Flexibility, 45 Colt vs. 44 mag

[roy reali]

As soon as I get my tax retrun I am going to purchase another Blackhawk. I can't decide between the 45 Colt and the 44 Magnum chambering. Which ever I decide on, I will reload for it.

Here is my question.

For a reloader, which round do you think would be more flexible?

[Stumper]

For a handloader either one does just about anything that need be done with a revolver. I suppose that in factory loads the .44 is a bit more versatile (but finding a variety of factory rounds in any locale isn't easy). I've loaded for both and really can't come up with a preference.

[Dragon55]

I can't speak to performance of the rounds but.....

for me the .44 mag would be much cheaper as there is a lot more free brass available at my range in .44.

[jmortimer]

The .45 Colt is better - bigger bullets at lower pressure for same "power." As for factory loads there are fewer but I can rattle off many from SASS cowboy loads at one end and Buffalo Bore at the other. The .45 Colt can do everything the .44 mag can do with bigger bullets at lower pressure. Plus the history of the .45 Colt is second to none. Did I mention bigger bullets at lower pressure for same "power." In modern firearms there is no reason to own a .44 mag.

[Maromero]

In modern firearms there is no reason to own a .44 mag.

Pardon my ignorance. Care to explain in detail?

[jsflagstad]

+1 on the 45LC

[Ken - Oh]

For a reloader, which round do you think would be more flexible?

They are both equally flexible although you may not have as many jacked bullet design options with the 45 Colt.

[B.L.E.]

They are both extremely flexible. Make sure you get adjustable sights, fixed sights are married to one or a small range of bullet weights.
The heavy bullets shoot higher because the gun recoils more while the bullet is still in the barrel.

I have even used .433 muzzleloading roundballs (122 grains) in the .44 magnum for plinking loads that are like shooting .38 special target loads.

[jmortimer]

Maromero - just my opinion. There is nothing the .44 mag can do that the
.45 Colt can do and it does it with bigger bullets at lower pressures for the same "power." If that is the case - .45 Colt (Call it an 11.5 mm if you want) in modern guns is a beast or you can down-load it for SASS if you are a "Cowboy." Why get a .44 mag? I see no reason. 20 years ago you could not get the wide variety of guns that are now avilable for the .45 Colt or the Buffalo Bore power level factory ammunition. Now we can so, again, why get a .44 mag? Especially if you reload. As for jacketed bullet designs if you can get a Nosler Partition, Speer, Barnes, Hornady..... etc. I don't see how it is an issue either. Also, the .45 Colt has two "Big Brother" Calibers and corresponding firearms .454 and .460 which can shoot .45 Colt just like the .38/.357 - I don't think the same goes for the .44 mag. Probably, within reason, bigger is better so why not use the bigger .452 caliber platform as opposed to smaller.

[mkl]

I've had both, and my vote goes for the 45 Colt. Shot loads are larger than possible in the 44 mag. Lead bullet choice is greater, since you can use all the styles and weights designed for the 45 ACP as well as those for the 45 Colt (both are .452 bores).

Handloading for the 45 Colt turns it into one of the most versatile handgun cartridges out there.

Versatile? Measure one of your hot melt glue sticks. Around 45 caliber? Glue stick bullets for indoor practice. There are threads here on their use.

[Sevens]

You can make arguments all day long for one or against the other. All of it is interesting, valid discussion.

But... to answer just the specific question posed by the OP:

For a reloader, which round do you think would be more flexible?

Hands down, it's the .45 Colt. It's bigger, more bang for the buck. .452 vs .429. You can get plenty of bullets for any use in either of them. Brass is a little more scarce for the .45 Colt, but if you buy a few hundred they'll last you a very long time.

In the end, you can do more with the larger round and you can do it with less pressure.

[Scorch]

This is like asking "which is better, chocolate ice cream or vanilla?". Both the 45 Colt and 44 S&W Magnum are very versatile, you can load from popgun rounds to stompers, both come with otherwrldly selection of bullet weights, profiles, designs, and applications. Either can be had in modern single-action or double-action revolvers. Sunday mornings must be pretty boring in some parts of the country.

[hammie]

I agree with scorch (he's always wise) and most everyone else. Since you are specifying a blackhawk, have you considered a blackhawk with dual cylinder in .45 colt and .45 ACP? That gives you another ammunition option in the same gun.

[TXGunNut]

Great question but not sure there's a best answer. As I understand Ruger's product lineup the .44 Mag is not normally found in a Blackhawk but is found in the Super Blackhawk. Super Blackhawk may stand up to heavy loads better and may have other features that appeal to you. Since you handload the ammo price/availabilty issue isn't a big factor. The Super Blackhawk is a bit more expensive but the cases for the .45 Colt could easily wipe out your savings.
I'm a big fan of the .45 Colt so it's tough to be objective here. Do you load for either caliber @ this time? Are you going to be using it for hunting situations where maximum loads are called for? Not sure many properly hit critters will ever know the difference but we live in an imperfect world.
If you make the right choice I'll PM you my pet hunting load for my .45 Colt

[frogsaw]

jmortimer - The .45 Colt is better - bigger bullets at lower pressure for same "power." As for factory loads there are fewer but I can rattle off many from SASS cowboy loads at one end and Buffalo Bore at the other. The .45 Colt can do everything the .44 mag can do with bigger bullets at lower pressure. Plus the history of the .45 Colt is second to none. Did I mention bigger bullets at lower pressure for same "power." In modern firearms there is no reason to own a .44 mag.

