Defensive round bigger than .45?

[Marcus]

I`ve just been thinking (a dangerous thing!) since magazine capacity limits etc. have made big bores more popular lately I wonder if there`d be a niche for something bigger? We have the .50AE DE but that`s a big magnum power monster. I`m thinking of a reasonably sized gun of moderate weight chambering a round more like the Victorian manstoppers fired by Tranter,Bland etc. revolvers. How about a pistol the size of a USP.45 but .50cal.,270gr.jhps loaded to 950fps. in a case the same length as a 10mm. I figure 7 or 8 rounds should fit in a double column magazine. This is all just day dreaming of course. Just wondering if anyone else on TFL would be standing in line to buy one of these imaginary beasties like I would. :D Marcus

[Tamara]

I'd say probably 75% of the ".45 or no gun" crowd is wedded to the launch platform as much as the cartridge (ie the M1911A1). There's probably a market for something like that, though I don't know how large. I'd buy one, but my current in-house .45ACP gun is a *&* 625-4 wheelgun, and I prefer my .357SIG, .40 cal, or 10mm Glocks as carry pieces, so I'm hardly representative.

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"..but never ever Fear. Fear is for the enemy. Fear and Bullets."
10mm: It's not the size of the Dawg in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog!

[johnwill]

Personally, I think you need a 10ga pistol. :)

[Marcus]

A .50cal. 1911 ParaOrd style would be fine with me. :D I may have gone even a little overboard with the specs above 270gr. at 850fps would be plenty. Then maybe another lightweight load at 1000fps. for those who like some speed to their JHPs. If pressures were kept low enough and loads were kept reasonable it shouldn`t require massive slides or barrels. Any large double column frame should be able to handle the size of the cartriges. Again,just a thought. :D Marcus

[Glamdring]

I have thought about that myself. I was thinking more of a 50 cal with 250 to 260 grain gold dot @ ~900 fps.

[Daniel Watters]

In his reloading column in Front Sight, Guy Neill menioned that he had seen such a beast displayed at the SHOT Show.

When the 10+ mag ban seemed to be a done deal in 1994, I had suggested a .475 ACP and a .500 ACP for owners of the widebody frames. The .475 ACP would have been a .284 Winchester case cut back to ~.900", sort of a short .475 Widley Magnum. This could have been feasible in a modified single-stack 1911 frame. The 1911 had been previously adapted to the .455 Webley Auto cartridge, which has a .500" semi-rim. The .284 Winchester has a .500" body diameter. The magazine and magazine well on the .455 1911s were enlarged to fit the wider cartridge spec. (The slide and barrel were also altered to prevent misassembly with their standard .45 ACP counterparts.)

The .500 ACP would require a larger platform; the standard 1911 is just too thin for the extra width of the parent .50 AE case. However, you could come pretty close in frame/stock thickness if you made a single stack variant of a polymer/steel frame like the BUL M5, Wilson TCP, or the SV/STI modular frames.

[Mikul]

What about a pistol that fires a rifle cartridge?


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There are two kinds of men: those with guns, and those at their mercy.

[David Scott]

Check out the .45 Super, same bullet size but more fps, therefore more smack'em downrange.

[Lavan]

One can always take a nice round gear shift knob, leave it attached to the shaft, shove it down the .45 muzzle with some gum on the end (it's best if the bullet doesn't encounter it halfway up the barrel) and fire that at the bad guy. True, the followups will only be .45 but after softening him up with a 3" shift knob, the .45's to follow should be sufficient.

;)

[sks]

Try the .45 Colt 300 Gr. at 850 fps. Not that there are any semi autos utilizing this cartridge but it does pack a wallop. Maybe someone will begin to produce a .45 colt semi auto. Sort of nostalgia meets new age.

For those who consider the cartridge inferior, just ask the thousands of dead cowboys, rustlers, thieves, indians, etc.

[Marcus]

The idea behind this little fantasy is the bigger bore not the overall power. Much like the Victorian manstoppers of old that would stop,with one shot,a drug crazed tribesman when a cylinder full of .455 Webley would just get the pistoleer`s skull bashed in. Of course they were .577s but I figure with a little more velocity and JHPs .50 would do. Naturally some light loads for a .50AE converted Redhawk would probably be the easiest way to go,but hey,this *is* a fantasy. :D Marcus

[Steve Smith]

The good Colonel would be using it if it existed. "Why do you carry a .45?" Because they don't make a .46!"

[Pilate]

Only in America. You know, .45 + .45 = .90. Just make two shots... :p

[IZZY]

I agree with SKS .45 colt rules! Look at the "Marshall satistics" on the roun say the 255 grain standard load has @ a 78% kill rate with regular lead bullets ( versus @ 60% for acp.) Just got my Ruger Redhawk in .45 colt...yehaw!!

IZZY
Peace :cool: