A Colt for all Seasons

[Half Moon]

Shot it today and it keyholed 230 ball and some plated 225 FN. Powder was 6.5 grains of Longshot. It did shoot the 200 SWCs well and they did one hole at 7 yds. Working on load development and hopefully on the bullet diameter. They rattle a long way down the cylinder before meeting the forcing cone. I know I don't want to get shot with that thing. More work to be done.

I figure velocity with the 230 grainers is probably right on the ragged edge between stable and not. I'll get 1 to 2 keyholes a cylinder (without any particular pattern as to which chambers). I don't handhold, and don't know if this helps, but Wilson made hollow base 230 grain ball cartridges at one point. That particular load did not key hole. I'm thinking the hollow base allowed the bullets to bump up enough in the chambers and engage the shallow groove rifling just a hair better to keep it above the threshold for stability.

[Zeke38]

Halfmoon I appreciate your valuable input. Thanks for breaking Trail! I have a lead 215 gr SWC from Montana Bullet Works that shoots well in my LW Commander, Going to try that next with a reasonable dose of Power Pistol,

[Inkwell 41]

What a cool revolver. Well done.

[Catshooter]

It may have very large throats/bore. I'm far from a Colt roller expert, but lots' of Smiths of old had .457-8 bores and throats. I'd measure.

[serialsolver]

If I am remembering correctly, before wwii 45 colt barrels were 455 bores and 45 acp bores were 452. After wwii, both 45 colt and 45 acp were standardized at 452 bore size. The old 45 colt barrel may not stabilize 45 acp bullets.


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[JAH 3rd]

This thread gives me hope for the future of old revolvers. Nicely done Colt you got there!!

[McD]

Wow!! Just, wow!!

[DoubleD]

That Colt is right out of Chic Gaylord’s “Handgunners Guide:Including the Art of the Quick-Draw & Combat Shooting”. Mr. Gaylord knew his way around a six gun as did Paul B Weston his coauthor. Mr. Gaylord was a fine leather craftsman as well as a shooting aficionado & competitor. He crafted some of the first & most practical concealment holsters for a lot of the NYPD officers & detectives who were in the know. (I believe he came up with the first practical ankle holster). Paul Weston was a high ranking officer in N.Y. & later Calif. He wrote the book “Combat Shooting for Police” many, many years ago when the revolver was still king. A person reading it now might be astonished by the tactical changes more so then the equipment improvements.
I guarantee that you will smile when what could be your Colts brother jumps off the pages at you.

[Jim Watson]

Lots of work in this one but I am concerned about tumbling bullets.

Reamed the cylinder and bobbed a 45 Colt barrel to 2.2"

Chambered in 45ACP

What did he ream the cylinder from and to before chambering for .45 ACP?

So he used a .45 "Long Colt" barrel as stamped, right?

I think there is a dimensional mismatch in there somewhere and you may be stuck with selected bullets.


I had Chic Gaylord's book. He was a good holster maker with lots of contacts but he had some funny ideas, too.

[FNFAN]

Shot it today and it keyholed 230 ball and some plated 225 FN. Powder was 6.5 grains of Longshot. It did shoot the 200 SWCs well and they did one hole at 7 yds. Working on load development and hopefully on the bullet diameter. They rattle a long way down the cylinder before meeting the forcing cone. I know I don't want to get shot with that thing. More work to be done.

I'll be very interested in hearing what the best loads are for this gun. I will be in contact with the gunsmith who did the work tomorrow and hopefully he can work similar magic on my old beastie!