[jstanfield103]

Beautiful pair. Especially the rifle. I have the same one and Love it. Congratulations.

 

[94win30wcf]

45 colt is one of my favorite cals. I have an old Rossi 92 ( EMF HARTFORD) and a Ruger blackhawk 4 5/8 barrel .

 

[bdbrown66]

I know you have taken a few deer with that Henry! I don't think my loads are as hot as yours---18.5 grs of A2400 with the Hornady 250 gr XTP. That load is punishing in a Ruger Redhawk--probably coming out at ~1150/~1200 FPS MV. Its not bad in my Marlin and very accurate. I would NEVER shoot that loading in a Colt SAA/Ruger New Vaquero/Ruger New Blackhawk. I don't think any of those revolvers could handle the pressure and recoil.

Yes, sir. About 23.0gr Accurate #9 will get them out of that rifle at 1600 or so.

 

[bgavin]

OP, very nice!
I am SUCH a sucker for octagonal barrels..
Kudos on your fine scores.

 

[Ret_Eng]

Yes, sir. About 23.0gr Accurate #9 will get them out of that rifle at 1600 or so.

I figure my loads are around 1350-1450 FPS MV but need to chrony my rifle at the range.

 

[Shark Bait]

Very nice X 2!

 

[kingstrider]

Jay those are awesome finds, congratulations! I got 45 Colt-its last year and bought several more 45s after selling off some oddball guns, ammo and related components. As much as I love 357 magnum, 45 Colt is still my favorite.

 

[Ret_Eng]

Jay those are awesome finds, congratulations! I got 45 Colt-its last year and bought several more 45s after selling off some oddball guns, ammo and related components. As much as I love 357 magnum, 45 Colt is still my favorite.

Thanks John. I have more 38 SPL/357 Mag handguns than any other caliber. But I like to shoot my big bores more!

 

[ballistics04]

Congrats on the new guns Jay!

 

[northmn]

Beautiful rifle you have obtained there sir. My mouth is drooling over that pair.

Only problem I have with the 45 colt cartridge is in my Marlin 1894. The chambers seem to be liberally cut so that some of the burning gun powder will blow by the brass & spray your face.

I did sent mine back to Marlin (JM days) & they replaced the barrel. The chamber on the new barrel is somewhat tighter but it still allows the brass to over expand so I have to neck size the brass to keep it from being over worked during resizing. Then, because of that, the cartridge won't fit all the way into the seating die without heavily burnishing the wall of the brass.

I've read that other Marlin owners have had that same blow by problem with their 44 mag 1894's as well.

I shot a Rossi that did that also. Was told that that the loads were not hot enough to seal the chamber?? The ones in the Rossi were not loaded up heavy I know. My 357 is a straight case but I have not had that problem with 38 specials, although I don't believer any were light loads.
I have a Ruger pistol in 45 Colt and like it. I prefer it over the 357 mag in a pistol.

DEP

 

[Ret_Eng]

Congrats on the new guns Jay!

Thanks Todd!

 

[bgavin]

I understand 15k PSI is what is needed for a clean burn in many cases.
45 Colt is a 14k PSI cartridge design...
The SASS shooters run at much lower pressures, so blow-by is an issue.

 

[northmn]

Wonder if the small rim may not be a blowback issue also. Bet that was also another reason in BP days the 45 was not chambered in a rifle. Rifle cartridges were not really straight cased back then but had a slight taper to eliminate that issue. 45-70 is not a straight case. BP was lower pressure.
Used to have data in older loading manuals for rifle 45 Colt loads that were close to 44 mag performance. They quit doing that as they would damage the old Colt peacemakers. Also claimed that the weaker cases would split after a couple of reloads.

DEP

 

[bdbrown66]

Wonder if the small rim may not be a blowback issue also. Bet that was also another reason in BP days the 45 was not chambered in a rifle. Rifle cartridges were not really straight cased back then but had a slight taper to eliminate that issue. 45-70 is not a straight case. BP was lower pressure.
Used to have data in older loading manuals for rifle 45 Colt loads that were close to 44 mag performance. They quit doing that as they would damage the old Colt peacemakers. Also claimed that the weaker cases would split after a couple of reloads.

DEP

Nowadays, they refer to those heavy loads as "Ruger/Contender" or "30k psi" loads. And they work just fine in an appropriate platform, such as a Marlin or Henry rifle.

Also, there is nothing "weak" about current 45 Colt production brass. Starline, for example, uses the exact same case for both 45 Colt and 454 Casull, only the length is different. I have loaded mine many times to these heavy loads, and I have yet to split a case.

Brian

 

[northmn]

That was an older manual. I have seen where Starline advertises "rifle" cases for the 45C?

DEP

 

[bdbrown66]

That was an older manual. I have seen where Starline advertises "rifle" cases for the 45C?

DEP

I think you got some bad info there. Starline has 45 Colt brass, nothing special for rifle.

 

[Buffalo Jake]

Just picked up these two firearms recently--a 2007 Marlin Mod 1894 CB LTD in 45 Colt and a 1980 S&W Mod 25-5 in 45 Colt.
View attachment 843590 View attachment 843591
Shot the Smith about two weeks ago. Had to shoot it at the LGS 25 yard rifle targets since the pistol range was full. I was surprised to get a 5 inch group with some 255 gr hard cast loads I normally shoot in a Ruger Vaquero. I need to do some load development work with the Smith. I probably can shrink that grouping plus get it to group closer to POA before adjusting the rear sight.
Already found a load for the Marlin 1894 CB at the range yesterday--it likes the same rounds that I shoot in my 45 Colt Ruger Redhawk. Got the rifle to put 250 gr XTP/A2400 loads on top of each other at 50 yards plus pulverize orange clay bird bits at 100 yards. This rifle is going hunting with me this fall.

Beautiful Jay! You always seem to find the good ones.

 

[Ret_Eng]

Beautiful Jay! You always seem to find the good ones.

Jake--I have a couple of FFLs that treat me right--LOL!

 

[Ret_Eng]

Nowadays, they refer to those heavy loads as "Ruger/Contender" or "30k psi" loads. And they work just fine in an appropriate platform, such as a Marlin or Henry rifle.

Also, there is nothing "weak" about current 45 Colt production brass. Starline, for example, uses the exact same case for both 45 Colt and 454 Casull, only the length is different. I have loaded mine many times to these heavy loads, and I have yet to split a case.

Brian

You are correct! Used the Ruger/Contender info to develop my Ruger Redhawk loads that work so well in my 1894 CB.

 

[Buffalo Jake]

Jake--I have a couple of FFLs that treat me right--LOL!

I need to find a few FFLs like that!