Originally published at: .45ACP Sixguns - Sixguns Firearm Fraternity
"The truth is that the
fat, stubby .45 ACP cartridge can reach its greatest potential in a handgun for
which it was never intended for– the old fashioned, much maligned revolver.
And this is much more true in the progressive year of 1973 than ever before
because we have strong, modern sixshooters that will take the heaviest .45 auto
loads, loads that would ruin any automatics, without the mildest
complaint." That was written by Skeeter Skelton more than 35 years ago in
an article entitled. "The Best .45 Autos Are Sixguns”; is it still true
today?
When that statement was
written about the only readily available .45 ACP semi-automatic was the Colt
1911 or Commander; I would hate to try to list from memory just how many .45
semi-automatics have come, and many of which have gone, since 1973. Today we
have at least a dozen manufacturers producing high quality 1911s, as well as
polymer framed .45s from such companies as Glock, Ruger, Smith & Wesson,
Springfield Armory, and Taurus. Are sixguns still really the best .45 autos?
Today’s crop of .45 ACP
semi-automatics are exceptionally dependable, definitely accurate, and
certainly make one of the best, if not the best, option for self-defense use
and concealed carry. However, Skeeter’s main point still holds, that is revolvers
chambered for the .45 ACP will take the heaviest possible loads , and not only
is this still true, they are also much more versatile than .45 semi-automatics.
For self-defense use a good quality .45 semi-automatic is certainly to be
desired much more so than a single action sixgun, even by this confirmed single
action sixgunner, however when it comes to a double action revolver the choice
is not so simple. The semi-automatic definitely conceals easier, however a
seasoned hand with a .45 ACP sixgun and using full moon clips can put out an
awful lot of lead very quickly.
When it comes
to target shooting, examples can be found of all three .45 ACPs,
semi-automatic, single action sixgun, and double action revolver which can
outshoot the best of shooters; and if you think the single action sixgun should
be left out of such select company then you have probably never shot a Freedom
Arms Model 97 chambered in .45 Colt but fitted with a .45 ACP cylinder. I would
place it up against the finest target .45 ACP semi-automatic ever made and
expect at least a tie but more likely in this case the sixgun would win.
When Skeeter made his
statement the only .45 ACP generally available as a new sixgun was the Smith
& Wesson Model 25-2, the Model 1955. A few years earlier Ruger had
introduced their first .45, the .45 Colt Blackhawk. At the time I was going to
graduate school in Montana, totally bored with being away from home and family,
walked into the local gun shop and was stunned to see a brand new Ruger
Blackhawk chambered in .45 Colt. Not being a resident of the state I had to
make the necessary arrangements for it to be transferred to me legally and then
anxiously wait for the days to pass when I could head back home.
What a great sixgun that
.45 Ruger was, and is. When I bought it I was so excited I did not notice the
little red bag in the factory box. When I did get home I discovered an
auxiliary .45 ACP cylinder in the box, and I distinctly remember my first thought
was what in the world am I going to do with this? At the time, in the early 1970s,
my wife, the kids, and I often drove up into the foothills to shoot. In a weak
moment I pulled out a box of military .45 ACP hardball ammunition, slipped the
.45 ACP cylinder into the Blackhawk, and shooting offhand watched a one-hole
group form at 25 yards. My attitude about .45 ACP sixguns changed immediately
and dramatically; shortly thereafter I was able to agree completely with
Skeeter’s assessment of .45 ACP revolvers.
The concept of the .45 ACP
revolver goes all the way back to World War I when Smith & Wesson and Colt
adapted the .45 ACP cartridge to their big double action revolvers. There was
no way to extract the cartridges except by punching them out from the front as
there was no rim on the case for the star of the extractor to push on for
ejection. An engineer at Smith & Wesson came up with the idea of the
half-moon clip which held three cartridges and two of these loaded clips could
be placed in the .45 ACP cylinder, fired and then easily ejected all at once.
With today’s .45 ACP
sixguns we have several choices. Single actions do not accept clips but are
rather loaded in the traditional way and extracted with the ejector rod. With
double action revolvers we can go with no clips, at least with some revolvers,
one-third, half-, or full- moon clips. For using clips two accessory items are
just about indispensable, a mooner for easily loading cartridges into clips and
a de-mooner for removing fired brass from the clips such as those pictured.
They save a lot of wear and tear on fingers.
Today, in addition to .45
Colt single action sixguns with extra cylinders available from Colt, Freedom
Arms, Ruger, and USFA, Smith & Wesson offers a varied line of Model 625 stainless
steel heavy underlug barreled .45 ACP revolvers as well as the 4” fixed-sighted
and blued Model 22. With full moon clips and using bullets with no sharp edges
such as 230 grain round-nosed or flat-nosed bullets, whether jacketed or cast,
reloading the cylinder is exceptionally fast especially with practice. We can’t
all be Jerry Miculek but we can learn to reload very quickly.
