old cartidge, new uses

[247survivalmindset]

I recently stared looking I to rimmed cartridges for several reasons. Between leverguns and wheelguns, there are a lot of uses for them. looking at the size of the 45 long colt, I was wondering why it is so much weaker than 44 magnum. They seem as though they should be similar. Is this because of the age of the cartridge? Do they keep it a calmer load to prevent breaking these older firearms in which its chambered? If so, why don't ammunition companies make a weaker load and a hotter load for new guns?

 

[other dave]

Glad to have you!
Welcome to from Howard County!

 

[chef larry]

Welcome from Hobart.

 

[Leo]

You are exactly correct that the .45 COLT revolver cartridge is loaded weak to be safe in 100 plus year old revolvers. Plus the old "balloon formed" brass was made by folding sheet brass so the brass at the head was no thicker than the neck, so the head would blow out if the pressure was raised.

As far as the caliber, there is nothing substandard. The Freedom Arms revolvers ae chambered in .454 casull, which is just really a .45 COLT with a longer case so you can't put them in an old weak revolver. The .454 Casull is above .44mag energy. People who own them load .45 COLT brass hotter also, because the big Freedom Arms revolvers are built for high intensity pressures.

I don't think ammo companies would want to open thenselves up to being sued if some ignorant person or someone who cannot read would blow their fingers off if they loaded the ammo in a handgun that could not handle higher pressures. There was a man in Indiana several years ago that blew up a .45 COLT revolver trying to shoot .44 MAG ammo in it. A company cannot underestimate the creativity of idiots.

 

[GregD]

 

[HotPocket]

 

[Kirk Freeman]

If so, why don't ammunition companies make a weaker load and a hotter load for new guns?

Because they have no desire to feed the lawyers.

 

[247survivalmindset]

Wow! Very informative, thank you. I guess that's similar to the relationship between 357 mag and 38 sp?

 

[sartwell]

Welcome from New Haven.

 

[Leo]

Wow! Very informative, thank you. I guess that's similar to the relationship between 357 mag and 38 sp?

Exactly, You can EASILY load a .357 mag powder charge in a .38 spl case, and it would be fine, in the right firearm. They made the Magnum case longer to keep someone from loading it in a old revolver and blowing their hand off.

 

[warthog]

Let's not forget the Rugers chambered in .45 colt, they can take a hot round too and cost a fair bit less than a Freedom Arms revolver too.

Welcome!

 

[247survivalmindset]

Those ruger revolvers can be very nice. The ones chambered in 45 colt, they take 454 casull?

 

[Classic]

Welcome to INGO from Indy NE.

I have loaded plenty of hot 45 Colt loads for Ruger sixguns and they are a blast to shoot. There were 3 of us at one time loading 200 gr and 240 gr jacketed bullet loads with lots of win 296. They will easily generate over half a ton of energy at the muzzle. The revolvers would take it with no obvious signs of wear and we used to make fun of the 44 mag guys for shooting those "smaller" caliber handguns.

The rub however, as was previously mentioned, is the brass just can't take the heavy crimps necessary and higher pressure loads. We had lots of attrition due to case mouths splitting after 2 or 3 loads. I shoot mostly hard cast lead out of the 45 Colt pistol and rifle now with conventional loads of Unique and Trail Boss and have a 44 mag for the hotter stuff. Brass lasts a lot longer now and I'm still having just as much fun.

 

[XtremeVel]

Those ruger revolvers can be very nice. The ones chambered in 45 colt, they take 454 casull?

Welcome to the site from Ft. Wayne !

No, you wouldn't want to shoot the longer cased AND higher pressured 454 Casull out of a Ruger chambered in .45 Colt... Now, I have heard of people shooting .45 Colt out of Rugers chambered in .454 Casull, but can't speak to the accuracy...

.45 Colt is a great round and is very versatile... You have a huge selection of bullet weights and if you have one of the modern, larger framed revolvers, you can shoot anything from the more traditional mild loads all the way to the Ruger only heavy loads... As someone else already said, you have to watch your brass if you run the heavier loads... I like buying Starline brass and after a few loadings of the heavier loads, I retire them to the lighter loads...

 

[Roadie]

The Introductions Forum is for Intros only, please do not post other Subjects there, and please do not reply to off topic posts there. Thank!
Thread moved

 

[warthog]

Starline cases can take the hotter loads without trouble and that's what I use for the hot rounds. The other cases are made for the older guns. like the loads. I use those types of cases for my Cowboy loads.

 

[Leadeye]

45lc is an excellent cartridge, I load it across the board for different guns, from old Colts to the SRH.