Are .45 ACP & .45 Colt bullets....

**Mike Irwin** · July 13, 2001, 10:50 PM

the same diameter?

I'm debating over the possible purchase of a .45 Colt revolver, newly manufactured.

Are they interchangble? Anyone here do it?

C.R.Sam · July 13, 2001, 11:44 PM

Nominal groove diameter for 45 LC varies. Pre WWII ones normally have a grove diameter of .454, while post-war models usually run .451. Most bullets for late guns run .452 for jacketed and .454 for cast. .452 cast seems to work well though.

Nominal groove diameter of .45 ACP is .450 - .453. Most .45ACP bullets run .451 for jacketed and .452 for cast.

For light loads in each should be no problem usin each others bullets...............BUT, as always, for warm to hot loads the bore should be slugged and bullets chosen accordingly. A lot of variations from the norm in the actual sizes of both of those guns.

At worst, usin .45 ACP bullets in the LC could be a little loose, other way around could get you pressure problems. LC case sizer may not make the mouth small enough to get good tension on .451 bullets. I have a fix for that but not in public.

Sam

Hal · July 14, 2001, 04:08 AM

Mike,
Sam about covered it all. I can only add that I've been using a .452 swaged lead RN 230 gr in both .45acp and .45 Colt for about a year. Accuracy in the .45acp is superb. In the .45 Colt, it's Ok. Better than all the factory loads with the exception of the 200 gr Blazer .45 LC. (That stuff is made of out some kinda Voodoo magic!)

**Mike Irwin** · July 14, 2001, 11:11 AM

Thanks, guys.

I've decided thought, that I just can't spend the money on another handgun right now, so it's a moot point.

I've got some serious bills for home repairs coming up.

C.R.Sam · July 14, 2001, 11:47 AM

Mike, get er while ye kin. Iffen the house falls down, move. If you get desperate, there is a trailor on my place you can have. Taint mine so no charge bud.

Sam....Good guns are forever, food just gets flushed later.

Southla1 · July 14, 2001, 04:51 PM

Hey Mike, Sam covered it just fine, and if someone beats you to the trailer I can pitch a cot in my reloading room! Back to 45's. I shoot both 45 ACP and Ruger 45 Colt. I cast, and size at .451 for both of them and it works just fine. Most of the barrels for my 45ACP slug at .450 and the Ruger goes a tad over .451.

Edward429451 · July 14, 2001, 04:54 PM

One question Sam,
Slug the barrel.. Slug the barrel..Slug the barrel..I've read about how to do it. Push an oversized pure lead slug down the barrel, breach end first.
How in the heck do I do that to my revolver? (Redhawk), and where do you get the proper sized lead slugs?
Can I use a cast .44 bullet as it drops from the mould, no sizing, to slug it with?

**Mike Irwin** · July 14, 2001, 05:05 PM

Thanks for all the offers, guys...

Sam, I don't think we want each other as neighbors.

Carlyle, there's a reason why J. Edgar Hoover used assignment to the Louisiana field offices as a way of exiling and punishing FBI agents who had displeased him.

Ed,

Possibly the easiest way to slug a revolver is to use a hollow-base wadcutter, load a squib round (no more than a grain or so of a fast burning powder, and shoot it into something that will catch the bullet without deforming it.

Mike Venturino, a writer for Buns & Whammo (and one of the few for whom I have professional respect), came up with that idea. I've done it, and it works GREAT.

You'll want to have a dowell rod and hammer on hand, though, as it's very easy to get a bullet stuck and have to drive it out. If that happens, just add a little bit more powder and try again.

Now, the only problem is, I don't know if anyone makes hollowbase wadcutters for .44 caliber anymore.

In that case, the next easiest thing to do would be to find someone with a muzzleloader, and finagle a couple of lead roundballs from them.

What every you do, DO NOT TRY THESE MINIMAL LOADS WITH JACKETED BULLETS!!

You run the serious risk of getting a jacketed bullet stuck in the bore, and it is extremely hard to get them out again.

Edward429451 · July 14, 2001, 05:20 PM

This is one of them things that sounds like it should of been obvious. DOH! Great Idea! Thanks.

Southla1 · July 14, 2001, 09:53 PM

"Carlyle, there's a reason why J. Edgar Hoover used assignment to the Louisiana field offices as a way of exiling and punishing FBI agents who had displeased him" ............. to me that would be like Brer' Rabbit................... "Please Mr. Hoover don't throw me in that briar patch!

**Mike Irwin** · July 15, 2001, 11:12 PM

"Brer Rabbit..."

Yeah, that's what some FBI agents said, too.

I think it had a lot more punative value before air conditioning became widespread.

