45 LC Revolver Advice Needed

[Caduceus]

Honestly ... I use a SAA clone, 4.75inch barrrel. Per their website, they proof test the pistols to 150% of the original loading. I don't really crank up to try and disprove them, but ...

Using a 250gr lead round nose, I can get velocities around 900 fps with smokeless or Pyrodex. Yea, that's "only" around 450 ft-lbs of energy, but have you looked a a 45 ACP? It's nearly identical (and if I recall, the ACP was made to get 45 Colt performance into a semi-auto platform). I also have some Buffalo Bore and Grizzly that's pretty hot but approved for SAA.

My grand idea was to pare it with an 1894. Turns out that rifle length only gets 1-200 FPS faster with those rounds. You can load up the round to push 13-1500 FPS from the rifle, but that's probably going to blow the SAA, and I refuse to be the guinea pig on that one.

Anyway, good luck, but don't be afraid of "only" the SAA.

[sinister]

I carried a 4" Redhawk in .45 Colt in a chest holster as moose repellant.

The more often I thought about accidentally running into a grizz or big cat the better a 10mm Glock 20 looked, so I gave the revolver to my brother.

That gave me 15+1 in the auto (with two reloads), vice 6 immediately in the Ruger (with two reloads in speed-loaders).

[seb5]

Look for a S&W 25-7, 5 inch, matte finish, 45LC and hard to find. If all you're wanting is a 250 at 1000 you may find an older 625 or even a Mountain Gun in 45 ACP. I spent a lot of time hunting whitetail and pigs with revolvers years ago and around here a 250 grain bullet at 1000 FPS works for anything. Buffalo loads that recipe in 45 AR. which works great in the 625 45ACP.

[CRAMBONE]

I hate to ruin your fun, but I bought a Redhawk 4” in in .45Colt like 15 years ago. Cool gun despite the internet’s distaste for the trigger.

Not sure when I bugged them about it but I did it repeatedly. And not sure if they would make batches and stop but I know when I was researching a .45lc revolver it wasn’t listed on their site. I also bugged them about making it moon clip compatible.

[Jermedic]

I have carried my old model Ruger Blackhawk for years while out in the wilderness. Lately I have carried my SAA or clone as they are a little lighter and I have a good load dialed in for them. As mentioned, the original loading was no slouch and was designed to be effective against horses in the 1870s. Most of my loads are a 270gr flat nose HP over a full charge of black powder and it hit with good authority. My other load is 8.2 grains of Unique over the same bullet as it has a very similar point of aim in my revolvers. The modern SAA clones are a little more accurate than my old Colts as the chamber cylinders are a little more uniform and not oversized. The New Model Blackhawks have the benefit of adjustable sights and the ability to carry with all 6 cylinders loaded.

[Charlie Whiskey]

I seek the advice of those here who have fielded the 45 long Colt utilizing modern pressure ammunition. I am not seeking +P performance but at least greater pressure than the Colt SAA can handle. I have the following desires:

1. 4 or 5 inch barrel for hiking deployment from my Hills people chest bag.

2. Darker finish (no glint)

The rest is apples to oranges as I have looked at a SW 25 for the double action option and my general fondness of SW revolvers. I am also intrigued by a Ruger Blackhawk Bisley as long as the barrel length is less than 7.5. I will be reloading for this new revolver and it will complement my SW 6" in 41 magnum.

Thank you!

I field the Smith Mountain Gun in 45LC, and have as a woods gun since their introduction.
4", and rides well in my HPC recon chest rig.
Fodder, well I usually feed it handloaded Hard cast, from traditional Keith bullets, to 325 grain sledgehammers. I only use Beartooth bullets.
http://beartoothbullets.com/
http://beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/index.htm
Marshall Stanton's bullet design are spot on.

As far as velocities, when I reload, 'hot' for the Mountain Gun are never above 1000fps. Hard cast does not need a ton of speed, usually, 700-900fps gets the job done efficiently.

In 2009, I shot a buck that was facing me with a Beartooth Keith bullet, 265 grain. It was shot out of a Winchester Trapper with my handgun handloads. The bullet passed thru the entire deer, from sternum to hind quarter, and left a cavernous wound channel. The Keith was loaded to about 850fps iirc.
The beauty of hard cast is in fact the density and the wound channels they create.

The Mountain Gun, if you can find one, is a dull stainless, with a pencil bbl, and as far as I'm concerned, one of Smith's better handgun designs.

[Jermedic]

Charlie, I gotta say I’m jealous of you. A Mt Gun in 45 colt has been on my wish list for a while!

[Charlie Whiskey]

Charlie, I gotta say I’m jealous of you. A Mt Gun in 45 colt has been on my wish list for a while!

This is what the handloads do in the mountain gun, if I do my part....

reload results 002.jpg

[Krazykarl]

I finally found Linebaugh's comments on the 45 LC and the SW model 25:

Attachment 65732

[Krazykarl]

On page 10, Linebaugh uses loads producing 25,000 units of pressure. He states that this equates to 260 gr hard cast at 900 fps from his SW 4" MG. The option of a 310 gr bullet at over 1000 fps exists from his same gun.

To me, this sounds like plenty of power from a 4" revolver.