Question about Uberti open top conversions

gokyo · June 22, 2009, 02:12 AM

I was looking at Open top conversions and foudn that in the 1860 army they make them in .38 spcl and 45 colt.

Does this mean you can use modern, buy off the shelf at Walmart sort of .38 spcl.

As for the 45 colt do you have to use BP or can you use modern powder in the 45 colt (for more then one shot, that is)

The reason I ask

I was looking at some ballistics on 45 colt and found that people load up a
200 grain bullet to go about 1000 fps. I am having a hard time believing that a open top is going to handle a load like this well.

While 38 spcl I know is about 120 grain at about 950 fps

I can believe a open top can handle 38 spcl but it seems impossible to think that it can handle 45 colt.

Deadguy · June 22, 2009, 09:52 AM

The Uberti open tops are made a lot beefier than the percussion guns. They will handle SAAMI spec .45 Colt loads (with lead bullets) just fine.

CapnTrainwreck · June 22, 2009, 10:26 AM

...but i was looking at getting one of these in .38sp and was wondering if FMJ ammo would work in these or is only lead roundnose and wadcutter?

CraigC · June 22, 2009, 11:25 AM

If it's factory-produced in .45Colt then it's safe for any SAAMI spec standard pressure factory load. It has to be. Personally, I like mine in .44Colt.

Gewehr98 · June 22, 2009, 01:16 PM

Hawg · June 22, 2009, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Or even if it's produced in .45 Long Colt...

There is no official .45 Long Colt. It's just .45 Colt. People originally started calling it Long Colt to avoid confusion with the .45 Schofield.

Gewehr98 · June 22, 2009, 02:12 PM

Quote:

There is no official .45 Long Colt. It's just .45 Colt. People originally started calling it Long Colt to avoid confusion with the .45 Schofield.

I thought it was to avoid confusion with the short .45 Colt (most definitely NOT the .45 Schofield round), as loaded by Winchester and Remington:

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/ta...short_colt.htm

CraigC · June 22, 2009, 02:52 PM

Maybe .45 "Long" Colt discussion should be kept to the appropriate thread, rather than polluting a completely unrelated thread???

...and I'm the one that catches hell.

Hawg · June 22, 2009, 03:49 PM

Quote:

I thought it was to avoid confusion with the short .45 Colt (most definitely NOT the .45 Schofield round), as loaded by Winchester and Remington:

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/ta...short_colt.htm
__________________

I've seen that article before and I've heard of the .45 Colt Government but I have no idea how widespread it's use was or indeed if it was a common cartridge at all which I kind of doubt. You may be right but the most common reasoning is that it was called long to distinguish it from the common .45 Schofield cartridge or .45 S&W if you prefer to call it that. Bottom line is it's commonly called the .45 Long Colt and has been for a very long time and while it's not an official name it's one that's not going away.

Don't worry Craig, I'll take the heat for this one.

olyinaz · June 22, 2009, 06:43 PM

>>>...but i was looking at getting one of these in .38sp and was wondering if FMJ ammo would work in these or is only lead roundnose and wadcutter?<<<

If it's produced and chamber marked in .38 Special then I'm sure they'll work just fine (to avoid huge liability issues they'd have to) but I have read reviews that found that hollow base bullets and hollow base wad cutters gave the best accuracy out of these guns.

Cheers,
Oly

Hawg · June 22, 2009, 07:08 PM

They should work fine in the factory guns but in the owner converted guns they won't. The .36 bore is .375 and the .38 spcl is .357 so you'll need hollow based bullets that expand to fill the bore. Pure lead may hump up enough to fill it but I wouldn't count on it.

olyinaz · June 23, 2009, 02:41 PM

>>>They should work fine in the factory guns but in the owner converted guns they won't. The .36 bore is .375 and the .38 spcl is .357 so you'll need hollow based bullets that expand to fill the bore. Pure lead may hump up enough to fill it but I wouldn't count on it.<<<

Which is a key reason why I'll never convert a .36 to smokeless. I wouldn't mind having one of these in a factory conversion though.

