a compact & light weight 45 Colt double action???

[Magnum Wheel Man]

this came up on another thread, that there isn't anything made right now in double actions, but Judges / Governors, Redhawks ( rare ) Super Redhawks ( in 454 Casull ) ( & heavy ) this got me thinking, ( & I do love my single actions ) that maybe my next custom aught to be a modern "fight'n 45 Colt" double action... either a smaller frame stainless, or a alloy frame, something compact, light, & easy to carry

thoughts or suggestions for platforms ???

was thinking the difficult to shoot S&W light weight 44 Magnums, bore the chambers, & switch barrels... maybe something like my L frame 44 Special ( 5 shot ) converted to 45 Colt ??? maybe something like a GP-100 snubbie in with a 5 shot cylinder ???

... anyway I think it could be a highly desirable gun, once the project is completed... anyone done anything similar ??? thoughts or eye deers welcome

[twobit]

I sure wish an affordable one would be made by Smith or Ruger. I have a Cimarron single action 5 1/2" barreled one and I love that caliber. I handload for it. I'd love to have a 45 colt carry gun that was double action. I also have a Rossi rifle in that caliber. I cant afford a Smith model 25 or 625 nor a .454 Casull from Ruger. I also have .357's, .38's, 9mm, and 40's. Still 45 colt is my favorite caliber.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

hmmm.... see, that's why I post here... I hadn't given the thought of the 625... would only have to re-chamber & a little futzing on the cylinder... I think they even made a "Night Guard" version that would already have the snubbie barrel

[Jim Watson]

The closest I can think of is a Mountain Gun or a Mountain Revolver.
Two different names for two production runs of the same pattern, N frame .45s with tapered 4" barrels. Out of production but surely less expensive than all that work on a .44.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

looks like the gun I should use, would be the 326 Night Guard ( I can never keep up with S&W's model numbers )

still that has the bigger 6 shot cylinder... if I could find something smaller, that I could get a 5 shot cylinder for, that would make it all the easier to conceal

hmmm... probably get headspace issues using the short 45 acp cylinder ( machined for moon clips ) ??? so would likely still need a cylinder made ???

[Jim Watson]

Not likely to happen with a S&W, the 696 .44 Special 5 shot L frame is about as far as you can go.

Taurus has made some 5 shot .45 Colts, their geometry is a little different.
Looks like you would be on the second hand market, they are not shown in current Taurus ads. They have apparently put all their .45 tooling to work on Judge variants. Ugh.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I have an Air Lite 44 Special... but that one is nice enough in original format, that I think I'll leave that one alone...

I wonder if one of the custom builders could stuff a 5 shot cylinder into a GP-100 or 686 or ???

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Taurus did for a while had a light weight 5 shot .45 Colt, but then I'd have to buy a Taurus

I think a company like Charter Arms could easily make something like that. Just drill out the holes a wee bit bigger.

[budd]

My thoughts exactly. A 5 shot 45Colt revolver with 3 inch barrel on a medium light-weight frame with a good set of sights. The Taurus Tracker in 45 Colt with a 3 inch barrel would be a good idea.

V/R
J.Budd

[WC145]

Get a 325 Night Guard .45acp and find a 25 or 625 .45lc cylinder and have it fitted to the NG.

[Poindexter]

IIRC the S&W "625" specifies a .45 caliber mountain gun based on the N frame. Vast majority are .45ACP, but a precious few were chambered in 45 Colt. See all that extra space in the frame that the .45ACP cylinder doesn't quite look at home in?

I am pretty sure I saw a few on gunbroker when I was looking, but used ones in 45LC were fetching more than NIB Redhawks at the time ~2 years ago.

The Super Redhawk Alaskan cylinder interchanges with the base Redhawk. With one of each a man could make a 4" bbl Redhawk in .454 Casull, and a 2" bbl SuperRH Alaskan in .45 Colt. Trouble is the 2" super only weighs 2 ozs less than the 4" redhawk; 46 ounces is a heavy field gun, 44 ounces is a very heavy snubbie.

If I could find a DA swing out cylinder 45 Colt that weighs about the same as a New Vaquero, but I could use speed loaders with it and have it in a 2" barrel I would settle for tier 1, 14k psi top end, but I want in SS and I'll plan to load the 270SAA over Holy Black.

Neat idea. Lemme know if you find one.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

ya... I have an Alaskan in 454... heavy gun, big Cylinder... I can overlook the Cylinder diameter if the gun were lighter, & as it is, I can load 45 Colt in the 454...

even thought about ( albeit not seriously ) of ways to lighten the Alaskan... I.E. drill "lightening" holes in the under lug, possibly remove material from the grip frame area, etc... but at the cost of a NIB Alaskan ( as mine was purchased ...)... I'd have a hard time machining it full of holes

[UncleEd]

In terms of self defense and concealed carry, I wonder just what the advantages would be of a .45 Colt over a .357 or .38+P.

