What Dead Cartridge Would You Revive?

[Flamingo]

I would like to see the "Original Old School Short Action Magnum". I would like it with a heavier bullet (130+ grains). I know the belt gets hated on, but it is just a sweet looking round. I also know that looks shouldn't matter, but they do.

[BobM]

I would like to see the "Original Old School Short Action Magnum". I would like it with a heavier bullet (130+ grains). I know the belt gets hated on, but it is just a sweet looking round. I also know that looks shouldn't matter, but they do.

That reminds me, it’d be neat to have something like a Ruger Scout in 350 Remington if I lived or hunted where it would be useful. I enjoyed reading Col. Cooper writing about his, as well as the “Dragoon” in .376 Steyr.

[MandoWookie]

That reminds me, it’d be neat to have something like a Ruger Scout in 350 Remington if I lived or hunted where it would be useful. I enjoyed reading Col. Cooper writing about his, as well as the “Dragoon” in .376 Steyr.

If you are gonna bring back the .350, bring back the Remington 600 while you are at it.

Actually, as I think about it, I'm mostly wanting to bring back dead platforms, the caliber is ancillary.

[Lost River]

There was a time where I really wanted to buy a Ruger Blackhawk 45 and load it up to 44mag levels. I spent way too much time reading articles by John Taffin and others in that SA sixgun world.

I've owned (or own) DA large frame revolvers in 45acp/ar (625jm), 45 Colt (25-5), and 44mag (629 and Redhawk). The 45Colt is kind of an odd duck in that its typical factory loads are not really good for SD or hunting, just punching paper. Ammo companies all assume if you shoot 45Colt you are a CASer. If you have a 44mag, you have many choices in ammo and can still select 44spec for paper punching at roughly the same cost as 45Colt. I think to get any sort of utility out of the 45Colt you have to be a handloader.

Not to disparage the 45Colt in any way, but I've really come to appreciate the 45acp/ar's flexibility in a wheelgun as a handloading proposition. At the low-to-medium range, it'll do anything the 45Colt will do, but with less powder (similar to Lost River's work with 44Russion and 38Colt). The 45Colt will go hotter, upwards of 44mag levels, if your gun will tolerate it, but I don't shoot rounds like that anymore as my hands and elbows can't take it.

Chris

The .45 Colt really is a handloader's cartridge if you are going to utilize it to its potential. In regards to the comment of loading it upwards of .44 mag levels, though I am absolutely a huge fan of the .44, I will be the first to tell you that the .45, in a platform such as the large frame Blackhawk, will surpass the .44. You can throw some very large chunks of lead at some very impressive velocities.

Now the question is "do you really want or need to?" I still have most of a plastic cartridge box somewhere around here that contains (if I recall right 340 grain hard cast flat points that were pushing some stupid velocity. By the time I shot six, my trigger finger was bleeding from coming off the trigger and smacking the inside, front of the trigger guard. By the time I shot another 6, I was totally done with those elephant loads. I figured there was nothing (literally)on this continent that I could not kill with a 300-320 at 1200, so why beat myself up shooting maxed out .45 Colt loads.

At one time I had come very close to having a 5 shot .45 Colt built to shoot super heavy loads, but I decided that everything could easily be taken with a standard Blackhawk in .45 or .44 so anything more was just making things more difficult to control in terms of precise placement.

[Flamingo]

That reminds me, it’d be neat to have something like a Ruger Scout in 350 Remington if I lived or hunted where it would be useful. I enjoyed reading Col. Cooper writing about his, as well as the “Dragoon” in .376 Steyr.

I have some .350 Rem Mag Brass I will let go of if you do it.

[mtnbkr]

The .45 Colt really is a handloader's cartridge if you are going to utilize it to its potential. In regards to the comment of loading it upwards of .44 mag levels, though I am absolutely a huge fan of the .44, I will be the first to tell you that the .45, in a platform such as the large frame Blackhawk, will surpass the .44. You can throw some very large chunks of lead at some very impressive velocities.

Yup. I was a solid devotee to sixguns.com, sixgunner.com, and later singleactions.com. I read everything by John Linebaugh, John Taffin, Jim Taylor, Paco Kelly, and a whole bunch of others. I never got around to getting a 45Colt that could stand that sort of abuse, but I did have a couple 44mags pass through my hands, one of which I worked up to 300gr@1300fps before I decided that was quite enough.

Now the question is "do you really want or need to?" I still have most of a plastic cartridge box somewhere around here that contains (if I recall right 340 grain hard cast flat points that were pushing some stupid velocity. By the time I shot six, my trigger finger was bleeding from coming off the trigger and smacking the inside, front of the trigger guard. By the time I shot another 6, I was totally done with those elephant loads. I figured there was nothing (literally)on this continent that I could not kill with a 300-320 at 1200, so why beat myself up shooting maxed out .45 Colt loads.

Not anymore I don't. While not shooting-related, I simply can't tolerate heavy handgun recoil in my elbows. If I had a need, I could do so for a dozen or so shots, but not more. I also came to the realization that there's nothing on this end of the country that needs that kind of power and I seldom have a range where I could have fun with that kind of handgun horsepower. Then when my eyes started getting weaker in my early 40s, even shooting at distances beyond 25yds became a chore, so the need for that sort of thing was yet further diminished.

At one time I had come very close to having a 5 shot .45 Colt built to shoot super heavy loads, but I decided that everything could easily be taken with a standard Blackhawk in .45 or .44 so anything more was just making things more difficult to control in terms of precise placement.

Yup. I never got to the point of seriously considering a 5 shot 45, but I did kick myself pretty hard for a while for not taking advantage of the $350 sale on Magnum Research BFR 457Linebaugh single actions years ago (had to be more than 12 because I was at my old job).

Anymore, I'm just as happy shooting target loads in my revolvers and I'm getting reacquainted with my k32. I've finally "grown" past any need to beat my hands up with a handgun.

Chris

[CSW]

I'd love to find an "affordable" stainless Blackhawk in 45colt in the 4 3/4" version.
Had one, should have never let it go.

[Hambo]

That reminds me, it’d be neat to have something like a Ruger Scout in 350 Remington if I lived or hunted where it would be useful. I enjoyed reading Col. Cooper writing about his, as well as the “Dragoon” in .376 Steyr.

I had a 700 in .350 Rem Mag. Recoil was similar to .338WM, only it felt like it hit me harder than the .338 I had at the time. I think it was the stock design, but it didn't make me want to try it in anything lighter.

[Hambo]

For my dead cartridge, I'll go with 9.3x74R.

[mtnbkr]

Rather than a dead cartridge, let's reinvigorate a specific load in a currently "live" cartridge: the 38 wadcutter. Yeah, I know they're still available, but I can't tell you the last time I found some on a gun store shelf in this part of the country. I've either had to buy them online or roll my own.

Chris