Cheers,
Oly

SamStafford · June 24, 2009, 04:01 AM

I do know that you should ONLY use lead bullets in any BP gun. Just my 2 cents.

June 22, 2009, 02:12 AM	#1
gokyo Member Join Date: September 25, 2008 Posts: 44	Question about Uberti open top conversions I was looking at Open top conversions and foudn that in the 1860 army they make them in .38 spcl and 45 colt. Does this mean you can use modern, buy off the shelf at Walmart sort of .38 spcl. As for the 45 colt do you have to use BP or can you use modern powder in the 45 colt (for more then one shot, that is) The reason I ask I was looking at some ballistics on 45 colt and found that people load up a 200 grain bullet to go about 1000 fps. I am having a hard time believing that a open top is going to handle a load like this well. While 38 spcl I know is about 120 grain at about 950 fps I can believe a open top can handle 38 spcl but it seems impossible to think that it can handle 45 colt.

June 22, 2009, 10:26 AM	#3
CapnTrainwreck Junior Member Join Date: June 9, 2009 Posts: 9	Not to hijack... ...but i was looking at getting one of these in .38sp and was wondering if FMJ ammo would work in these or is only lead roundnose and wadcutter?

June 22, 2009, 01:16 PM	#5
Gewehr98 Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2000 Location: Token Creek, WI Posts: 4,067	Or even if it's produced in .45 Long Colt... __________________ "Bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round... Neural Misfires

June 22, 2009, 09:52 AM	#2
Deadguy Member Join Date: April 17, 2008 Location: WI Posts: 93	The Uberti open tops are made a lot beefier than the percussion guns. They will handle SAAMI spec .45 Colt loads (with lead bullets) just fine.

June 22, 2009, 11:25 AM	#4
CraigC Junior member Join Date: November 28, 2001 Location: West Tennessee Posts: 4,300	If it's factory-produced in .45Colt then it's safe for any SAAMI spec standard pressure factory load. It has to be. Personally, I like mine in .44Colt.

June 22, 2009, 02:52 PM	#8
CraigC Junior member Join Date: November 28, 2001 Location: West Tennessee Posts: 4,300	Maybe .45 "Long" Colt discussion should be kept to the appropriate thread, rather than polluting a completely unrelated thread??? ...and I'm the one that catches hell.

June 22, 2009, 06:43 PM	#10
olyinaz Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 877	>>>...but i was looking at getting one of these in .38sp and was wondering if FMJ ammo would work in these or is only lead roundnose and wadcutter?<<< If it's produced and chamber marked in .38 Special then I'm sure they'll work just fine (to avoid huge liability issues they'd have to) but I have read reviews that found that hollow base bullets and hollow base wad cutters gave the best accuracy out of these guns. Cheers, Oly

June 22, 2009, 07:08 PM	#11
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	They should work fine in the factory guns but in the owner converted guns they won't. The .36 bore is .375 and the .38 spcl is .357 so you'll need hollow based bullets that expand to fill the bore. Pure lead may hump up enough to fill it but I wouldn't count on it.

June 23, 2009, 02:41 PM	#12
olyinaz Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 877	>>>They should work fine in the factory guns but in the owner converted guns they won't. The .36 bore is .375 and the .38 spcl is .357 so you'll need hollow based bullets that expand to fill the bore. Pure lead may hump up enough to fill it but I wouldn't count on it.<<< Which is a key reason why I'll never convert a .36 to smokeless. I wouldn't mind having one of these in a factory conversion though. Cheers, Oly

June 24, 2009, 04:01 AM	#13
SamStafford Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2009 Location: Portageville, MO. 63873 Posts: 162	I do know that you should ONLY use lead bullets in any BP gun. Just my 2 cents.