Before anyone jumps on me, I've been loading .45 Colt since 1983 and have had an assortment of N-frame Smiths (the Model 25-5 and the Mountain Gun).

I can tell you that something like the .45 Colt Silver Tip is a real rip=roarer and makes me think I'd rather handle an N-frame .357 or L-frame with short barrel.
Ditto when it comes to the .44 Special of which I've had a number of Model 24s in years past.

The five-shooters in any caliber or frame size just don't appeal to me.

Now a Pro Shop 8-shooter .357 snubbie could make me look twice. Maybe if I write Clint Eastwood, he could send me the one he used in "Blood Work."

[Poindexter]

I found one on GB tonight, a 625 chambered .45 Colt, not .45 ACP.

$1195 buy it now. It would use, I am pretty sure, the same speedloaders that work for my Redhawk. That would still be a heap of grip to conceal, but getting the barrel shortened shouldn't be too bad.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=347507973

[bamaranger]

+1 to the .45 Mtn Revolver. It is even a tad lighter than the .44 due to more metal moved for the larger bore and chambers. Maybe the ideal rendition of the "Mtn Gun" though the .44 seems more popular.

[DaleA]

In terms of self defense and concealed carry, I wonder just what the advantages would be of a .45 Colt over a .357 or .38+P.

Not a bad question at all.

Practically there are probably 'better' choices but with all the goofy guns being built (I won't name them but they know which ones they are) I too kind of wonder why a little more love isn't being thrown the way of the .45 Colt.

[Dave T]

That would still be a heap of grip to conceal, but getting the barrel shortened shouldn't be too bad.

Poindexter,

That gun has a round butt grip frame. The right stocks, like Craig Spegel's, will make it concealable.

After carrying concealed since 1973 (when I pinned on a badge) I can tell you, concealing that 4" barrel is easier than concealing the bulge from the N-frame cylinder. I've never understood why people think you have to have a 2" barrel to conceal a revolver. The cylinder and butt are what show, not the barrel. Even 4" barrels are concealable.

Dave

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I do find that I get jabbed in the ribs or belly less with a shorter pipe, especially with sitting & driving... but admit, with a high ride holster a 3" or 4" barrel is pretty easy to do...

[Sharpsdressed Man]

What's wrong with the S&W Governor?

[seeker_two]

About the only current-production gun to meet the OP's criteria would be the Taurus Public Defender in steel (28oz) or polymer (25oz). If you can find one of Taurus' discontinued .45Colt snubs, grab it. I've never heard a bad thing about it.

[twobit]

What's wrong with the S&W Governor?

It has that goofy long cylinder to hold .410 shells

[Poindexter]

Originally Posted by DaveT

After carrying concealed since 1973 (when I pinned on a badge) I can tell you, concealing that 4" barrel is easier than concealing the bulge from the N-frame cylinder. I've never understood why people think you have to have a 2" barrel to conceal a revolver. The cylinder and butt are what show, not the barrel. Even 4" barrels are concealable.

I agree and currently appendiceal IWB a 3.75" birdshead New Vaquero. As Wheelman has already pointed out the trick is to get it riding high enough.

I do fine with my cylinder right behind my belt with just the grip sticking above my wasit line, but it is one of those just barely if I wear the right clothes and don't have to bend over for anything. I can kneel just fine, drive a stick shift no problem, but bending over at the waist to say pick up a ten dollar bill without gouging myself in the thigh is a problem.

[Sharpsdressed Man]

^^Yeah, the cylinder is longer than needed, but otherwise, it almost meets the criteria: smallish, lightweight, fires the .45 Colt ( with a 410 option), and has been getting some good reviews. If you can hide and pack a 5 shot .45 Colt, you can probably do the same with the S&W or comparable Taurus Judge, if you prefer. Otherwise, you have to hunt down a Taurus Titanium 5-shot .45 Colt, and pay whatever the seller wants.

[HighValleyRanch]

I have no problem hiding my Ruger Alaskan appendix carry. The short barrel is comfortable, and the BIG cylinder disappears into my lean belt line.
A flat thin holster and the big gun rides securely.

I used the smaller GP100 grip on it.

I had a harder time carrying the 629 Smith four inch barrel

[twobit]

I hope S&W and Taurus company people read this because, YES I would buy one if it had a shorter cylinder that only took 45 colt. It shouldn't be too hard to change the frame / cylinder and use common parts from their Governor/Judge models.