Thoughts and Guidance on a .45 Colt Revolver

[lamarw]

I am enthralled with the reloading versatility of the 45 colt round and giving consideration to acquiring a revolver in this caliber. The intended purpose will be pleasure of ownership and plinking.

The only currently produced revolver in this caliber that strikes my fancy is the S&W Model 25. The market in this caliber seems dominated by revolvers resembling what I will loosely describe as "cowboy action looks". Please forgive me since I intend no disrespect toward these beautiful revolvers, but they do not appeal to me.

I would prefer a 4" barrel; although this seems to be a rather uncommon barrel length for this round. I am beginning to suspect there is a practical reason for its lack of availability in the market place.

Please share your experience and knowledge.

 

[TennJed]

You mentioned reloading. If you want to reload them really hot then stick with Ruger in DA (Freedom Arms and Magnum Research make good big frame single action). Fortunately the Ruger Redhawk is only currently produced in a 4" barrel. Unfortunately they are extremely difficult to find. I lucked up and found my Redhawk 45 after about 2 years of looking

I would also suggest a chambering in 454 or 460. They can shoot 45 colt and handle higher pressure loads. The 45 colt is my favorite round to reload BTW

Also I would guess the reason for the scarcity of it in DA is the 44 mag does pretty much the same thing (more actually in non Ruger guns)

 

[SaxonPig]

DA revolvers in 45 Colt leaves a limited selection. I think a Model 25-5 is your best bet. I like the 4" best since IMO a longer barrel is waste unless it's a Magnum caliber. I got this from an FFL dealer set up at a local show about a year back for $550. Has a couple blemishes on the the barrel but I thought it a good deal.

 

[lamarw]

That's the look I like SaxonPig. It may take some patients on my part.

I enjoy reloading but have never seen the need for hot reloads. There seems to be a lot of versatility in the 45C without getting into hot rounds.

Thanks for both of your comments and the one nice picture.

 

[CajunBass]

I've owned two Smith & Wesson 45's. One a 25-5, the other a 25-13, both with 4" barrels. Both were good shooting guns.

I never saw any reason to hot load them. About like Cowboy loads was as hot as I ever got with them. Just plain fun to shoot.

I'm sure other companies have made D/A 45's but I don't think I've ever seen one.

 

[ligonierbill]

lamarw, you certainly don't need to go to "Ruger only" loads to enjoy the good 'ole .45 Colt. In fact, many of us "Ruger" loaders mostly shoot standard loads. Look at the selection of cast bullets available. The LFN style has proven very effective (can't argue with Elmer), and even the expensive ones are cheaper than jacketed bullets. Or you can cast your own. You can recreate the "original" load easily (probably get a debate going on exactly what that was), which worked in 1873 and works just as well today.

 

[rclark]

Good luck in your search. Nothing like the o' .45 Colt. And as you say, lot of reloading options even up through Tier 2 loads.

 

[Colt46]

Ruger makes a 4.2" Redhawk

Ain't nothing wrong with single actions. The beauty of the .45 is those slugs are easy to spot downrange. I've got two single actions and love them both.
My dream gun is a .45 Smith Mtn Gun, but finances are a bit of an issue.

 

[mikejonestkd]

Its hard to go wrong with a Smith 25 or 625. I have three of them and they are outstanding.

My personal favorite is my 625 45 colt mountain gun.

 

[Brutus]

+1 on the 625 mountain gun, I feed it a steady diet of 255gr SWC's with 8gr. of Unique or universal clays. For woods carry a 265gr cast performance WFN with a gas check on top of 10.gr of Unique, I use these sparingly. Never felt the need to find any other loads. Gun just feels so right for the woods.

 

[Bart Noir]

My personal favorite is my 625 45 colt mountain gun.

Luckily I am no longer flexible enough to kick myself about selling mine. Divorce is hell, in many ways with finances being one of the worst.

That is what I hope to buy again but it isn't easy to find them at a time when I have the money in pocket. I am expecting to pay between 7 and 8 hundred for one. If prices are higher I'll never be able to afford it, I think.

I guess I could just plow the money into getting my RNWMP Colt New service fixed. It is only good for singe-action shooting at this time.

Bart Noir

 

[Mike Irwin]

I picked up an early 1980s vintage 25-5 4" some years ago. I paid nearly $900 for it by the time all was said and done, but I had been searching for that gun for over 10 years.

I could have had a ton in 6", but I wanted the 4".

I was very happy to write that check.

It is everything that a big bore Smith & Wesson should be.

 

[glenncal1]

This is a sweethart shooting gun. I have no need for hot loads for it, if I want to ramp up I have .41 and .44s. Everyone should own a model 25 (imho)

 

[DPris]

The N-Frame Smiths are quite nice in the caliber.
I carried my first one, a four-inch 25-5, in the early '80s on duty & would have still been carrying it when I retired in '99 if the department hadn't dropped revolvers entirely in favor of Glocks. Still have it.

Later acquired a four-inch 625 Mountain Gun & a six-inch 25-9 (fluted) which I consider the apex of the S&W .45 Colt revolvers.

They are well worth looking for.
Denis

 

[smee78]

My favorite is my S&W 625 Mountain Gun, I love this gun and it is my "never sell" gun. I had it cut for moon clips and now I shoot both 45 Colt and 45ACP.

 

[DPris]

There are a couple people currently suggesting to Ruger that they trim a Red down by a few ounces & create a .45 Colt Red Lite Special, so far not a lot of interest, but maybe...
Denis

 

[TennJed]

There are a couple people currently suggesting to Ruger that they trim a Red down by a few ounces & create a .45 Colt Red Lite Special, so far not a lot of interest, but maybe...
Denis

I would rather they actually produce enough of the current Redhawk 45 colt so you could actually find one

 

[DPris]

They're working on it.
Denis

 

[hammie]

I don't want to make any enemies here or denigrate the .45 colt double actions, but, while in his decision process, lamarw should be aware of the potential for less than positive extraction with he .45 colt. The rim on the .45 colt is small in proportion to its case diameter and more than once, I have had a case slip under the extraction star and fall back into the cylinder. Even under no stress, that is a difficult jam to clear. For that reason, I've left .45 colt double action revolvers and now, only run the colt cartridge in single actions.

Because of the potential extraction problem, I would consider as a big bore alternative, the .44 magnum in a double action revolver, or better yet, a S&W model 24 or 624, chambered for the .44 special. If you're totally fixed on the .45 caliber, then perhaps consider a S&W model 25/625 chambered for .45 ACP. You can't hot load the model 25 in .45 colt, anyway, and so why have all that wasted case capacity when you can pretty much duplicate the standard SAAMI .45 colt with a .45 ACP. Plus full moon clips provide about as positive and fast loading and un-loading in a revolver as you can get.

 

[DPris]

Been shooting DA .45 Colt Smiths since '82.
Never had a rim slip under the star on extraction.

If you tilt the muzzle straight up and punch the rod straight down with the other hand, you probably won't either.
Denis