Considering adding 45 Long Colt to my calibers...

[F2CMaDMaXX]

I don't particularly like adding more calibers, it becomes a pain the back side to 'manage' - however i'm getting to the point where i have enough 'stuff' that i won't be able to fire much of anything.

Based on that, being able to buy a box of range ammo every so often for the odd calibres will be plenty to have for my low use firearms - .44 mag, .303 British, .45 Colt etc.

Anyway, i've got a rough idea on the first two for range ammo prices, but not sure on the .45 colt, best place to get small amounts of range priced ammo? and how much is normally a good price?

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[dmack]

I'm sure others will be more help, but I want to say the last time I saw some blazer, it was $40-50.

I will say when I bought my .45lc around 28 years ago, it was the caliber that got me to begin reloading because of the ammo cost. Back then, a box of commercial reloads was $18/ box, while I could reload the same for $3.50.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

.45 Colt is a great cartridge.
Lots of power and little felt recoil , at least to me.
That said it is expensive $40-50 is about the norm.

Handloading is a good way to go with this round.
Andy

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Wow, that's a lot more than i was expecting, i'm guessing based on production levels? (low demand)

 

[Certaindeaf]

Yea, it's easy to break the bank with lots of calibers.
Reloading the way I and many people do it they are all about the same.. about $3/100 or whatever.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Probably ... a few years ago it was much cheaper.
Cowboy action shooters were using it by the ton , now its .357 magnum or .38 special for them.

Again that said its a great cartridge for self defense and hunting.
Well worth looking too...
Andy

 

[Wombat of Doom]

I got a great deal on 500 Fiocchi recently at around $20 a box.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Yea, the .45 Colt is a sweet cartridge.. some guns I really like are only available in it (I think).. like some short barrel Rugers.
That said, I've mainly stuck with the .44's just for logistics and stuff.

 

[Mister Bisley]

.45 Colt.....DOOOO IT!!

I love .45 Colt. It is a very capable round and can handle near max/very hot loads when using in big framed revolvers such as Ruger Blackhawks.

Just an example...

Quoted from a Handloader article by Ross Seyfried..."5 shot .45 Colts can function at the same pressure levels as .454 Casull. This is true magnum rifle pressure of 50,000-55,000 CUP. With this we can push 325 gr. bullets over 1,500 fps and 360 grainers over 1,400 fps. It is important to realize that performance, penetration and game-taking ability in revolvers is not a pure function of velocity."

Fellas are and have been taking dangerous game in Africa with this setup.

 

[mjbskwim]

Why? What do you get there?
44mag ammo is about the same cost,more powerful and more available. The guns cost the same and you can find a 44 mag revolver easier
You can load it almost the same as a 44mag but the brass is questionable doing this.
Then there is the 357. WAY less money and probably a better performing round. WAY more available and the guns cost the same or less.
Crap even cowboy action shooters went to 357 and don't use 45colt very much any more
A fine caliber for a collection but not something I would consider for a battery
YMMV

 

[mjbskwim]

.45 Colt.....DOOOO IT!!

I love .45 Colt. It is a very capable round and can handle near max/very hot loads when using in big framed revolvers such as Ruger Blackhawks.

Just an example...

Quoted from a Handloader article by Ross Seyfried..."5 shot .45 Colts can function at the same pressure levels as .454 Casull. This is true magnum rifle pressure of 50,000-55,000 CUP. With this we can push 325 gr. bullets over 1,500 fps and 360 grainers over 1,400 fps. It is important to realize that performance, penetration and game-taking ability in revolvers is not a pure function of velocity."

Fellas are and have been taking dangerous game in Africa with this setup.

Dangerous thing to post. 45colt brass is no where near as thick as 454casull brass. You are looking for trouble trying this out

 

[DirectDrive]

45 Colt and Long Colt
45 colt ammo handgun

I have experience with some of those sellers and may be able to comment/rate.

 

[Mister Bisley]

Dangerous thing to post. 45colt brass is no where near as thick as 454casull brass. You are looking for trouble trying this out

I didn't write the article, that was quoted from. It was written by Ross Seyfried, an absolute expert on the subject. And the article was published in Handloader magazine. I wasn't suggesting anything, just merely pointing out the max capabilities of the caliber in extreme parameters.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I didn't write the article, that was quoted from. It was written by Ross Seyfried, an absolute expert on the subject. And the article was published in Handloader magazine. I wasn't suggesting anything, just merely pointing out the max capabilities of the caliber in extreme parameters.

The way I read what you wrote was that the 5-shot revolvers are hell for stout. A lot of guys load .38's to .357 pressures.. to be shot out of .357 guns of course. anyway

 

[Velzey]

45 Colt brass cannot handle those high pressures. Sure the Ruger large frame revolvers can handle most everything we throw at them pressure wise, but the replica revolvers start to come apart
Sure if you write articles in fancy picture books and get your name in a magazine all the time, oh and get your firearms for free it's easy to ignore warning signs. I just don't wanna see Anyone get hurt loading up their replica pistol on the hot side.

 

[The Heretic]

.45 Colt is as cheap as ~40 cents per round. That is about the same cost as .44 magnum. Get one of these and you can shoot .45 Colt, .454 and .460 - with a few mods, you can also shoot .45 ACP in it:


.454 and .460 magnum are significantly more powerful than .44 magnum.

FWIW - with the weight, the grips and the comp, .460 magnum Hornady 200 gr. loads are much more manageable than less powerful 200 gr. .44 mag. loads from my 329 PD.

 

[Certaindeaf]

45 Colt brass cannot handle those high pressures. Sure the Ruger large frame revolvers can handle most everything we throw at them pressure wise, but the replica revolvers start to come apart
Sure if you write articles in fancy picture books and get your name in a magazine all the time, oh and get your firearms for free it's easy to ignore warning signs. I just don't wanna see Anyone get hurt loading up their replica pistol on the hot side.

I think the 5-shot revolver mentioned would be the Magnum Research BFR. I think it's the same frame for all calibers they offer and they offer it in .45 Colt. Don't know if it's imported or not nor the relative strength of the brass. I do know that one can safely load the .45 Colt to make more power than the .44 magnum out of some 6-shot Rugers.

 

[The Heretic]

From what I have read (lately anyway), it isn't so much the brass as the gun (including the cylinder) that limits the .45 Colt - the premise being that the main purpose of the brass is to seal the chamber, not provide strength against the pressure.

I would be happy to hear someone tell me why this isn't so as I had also heard many warnings in the past regarding loading the .45 Colt to .44 magnum and above pressures due to the "weak brass".

Either way, I would have no problem shooting hot .45 Colt loads in my 460V as I think it would handle them without problem.

 

[nfield4]

Black powder 45 colt rounds with 250 gr bullet are probably my favorite pistol round. Power, snap and smog!

Clean up is time consuming, and maybe why I don't shoot it all the time.

 

[The Heretic]

Many straight walled cartridges can be used with black powder.