[Rabon]

Hoser the 45 Colt has many advantages, especially in a shorter barrel but if you don't handload the 44 Mag is much easier to live with. BTW 1300 fps with a 335 Gr. Cast is perfectly safe in the Redhawk or Blackhawk chambered in 45 Colt, a 5 shot conversion on the Blackhawk will get you to 1500 fps with the same bullet. I've had several 44 Mags over the years, I presently have two 45 Colts and a 454 Casull and my favorite is a 4 5/8 Blackhawk simply because it is light, easy to carry and is very powerful revolver.
Have a nice evening, Rabon...

 

[Electric_Armadillo]

Funny that is why I started toting a pistol. Now it is for the challenge. I have a 375 JDJ, but that is not legal and too much for OH!

Nathan,
I believe that Ohio OK's all straight wall cartriges above .357 magnum that are above 1" empty case length.

 

[Electric_Armadillo]

Not to add more confusion or anything, but if you're a handloader, you can always get a ruger .454 Casul and download it to .45C levels, or load it to max.

A few here mentioned that the .45Colt case is the weak link. This is true. The .454 Casul case fixes that. You can safely load much higher pressures with this case, and I see no limitation why you couldn't download it to whatever you need.

Of course, .454 cases also cost more........

 

[Bompa]

I do not believe that the 45 colt brass that is available today is
so weak that one can not load them to any reasonable pressure..
Somewhere I recall reading that the big problem with heavy loads
was the oversize chambers on some revolvers.. A tight chamber
in a sturdy revolver should be up to any published load..
Hell even the mod.29 will loosen up and go out of time with a steady diet of full house loads..

 

[GlenS]

Nathan. You asked about a blue or SS Bisley, 5.5", unfluted cylinder. I have in my possession both a SS and a blur version. The SS version was a limited run, I think 5,000 were made. The blue one I made up from several different guns. Both are a dream to shoot. My regular load is a 250 grain cast bullet with 26.0 grains of WW296 powder. I figure I'm getting 1200-1300 fps out of this load. SHould be good for most game animals in the lower 48. Excluding the big bears of course.

 

[tulsamal]

I have one of the CH Ruger Bisley Vaquero's in .45 LC. It's a great gun. Ruger sells it with a high front sight so that you can file it down to zero once you have a pet load. Cor-Bon makes a load they list as a .45 Colt Magnum +P. It recoils just like a .44 Magnum, that's for sure. It uses their jacketed "Bonded Core" bullet. The box lists it as 265 grains at 1350 fps and 1073 foot pounds of energy. It does give you lots of penetration with that weight and tough bullet.

Gregg

 

[adk]

Mag-na-port will cut barrels and take the side lettering off. They will also do a Redhawk similar to the Bowen Alpine. They are at http://www.magnaport.com/

 

[Deaf Smith]

Sorry John but this is a load of hooey!

You can not safely load any 45 Colt to equal the 44 Mag. The Blackhawk might stand the pressure for a while but the weak link in this equation is the 45 Colt case. It was not designed to withstand magnum pressures.
If you want a magnum, buy one made for the business. Don't become a casualty trying to do something foolish. A gun only blows up
once!

------------------
John

The 45 colt case is well capable of handling pressures in the 45 colt magnum class and folks have been proving it for years! Dick Casull used 45 colt cases in the developement of the 454 and for years used nothing else! The reason some cases fail in not the strength of the brass but the extremely loose tolerances of some chambers. Especially colts. the ruger blackhawk in 45 colt caliber can give you the balistics of a 44 at 30% less pressure - and with a bigger bullet.
There are basicly 3 levels of loading for the 45 colt cartridge
1) Colts ans their clones: Factory equlivant or cowboy loads. some handloads with volicities up to 1000 fps with a 250 grain bullet
2) Ruger and T/C handguns: these guns started it for many of us. the gun will take a steady diet of loads pushing 300 grain bullets to volicities of 12-1300 fps You will give out befour the gun does.
These loads can be used in all factory chambered rugers and are usually listed in loading manual as such. Pressures are listed at about 25000 max
3) These are the big boys custom Hamilton Bowen, John Longabough, Dave Clemments and a few others 5 shooters. these guns have specially made cylinders sized to use the entire frame window and hold 5 rounds giving much more steel between the cylinders. The loads these guns will take rivil the 454 casull.

Anybody really serious about using and loading these powerful 45 loads can check out a few other sites. Sixgunner.com has a lot of info onn these guns and their powerfull loads. As do Lonogoubhs and Bowens websites (links to same on sixgunner.com). The world of the 45 colt is an exciting one. this round has been used to take every game animal in the world including cape buffalo and elephant. don't discount it.

By the way I currentown at leadt 4 vaqueros in 45 caliber in various barrel lengthe as well as a blackhawk convertable and a T/C barrel. I know where of I speak having used most of the loads I mentioned. As I have never made it to AK of Africia I never saw the need for a casull or a 5 shooter so have only limited experience with these. I have handled and shot them through. Just never owned one. Let me tell you a 400 grain bullet at magnum volicities is an awsome beast and a blast to shoot even if it is only at steel plates.

 

[Aronj]

With the loads you all are talking about why not get the Super Redhawk in .454. Then you can shoot the hotest 454 down to the mildest 45LC. Thats what I did and love it. On top of that, the 454 is more powerful than the .44mag.

 

[Sam in Miami]

John Foster,

The old black powder .45 Colt cases were refered to as 'balloon cases'. The construction of modern .45 Colt brass is totally different, and is as strong, if not more so, than modern .44 Brass.

I shoot both Ruger and Smith & Wesson revolvers with fairly heavy loads. I have never experienced a problem with the brass, or the guns.

 

[jpwright]

Interesting that this thread won't die. I guess many of us lust after a "cowboy gun".

That is why I would buy a .45 LC. Is it the best load for anything? No. Are there any .45 LC guns that have the carry-ability and firepower of my compact .45 ACP? Not that I've ever seen. You might argue handloads in a short-barrelled S&W 625, I guess.

But ... but ... the single-action .45 LC is history. Isn't that enough? The fact that Ruger makes very strong guns that allow you to pep up this old warhorse is a bonus. It's not even a necessary bonus for me. I'm thinking about buying a .45 LC. I'm looking at a Ruger convertible, both for the ability to load hotter ammo and for the ability to shoot my Kimber's .45 ACP ammo, too. But I'm also looking seriously at a SAA replica, just to have a .45 LC the way it used to be.

 

[Nathan]

I found one of the 5.5" SS Ruger's. It is great. I need to get out and shoot it more! I only have about 30 rnds through it so far. Looks pretty nice. The dealer thought it was a regular production gun, but just small lots. HA!

Here's the story:

Me: Do you you have blah blah gun?
Dealer: yea
M: Really?
D: Yep
So I drive, sure he fubarr'd this deal.

Sure enough it was there. The saliva was coming out both sides of my mouth!

M: Do you you have blah blah gun?
D: Yea, but it is taken.
M: May I see it?
D: Here
M: Can I buy it?
D: No, but we can order one. (NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
M: Can you call to confirm it is sold?

. . .

D: You can buy it!

Price didn't seem way out of line.