July 13, 2001, 10:50 PM	#1
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	Are .45 ACP & .45 Colt bullets.... the same diameter? I'm debating over the possible purchase of a .45 Colt revolver, newly manufactured. Are they interchangble? Anyone here do it? __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

July 14, 2001, 11:11 AM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	Thanks, guys. I've decided thought, that I just can't spend the money on another handgun right now, so it's a moot point. I've got some serious bills for home repairs coming up. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

July 14, 2001, 04:54 PM	#7
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	Excellant Thread! One question Sam, Slug the barrel.. Slug the barrel..Slug the barrel..I've read about how to do it. Push an oversized pure lead slug down the barrel, breach end first. How in the heck do I do that to my revolver? (Redhawk), and where do you get the proper sized lead slugs? Can I use a cast .44 bullet as it drops from the mould, no sizing, to slug it with?

July 14, 2001, 05:05 PM	#8
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	Thanks for all the offers, guys... Sam, I don't think we want each other as neighbors. Carlyle, there's a reason why J. Edgar Hoover used assignment to the Louisiana field offices as a way of exiling and punishing FBI agents who had displeased him. Ed, Possibly the easiest way to slug a revolver is to use a hollow-base wadcutter, load a squib round (no more than a grain or so of a fast burning powder, and shoot it into something that will catch the bullet without deforming it. Mike Venturino, a writer for Buns & Whammo (and one of the few for whom I have professional respect), came up with that idea. I've done it, and it works GREAT. You'll want to have a dowell rod and hammer on hand, though, as it's very easy to get a bullet stuck and have to drive it out. If that happens, just add a little bit more powder and try again. Now, the only problem is, I don't know if anyone makes hollowbase wadcutters for .44 caliber anymore. In that case, the next easiest thing to do would be to find someone with a muzzleloader, and finagle a couple of lead roundballs from them. What every you do, DO NOT TRY THESE MINIMAL LOADS WITH JACKETED BULLETS!! You run the serious risk of getting a jacketed bullet stuck in the bore, and it is extremely hard to get them out again. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

July 15, 2001, 11:12 PM	#11
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	"Brer Rabbit..." Yeah, that's what some FBI agents said, too. I think it had a lot more punative value before air conditioning became widespread. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

July 13, 2001, 11:44 PM	#2
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Nominal groove diameter for 45 LC varies. Pre WWII ones normally have a grove diameter of .454, while post-war models usually run .451. Most bullets for late guns run .452 for jacketed and .454 for cast. .452 cast seems to work well though. Nominal groove diameter of .45 ACP is .450 - .453. Most .45ACP bullets run .451 for jacketed and .452 for cast. For light loads in each should be no problem usin each others bullets...............BUT, as always, for warm to hot loads the bore should be slugged and bullets chosen accordingly. A lot of variations from the norm in the actual sizes of both of those guns. At worst, usin .45 ACP bullets in the LC could be a little loose, other way around could get you pressure problems. LC case sizer may not make the mouth small enough to get good tension on .451 bullets. I have a fix for that but not in public. Sam

July 14, 2001, 04:08 AM	#3
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	Mike, Sam about covered it all. I can only add that I've been using a .452 swaged lead RN 230 gr in both .45acp and .45 Colt for about a year. Accuracy in the .45acp is superb. In the .45 Colt, it's Ok. Better than all the factory loads with the exception of the 200 gr Blazer .45 LC. (That stuff is made of out some kinda Voodoo magic!)

July 14, 2001, 11:47 AM	#5
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Mike, get er while ye kin. Iffen the house falls down, move. If you get desperate, there is a trailor on my place you can have. Taint mine so no charge bud. Sam....Good guns are forever, food just gets flushed later.

July 14, 2001, 04:51 PM	#6
Southla1 Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 19, 2000 Location: Jeanerette, La. Near the Posts: 1,999	Hey Mike, Sam covered it just fine, and if someone beats you to the trailer I can pitch a cot in my reloading room! Back to 45's. I shoot both 45 ACP and Ruger 45 Colt. I cast, and size at .451 for both of them and it works just fine. Most of the barrels for my 45ACP slug at .450 and the Ruger goes a tad over .451.

July 14, 2001, 05:20 PM	#9
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	This is one of them things that sounds like it should of been obvious. DOH! Great Idea! Thanks.

July 14, 2001, 09:53 PM	#10
Southla1 Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 19, 2000 Location: Jeanerette, La. Near the Posts: 1,999	"Carlyle, there's a reason why J. Edgar Hoover used assignment to the Louisiana field offices as a way of exiling and punishing FBI agents who had displeased him" ............. to me that would be like Brer' Rabbit................... "Please Mr. Hoover don't throw me in that briar patch!

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