I don't even know where to begin on this comment. According to load data the 45LC barely breaks 1100fps, the 44 Mag is pushing with regularity 1200-1806 fps with similar projectile mass. The 45 Colt can not do everything the 44 Mag can do! Also, I am finding 325 Gr projectiles for 44 Mag and only 300 Gr for 45LC.

[Slamfire]

I don’t enjoy shooting the 44 Magnum anymore. Now it is work. Somewhere in the middle of a 50 round box of full power 44 Magnums, I have a bad flinch. I am pushing on the gun as the hammer falls. I can see it.

When I push a 45 LC 255 grain bullet to 850 fps, it takes a lot longer before the flinch develops.

The flinch always happens with 357's, 44's and 45's. It is just a matter of time and rounds. I can shoot hundreds of 38 Specials in my M10-5, no flinch.

As for flexibility, the 44 Mag can be downloaded to 45 LC levels and still shoot accurately, and of course it can be loaded to full power levels.

Thing is, 44 Magnum revolvers need to be heavy, to tame the full power recoil, so you are holding a big gun just to shoot plinking loads. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

I would hate to fire a full power magnum in a Blackhawk frame. I have the 44 Spl version. First picture. 1000 fps is just below uncomfortable with that pistol. I had a FIE Hombre in 44 Mag, a very light single action, it was horribly uncomfortable to shoot full power loads in the thing.

I had 45 LC Vaguero. Accurate, powerful, and OK to shoot standard 45 LC loads. You can push a 255 in a Ruger Blackhawk just at 1000 fps.

44 Special Ruger Blackhawk



44 Magnum Super Blackhawk

[frogsaw]

Part of that problem is that the grips for this style of pistol are not designed for the harshness of the 44Mag recoil.

[B.L.E.]

Part of that problem is that the grips for this style of pistol are not designed for the harshness of the 44Mag recoil.

I personally find the plow handle grip of classic single actions less punishing than the saw handle grips of modern double action revolvers. The grip slips back in my hand during strong recoil instead of banging against the web of my hand.

[jmortimer]

Why not do a search for "Ruger Only" reloading data and you will see that the .45 Colt in certain firearms is every bit as much gun as the .44 mag. You seem to know little about reloading for .45 Colt. Sorry, facts are hard things when you don't know what you are talking about. A little research and you will see that for a fact, the .45 Colt in certain firearms shoots bigger bullets at lower pressure at the same "power" of the smaller .44 mag. Sorry.

[frogsaw]

A little research and you will see that for a fact, the .45 Colt in certain firearms shoots bigger bullets at lower pressure at the same "power" of the smaller .44 mag. Sorry.

So, you mean to tell me that physics only apply in "Certain Firearms"? I'll see your "A little research" comment and raise you "A little education". You can't escape physics!

[jmortimer]

Different calibers have different pressure. That has something to do with velocity but it is not the bottom line. I agree, 300 grain projectiles have the same "energy" at the same velocity but that is not the same as the pressure at cartridge level. Here, think of this - the .30-06 and .308 are very close with 150 grain bullets. The "pressure" i.e. SAAMI spec for the .30-06 is 50 k and the .308 is 62 k psi. That is a big difference. Same deal with the .44 mag and .45 Colt "Ruger Only loads." They can both shoot a 300 grain bullet at the same velocity but the .45 Colt even at +P is significantly lower psi shooting the same 300 grain bullet just like the .30-06 and .308. I apologize for being rude. Little too much green tea or something.

[B.L.E.]

Thing is, 44 Magnum revolvers need to be heavy, to tame the full power recoil, so you are holding a big gun just to shoot plinking loads. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

And a .45 needs to be just as heavy to tame the recoil of "Ruger only" loads. With .44 magnum power comes .44 magnum recoil.

I very seldom load .44 mag to full power anymore. It's just not that much fun to shoot a revolver that challenges you to not flinch every time you pull the trigger.

[goodspeed(TPF)]

In certain firearms the 45 Colt can be loaded to FAR exceed the ballistics of the 44 Magnum. For a handloader the 45 makes much more sense. For the store bought ammo person exactly the opposite is true. Enjoy. -Goodspeed

[jmortimer]

As to the issue of "felt recoil" - I would think the initial momentum of the .44 mag would be greater or "snappier" (there is a technical term for this) as opposed to actual amount of recoil which should be similar. There is no getting around "heavy loads." I'll stick with a 255 to 270 grain hard cast .45 Colt bullet at 950 to 1,000 fps. Will shoot through most any critter on a broadside.

[SwampYankee]

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