I haven’t
said much about actual reloading of .45 ACP cartridges for sixguns. For
revolvers use cartridges can be loaded the same as if they were going to be
used in semi-automatics, or if clips are used they can be crimped the same as
any other sixgun cartridge. I do load .45 ACPs destined for sixgun use only
heavier than for semi-automatics; some of these loads are found in the
accompanying chart and MUST NOT BE USED in .45 ACP semi-automatics as they will
surely batter the slide into submission in short order. The same warning is
also true for any military surplus Model 1917s; they are to be used only with
standard loads. Two final pluses for the .45 ACP sixgun are the use of light
loads and shorter or longer than normal loads. Loads too light to work the
slide on a semi-auto work just fine in a sixgun cylinder and loads can also be
assembled longer than a magazine will accept and shorter than they will feed
reliably from that same magazine. Long live the .45 ACP sixgun.
Test-Fire: S&W .45 ACP Model of 1988 x 5”
.45 ACP Handloaded Ammo Performance
Bullet/Powder/Charge Velocity
Group Size
Oregon Trail 200 LSWC/WW452/6.0 gr. 1,028 fps 1-7/8”
Oregon Trail 200 LSWC/WW231/6.0 gr. 947 fps 1-1/2”
Oregon Trail 200 LSWC/Bullseye/5.0 gr. 874 fps 1-1/8”
Oregon Trail 200 LSWC/Unique/7.0 gr. 1,081 fps 1-1/2”
Oregon Trail 200 LSWC/Red Dot/5.0 gr. 889 fps 1-7/8”
Oregon Trail 200 LSWC/Green Dot/5.0 gr. 849 fps 1-7/8”
Oregon Trail 200 LSWC/AA#5/9.0 gr. 1,039 fps 1”
Oregon Trail 200 LRN/WW231/5.5 gr. 955 fps 1-1/2”
Oregon Trail 200 LRN/Bullseye/3.5 gr. 679 fps 1-1/2”
Oregon Trail 200 LRN/Bullseye/4.5 gr. 735 fps 1-3/8”
Oregon Trail 225 LFN/Red Dot/5.0 gr. 906 fps 1-7/8”
Oregon Trail 225 LFN/Green Dot/5.0 gr. 855 fps 1-1/4”
Oregon Trail 225 LFN/AA#5/8.0 gr. 830 fps 1-1/8”
Oregon Trail 230 LRN/WW231/6.0 gr. 867 fps 1-1/2”
Oregon Trail 230 LRN/Unique/6.5 gr. 889 fps 1-5/8”
Hornady 185 JHP/Unique/8.5 gr. 1,099
fps 1-3/4”
Hornady 230 XTP/Power Pistol/7.0 gr. 887 fps 1-1/4”
Sierra 185 JHC/Unique/8.5 gr. 1,172 fps 7/8”
Sierra 230 FMJ/Red Dot/5.0 gr. 825 fps
3/4"
Sierra 230 FMJ/Power Pistol/7.0 gr. 870 fps
1-3/8”
Speer 185 GDHP/Action Pistol/8.9 gr. 866 fps 1-1/8”
Speer 200 JHP/Power Pistol/8.0 gr. 1,021 fps
2”
Speer 200 GDHP/Unique/7.0 gr. 895 fps 1”
Speer 230 GDHP/Action Pistol/6.2 gr. 618 fps 1”
THE FOLLOWING LOADS ARE ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY FOR USE ONLY
IN MODERN LARGE FRAME SIXGUNS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION!
Bullet/Powder/Charge Velocity
Group Size
Oregon Trail 200 LSWC/Red Dot/6.0 gr. 1,069 fps 1-3/4”
Oregon Trail 200 LSWC/Green Dot/6.0 gr. 1,049 fps 1-3/4”
Oregon Trail 225 LFN/Red Dot/6.0 gr. 1,006 fps 1-3/4”
Oregon Trail 225 LFN/Green Dot/6.0 gr. 901 fps 1-3/8”
Sierra 230 FMJ/Red Dot/6.0 gr. 1,025
fps 1”
Lyman #452423KT/#2400/15.0 gr. 952 fps 1-1/2”
Lyman #454423KT/Unique/7.5 gr. 902 fps 1-1/2”
Lyman #454424KT/#2400/15.0 gr. 926 fps 1-3/4”
Lyman #454424KT/Unique/7.5 gr. 915 fps 1-7/8”
Notes: Groups the product of 5 Shots at 20 yards.
Chronograph screens set at 10’ from muzzle. CCI #300 primers used.
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