Can't belive I found a N frame .455 S&W

[DeafSmith]

And some fool faced off the rear of the cylinder so .45 ACPs would work.

They want $580 for it but I'm not enthusiastic.

I guess one could handload .45 Autorim in it but it's like those .455 Webley revolves I see converted to .45 ACP. What a waste.

 

[Oyeboteb]

It's a mess out there...for sure.

I have a couple 'converted' ones, and while I love them dearly, I would prefer to have one which was not 'converted'.

You pretty well have to Hand Load for these no matter what...the Cylinder Bores and Barrel bore are too large for now-a-days .45 Colt or .45 ACP. And or were for use with .455 Bullets and not .452.

 

[alwslate]

I have one that has been " converted ". I'm sure at the time it was
done it was considered to be a practical conversion. It's a beautiful old
revolver and convenient to use with AR handloads. I don't shoot it very
much but I just enjoy owning it. A real piece of history.

 

[zywina]

Its funny up here North of the border almost 99% of the 455 Mark II have been left alone! I believe it was because our cartridge manufacturer Dominion kept producing the ammo into the 1970's!!!

I have a hard time passing up any Mark 2's as I ussually buy them for parts if the price is right, quit the addiction I have! But I love shooting the large conical 265 HB bullets out of my S&W's and my one Colt NST! Cheers from Canada, Dale Z!

 

[Jack Flash]

You never know, you may be able to find a .455 cylinder and "convert it back" to what it was.

I'm sure that when these returned to their country of manufacture as surplus arms, there was no way to sell them without converting them to a more commonly available cartridge. Don't forget, they were competing against tons of other surplus handguns flowing into the country.

Too bad so few (relatively) were converted to .45 Colt. But that round was probably also considered fairly rare and pricey (not to mention, antiquated) when compared to the ubiquitous .45 ACP, at least in the years immediately following WWII.

I know a conversion is a conversion, but at least the venerable .45 Colt seems more appropriate somehow. Not to mention that it is a much lower pressure round compared to .45 ACP.

 

[Muley Gil]

Back in the late '70s I found a 2nd model .455 that had been converted to .45 Colt. My handloads with 260 grain Keith style shot into 3" at 25 yards, which I thought was quite OK considering the bore size and thise tiny sights. With the short cylinder and the long bullet, those loads were flush with the front of the cylinder.

 

[Waidmann]

Don't think I'd go $580 on a conversion. Reloading with .454 bullets works well enough.

Since someone mentioned Webleys in .45 ACP, this playing with fire! The .45 ACP factory load is like a proof pill every shot. At least with the S&W and Colt converts you are within the gun's capacities.

 

[DeafSmith]

Y

I know a conversion is a conversion, but at least the venerable .45 Colt seems more appropriate somehow. Not to mention that it is a much lower pressure round compared to .45 ACP.

Now since the N frame was made in .45 LC, yea I'd love it if the conversion was for that round.

Now that revolver has been there for years. At first he had it for $1100. I suspect the one who sold it to him didn't tell him it was converted and just recently he found out it was and thus the drop in price.

Maybe someday I'll see if he takes $500 or less and yes I reload and I have some .454 diameter .45 lead slugs.

But I fear 'someday'. That's a dangerous word. It's really just a code for 'never'. (I love that show, Day and Knight.)

 

[44wheelman]

Never seen a .455 in person that wasn't converted, and most all to 45acp. I picked up a cheap 1st model years ago, just cause it was converted to LC not ACP. You still buy Remington moly hollow base bullets (250 rn?) that should shoot well in those guns.

 

[4-Screw]

Joe Salter just listed a .455 for sale.

 

[Timber Wolf]

Snagged one converted to .45 Colt a couple of years back but all original otherwise, including the grips. Won't tell you what I paid. Oh all right $175 at a gun show, he was asking $225. Funny thing though. The dimension at the rear of the cylinder to the frame is so generous that .45 ACP in thinned moon clips can actually be used. It came with two of the thinned (and I mean THIN) half moon clips. None of my other third, half, or full moon clips will work. And .45 Auto Rim is too thick also. And before somebody asks, I know that the cylinder has not been messed with because the serial number is plainly visable on its' rear face. I also have an unmolested Colt New Service in .455 and couple of boxes of .455 ammo so I will probably just shoot it with the ammo S&W intended.

 

[Waidmann]

Timber Wolf,

There were a few where the shield was shaved. Yours?

 

[Dave_n]

I have one of Jim Supica's 0.455 Mk II's and another converted to .45 Colt. Using 255 grain 0.454 lead FPs made by a local caster, these revolvers shoot to point of aim at 10 yds. I use cowboy loads for the 45 and a load that gives ~650 fps in Mk II 0.455 cases from Hornady for the unconverted one. They add nicely to my Webley Mk Vis in 0.455 and 0.45ACP (use 0.45 AR in these, all with the 0.454 lead FP head) Dave_n

 

[Cyrano]

Col Townsend Whelen's named his retirement home "Someday".

I once bought a S&W 1917 that I found had been reamed to 45 Colt with a dull file. I got a cylinder from Jim Shaffer but found the headspace was far too tight, and it had British proofs on each chamber (no, I WON'T say 'charge hole'). I sent it back and told him I thought it was for a .455; he sent me the right one. But .455 cylinders are out there.

 

[Timber Wolf]

Timber Wolf,

There were a few where the shield was shaved. Yours?

Sorry to necropost and to be slow with a response but I just dug the gun out of the vault to look. Yes, I'll be hanged, you could have knocked me over with a feather, etc., but mine has been shaved. I never noticed it and if I had not seen it with my own eyes would not have believed it. Somebody did a good job but it is noticeable if someone actually bothered to look and had a clue. To be honest, I had no clue that someone would do this to a gun. I guess it was done just so .45 ACP could be used in the specially thinned moon clips. As it stands .45 Colt slops back and forth. I am not too concerned about it as I have some light .45 Colt loaded with a 230 grain round nose lead bullets ahead of some Trail Boss that should not strain anything. I hate that somebody did this to a fine old piece. Lengthening the cylinder holes for .45 Colt is one thing, but filing on the frame? I wish I knew who did it. If so I would ask them to meet me half way so I could kick their a**!

 

[Hondo44]

Timber Wolf,

I'd hold him down for you!

I would have thought the 45 Colt would hang up on the sloping shoulder.

Here is an unmodified 455 cylinder and chambers showing the shoulder:

 

[Hondo44]

Now since the N frame was made in .45 LC, yea I'd love it if the conversion was for that round.

Now that revolver has been there for years. At first he had it for $1100. I suspect the one who sold it to him didn't tell him it was converted and just recently he found out it was and thus the drop in price.

Maybe someday I'll see if he takes $500 or less and yes I reload and I have some .454 diameter .45 lead slugs.

Yeah, I completely empathize with you! And I won't even shoot ACP in my 1917. I don't need the 19,000 psi intended to operate the 1911 slide plus I hate 1/2 or full moon clips. I shoot AR which was never loaded above 14,000 and reload the cases.

I've even loaded 45 Schofield with a taper crimp. I shortened them a little to stick out of the chamber slightly by headspacing on the ACP chamber shoulder and not slop back and forth against the breechface.

I'd grab it for $500, maybe even more if it's otherwise nice and he still has it. Nice ones just don't come around all that often and you could upgrade it if an unmolested one does comes along. Meanwhile you could have a lot of fun with it.