Future of the 45 Colt

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LongRifle
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Future of the 45 Colt

Post by LongRifle » Sat Feb 11, 2017 5:59 pm

I am really getting the itch to add a 45 Colt Lever gun to my collection but I'm a little concerned about the future of the round. I know its popular in the Cowboy Action Shooting world and with some outdoorsmen an plinkers but if I bought such a rifle do you think there will be much for available brass in the future? Id love to own one but I don't want to get ten years down the road and never find brass for it again. Do you think this could be an issue or do you think the ol 45 Colt will stick around enough for us to find components in the future?
If so do you folks have places in the area that you know usually have a regular stock of 45 Colt brass or is most of it ordered online?

Thank you
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Moscow
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Re: Future of the 45 Colt

Post by Moscow » Sat Feb 11, 2017 9:56 pm

The 45 colt will be alive and well long after you and I.

Some of the best brass is from Starline, available at many sporting goods stores and online of course - at a good price as well.
Last edited by Moscow on Sat Feb 18, 2017 6:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Downeaster
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Re: Future of the 45 Colt

Post by Downeaster » Sat Feb 18, 2017 8:38 am

One of my favorite and arguably most versatile rounds. Moscow said it already, but no fear at all on that cartridge or the brass. Heres a fun read to get your mouth salivating for one: http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/d ... e_myth.htm
For grouse loads that barely make a crack to elk loads that act like a freight train, its great in either a rifle or a pistol.
As you can tell i love these dang things :D
Post pics when u get one. Btw, the 73 is a great gun, and i love mine dearly, but for general hunting and woods carry, i find myself grabbing the Marlin cowboy 94. It required a lot of tuning out of the box, but now its smooth as butter, breaks crisp and is lighter and smaller than the 73. Both are astoundingly accurate, but for all the money that sits in the 73, i cant bear to get too many scratches on it.
Best of luck

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Re: Future of the 45 Colt

Post by elkbuster » Sat Feb 18, 2017 9:07 am

Not going anywhere
POW MIA YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

Moscow
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Re: Future of the 45 Colt

Post by Moscow » Sat Feb 18, 2017 7:11 pm

Downeaster wrote:One of my favorite and arguably most versatile rounds. Moscow said it already, but no fear at all on that cartridge or the brass. Heres a fun read to get your mouth salivating for one: http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/d ... e_myth.htm
For grouse loads that barely make a crack to elk loads that act like a freight train, its great in either a rifle or a pistol.
As you can tell i love these dang things :D
Post pics when u get one. Btw, the 73 is a great gun, and i love mine dearly, but for general hunting and woods carry, i find myself grabbing the Marlin cowboy 94. It required a lot of tuning out of the box, but now its smooth as butter, breaks crisp and is lighter and smaller than the 73. Both are astoundingly accurate, but for all the money that sits in the 73, i cant bear to get too many scratches on it.
Best of luck
After reading the above referenced article, here is a bit of info for you folks that still may think the 44 magnum has more power potential than the 45 Colt. Even though the 45 Colt has a max pressure of 80% of the 44 mag max pressure, don't forget that the 45 Colt is a larger case.

A 44 magnum is really only a .428, and the 45 Colt is a .454, The case length is the same. The same pressure in a larger case means a longer power curve and that can mean the same or greater velocity for a significantly larger bullet.

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LongRifle
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Re: Future of the 45 Colt

Post by LongRifle » Mon Feb 20, 2017 3:22 pm

Downeaster wrote:One of my favorite and arguably most versatile rounds. Moscow said it already, but no fear at all on that cartridge or the brass. Heres a fun read to get your mouth salivating for one: http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/d ... e_myth.htm
For grouse loads that barely make a crack to elk loads that act like a freight train, its great in either a rifle or a pistol.
As you can tell i love these dang things :D
Post pics when u get one. Btw, the 73 is a great gun, and i love mine dearly, but for general hunting and woods carry, i find myself grabbing the Marlin cowboy 94. It required a lot of tuning out of the box, but now its smooth as butter, breaks crisp and is lighter and smaller than the 73. Both are astoundingly accurate, but for all the money that sits in the 73, i cant bear to get too many scratches on it.
Best of luck
My hope is to end up with a Marlin 94 Cowboy. I originally wanted a 73 real bad but it would probably spend most of its time on a mantle. I want the Marlin because it is a tough gun and I plan on dragging it around the brush and it getting beat up a little. Ill definitely post some pics when I get it.
"Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft."
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Re: Future of the 45 Colt

