45 ACP in revolvers ?

[heavyduty]

I'm a big fan of .45ACP in revolvers.

Years back (early 80s) I had a S&W with full moon clips, but that went away to pay bills. I was shooting a lot of bowling pin matches at the time; it was a great gun.

For years I always wanted to have a custom SA built in .45ACP with a short barrel and birdshead grip. I procrastinated long enough ( ) that Talo contracted Ruger to build exactly what I wanted; I grabbed one in stainless as soon as I found out about them. It's a great shooter, especially after I reamed the cylinder throats to a uniform size.

My other big .45ACP revolver dream has been a DA S&W that has a Model 547-style ejector star where you can simply drop the rounds in the chambers and have them headspace properly on the case mouth. Do it on a L frame as a five shot similar to the new .44 Mag Model 69 and I'd be all over it.

I like .45ACP for a bunch of reasons, not the least of which is the ability to use proven good loads for defense. My birdshead NV loaded with 230g Gold Dots makes a formidable resource.

[tek4260]

Jun 27, 2014 14:53:41 GMT -5 needsmostuff said:

Jun 23, 2014 16:25:40 GMT -5 boatswainsmate said:

I like shooting this ratty old thing!

Jovino?

I could swear I saw that exact revolver at the Jackson MS gun show. Even had the same rounded/bobbed hammer and a smooth polished target trigger, along with the compact grips.

[dale53]

Pap;
Congratulations on your choice of new revolver(s)!

My most used load in the .45 ACP revolvers is a target load using a home cast Mihec true copy of the H&G #68 (200 gr SWC) ahead of 4.0 grs of Bullseye or equivalent. This bullet can be driven (safely) at 1000 fps with 7.0-7.5 grs of Unique. The heavy bullet load I use is an NOE copy of the Lyman 454424 (250 gr Keith) (homecast) ahead of 7.0 grs of Unique. That gives 900+ fps. for a great field load.

Those loads work well in both .45 ACP or Auto Rim cases.

FWIW
Dale53

[tek4260]

Then there is this....

[mic214]

I had a Ruger Blackhawk convertible in .45 Colt/.45acp back a few years ago. It was a great field pistol. I never used the .45 colt cylinder at all as it was such a joy to shoot in .45acp. I ended up selling it to a buddy of mine to help finance the move out to New Mexico.

For my 50th birthday, my lovely bride got me a S&W m-625 with the 5" heavy target barrel. I swapped it out for a 4" Mountain Gun barrel that I picked up from Midway. It balances much better now with the shorter, lighter barrel:

[vonfatman]

I enjoy mine. Shoot them with clips and with .45 Auto Rim.

Bob

[buckelliott]

Never have been enamored of the ACP cartridge in single-action revolvers, and I don't own or shoot the double-action kind, so the combination sorta leaves me cold.. I keep a supply of ACP ammo on hand, just in case I ever get another 1911. My single-action revolvers are quite content with their diet of .45 Colt fodder..

On the performance side (depending on gun, &c..) just when ACP loads start to get interesting, they tend to encourage crimp jumping, due to the almost-mandatory taper crimp applied to such ammunition..

No thanks.. I'll stick to the big .45, and avoid fussing with gadgets that try to make the ACP workable..

[AxeHandle]

One man's lemon... Another man's lemonade! A coworker showed up with a M25 with a custom unfluted 45 ACP cylinder. Dang chambers were cut as tight as FA chambers. He traded it before we got to really see what it woould do but I'd bet that it was quite the shooter.

[shorty500]

gots to have my m25/625s, the governor makes a more practical NO TAX STAMP sawed off shotgun and couldn't imagine life without my rugers and FA with acp cylinders!!!!

[rkcohen]

an older 25 ("not so much" on the outside but sweet inside) a 625 jm and not long ago - a talo birdshead.

run the lee 452-200-SWC over 7gr of unique as a standard load for all - as well as the 1911s..

btw, the lee bullets are from two six cavity molds - gotta have 'em - the acp in a revolver really is a lot of fun!

[44spl]

I shoot more 45 ACP in revolvers than in my bottom feeders; hate chasing brass.

My only SA is this 45 Colt Ruger New Vaquero Montado. Don't have a 45 ACP/AR cylinder for it, so I have to use a full moon clip with the 45 Colt cylinder. Makes for speedier loading and unloading even though I have to pull the cyl.


These are my other favorite ACP/AR shooters:
1917 converted to target:


Pre model 26, 5 screw, 4 1/2":


Jim

[awp101]

Jul 12, 2014 9:42:40 GMT -5 44spl said:

Don't have a 45 ACP/AR cylinder for it, so I have to use a full moon clip with the 45 Colt cylinder.

Will AR brass work in the .45 Colt cylinder? I'm thinking about a convertible but if I could run AR brass in the Colt cylinder I might not go convertible. Then again I'm not sure I'm really accomplishing much beyond needing a 3rd type of .45 brass to keep on hand...

[sheriff]

awp101, AR brass won't work, too thick, headspace problem, not enough room between the recoil shield and the rear of the cylinder. Unless you have some metal removed from the rear of the cylinder or have an extra 'sloppy' fitting cylinder. ACP's work because they headspace on the case mouth.

[awp101]

Thanks sheriff!

I knew the idea had to be too good to work since no one else had mentioned it...

[bradshaw]

Jim.... I find your pre-26 5 screw an especially beautiful revolver. Whereas the untapered barrel of the M-29 is perfect for the3 .44 Magnum, the tapered barrel works sweet with the .38 Spl., .357 Mag., .44 Spl. and .45 ACP.

As well, it is a treat to view the other fine pictures in this thread.
David Bradshaw