts of the chambers, allowing the bullet to upset slightly before hitting the forcing cone, thus causing the accuracy problems. Did you encounter this? What would be the solution if this IS the case?

I would not mind having another one if it's more accurate than the first one I had. A 6" would be way cool.....
 
.45 King,

Did you ever bench rest the gun to see what kind of groups you were getting?

Without doing that, there's no way of knowing if the gun was mechanically defective or if it simply didn't fit/suit you.

I really don't think the bullet upsetting before it hit the forcing cone would be much of a problem. At least not nearly as much of a problem as the chamber mouths being smaller than the diameter of the barrel. I believe that it was Ruger had that nasty little habit for years with some of its guns.


Reverend,

Ok, that's not what I remember, but when I get back from Pennsylvania I'm going to hit NRA and do some research in their libraries and see what I can finally figure out.

I think it's going to be very interesting to go back through the historic catalog files and see how the companies referred to the cartridges in their advertising, too.
 
riddleofsteel, that mountain gun looks just about perfect!
I've GOT to find one, used of course, after I recoup in finances for my Python.

justinr1
 
Mike, I never did "bench rest" the gun, althoug I did do some rested shooting with it using reloads and 3 different brands of factory ammo (Federal, Remington, and WW.) With all four loads, it gave shotgun patterns.

I also had a 6" M29 at the time, and it shot like the champ it was, so it wasn't a matter of the 25-5 not fitting/being suited to me.

Maybe I just got a lemon. I'd be willing to bet that if I could find another one, it would be as accurate as I'd want. Looks like a 25-5 is now in the #3 spot of my "must have handguns" list.
 
For a small twist, try a Ruger Bisley. If you can locate one in stainless with a 5.5 inch barrel you might have found perfection. I know I did.:D
 

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