Post by LongRifle » Mon Feb 20, 2017 3:28 pm

That was also a great article Downeaster and yes it got me even more excited about the 45 Colt. Especially the part about it being a "Bigger Hammer"!
There is just something that makes you feel like an American when you thumb big ol 45 cases into the cylinder, which means I'll have to get a sixgun to go with the rifle ;)
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Re: Future of the 45 Colt

Post by Downeaster » Tue Feb 21, 2017 8:28 am

Image

Heck yeah! When u do start looking for a pistol, this is a good one to get (Bisley framed ruger blackhawk) Youll notice all the guys that shoot big boomers (that dont require a pack mule to get afield), use a bisley grip frame. Rolls incredibly well in the hand. Ive got a 329PD that is just an absolute brute to shoot with a lighter .44 mag load than i put through that .45 ruger. Granted the ruger weighs twice as much, but the recoil rolls the gun with the bisley grips, and slaps a stinger on ur hand with the straight grip of the smith. As you can tell i love that cartridge! Like u said, feels like your dropping some real medicine into those cylinders (prob why i like that .480 ruger as well). Good luck on your purchases!

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Re: Future of the 45 Colt

Post by 257ROBERT » Wed Feb 22, 2017 12:08 am

Nobody has mentioned that by industry standards 45 colt operates at an average of 14000 psi, and 44 mag operates at 36000 psi. The only brass that is made to the same pressures is starline so I would strongly caution against any very hot loads in 45 colt with other manufacturers brass. Same is true for 45-70.
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Re: Future of the 45 Colt

Post by Bob R » Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:20 am

All this praise for the 45 Colt............... bhaaaaaaaaaaa

It's old, obsolete, limited ammo, why some of them still shoot black powder with all of the issues that come with it.

Because I am a charitable ole guy I will generously take any 45 Colt firearms and ammo off of your hands for 30 cents on the dollar. Yes, a whopping 30 cents on the dollar, a right fair deal if I must say so. I will dispose of the offending caliber for you. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Really, 45 Colt is one of my favorite rounds and it will be arond when a lot of the other flash in the pan calibers are long gone to the pile of obsolescence. I shoot 255gr HCSW out of my S&W 25-5 at about 850fps. Smooth, manageable and penetrates likes nobodies business. Although I have not had the pleasure I would bet I could go end to end on a deer without an issue with that load. I know for a fact it will completely penetrate a deer side to side and the bullet just keeps on going. I would almost bet through and through on an elk if it didn't hit a major bone and even then it might punch through.

As a bonus, if you ever get into serious pins shooting you can't beat the 45 Colt for knockdown power on a bowling pin. It hits with what I like to call "authority".

Take it from me, buy all the 45 Colt guns and ammo you can, you could do a lot worse.

bob
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Re: Future of the 45 Colt

Post by 257ROBERT » Wed Feb 22, 2017 10:55 am

I agree with BobR and everything he said. I can no longer handle the sharp snap of 44 mag, but 45 Colt loaded reasonably is a joy to shoot. 44 Special handloaded to 1000 is also manageable for me. Starline still has the best brass for all and if you buy direct it is fairly priced and shipped for free. I have shot 45 Colt in my Ruger Bisley (like the one previously pictured) at that same 1000 ft velocity and 255 grain bullets as well and recoil is much nicer than 44 mag with wadcutters at the 1150 speed imo. The 45 Colt 44 Special, and 45/70 will be around and handloaded to upgrades over factory ammo long after anyone on this site is still on the planet. This can all be done safely, but do your due diligence and handload safely. 45 Colt is not a 44 mag, but it can be carefully handloaded to give you all the power you need. It is one of my favorites as well.
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Re: Future of the 45 Colt

Post by LongRifle » Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:56 pm

Thank you folks for all of your helpful information. I originally posted this because I didn't truly know how prominent the round still was. After all of this discussion you have made me a true 45 Colt convert. Thank you and I cant wait to purchase my levergun and start loading for it
"Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft."
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