What Is The Point Of A 40 And 45 Cal Auto In A Revolver?

Other than full-auto, I enjoy just about anything that slings lead and burns gunpowder. As was mentioned above, it’s just a hobby for 90+% of us. It doesn’t necessarily have to make a lot of sense or put us on the path to saving the world. Many of us are interested in a particular item just because “it’s something different.”

A long time ago my music teacher told me, “You may not care for it, but if someone else likes it, it’s ‘good music!’” It works that way with a lot of things.

It’s the same reason as having a Coonan .357 or Desert Eagle .44 Magnum semiauto pistol - “why not?”

AC Man said:

I own both as a collector, but I still don't get it?

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I understand the reasoning behind developing a revolver for .45ACP, but I don't own any revolvers that require moon clips or fire rimless cases. I have semiauto's in all those cartridge types (.32ACP, 9mm, .38 Super, 40S&W, 10mm, and .45ACP). I'll keep the revolvers for rimmed cartridges.

AC Man said:

I own both as a collector, but I still don't get it?

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The same reason why someone would want those calibers in a semiauto. If I purchased a 10mm revolver, I'd most likely would only fire 40s&w out of it as I don't see a need for 10mm for anything else other than using hot hunting specific loads for 4 legged creatures.

Other than that, many people choose 9mm revolvers because it's cheaper to shoot than 38spc and 357mag. Many people buy revolvers in 45acp for power factor in competition shooting, because they already have a bunch of 45acp on hand, and/or simply because they like revolvers and thec45acp caliber.

People like all sorts of things that I don’t, so I try not to worry too much about it.

I do own a S&W 1917, largely because of its history, but also because I have plenty of .45 ACP laying around. A revolver in .40 S&W, on the other hand, would make no sense for me. Someone who shot a lot of .40 in other firearms might feel differently.

I will say that semiauto cartridges are generally less expensive than rimmed cartridges of the same class, so perhaps that factors into the decision as well.

Different strokes, and all that.

If you like revolvers and get .40 and .45 ACP ammo at work they make a lot of sense.

Speaking for myself, it evolved out of an early distrust of semi-auto handguns, particularly the M1911. I thought they were unreliable and dangerous, not to mention expensive. (Don't flame, I have changed!)

When a flood of low-priced Brazilian M1917s came on the surplus market I for once had the resources to get one. I had always been fascinated with the history of the M1917, so I was very pleased with my purchase. At the time, surplus .45 ACP was available and fresh factory loads of all types were everywhere and at reasonable prices. Naturally, bullet profile was not a problem in a revolver, so I could do a lot of low-cost shooting.

So that's how I got started. I still prefer and mostly shoot revolvers, but I have come to appreciate bottom feeders as well.

Commonality of ammunition and great fun to shoot in a revolver.

You can change powder & bullets without making changes to your bottom feeding auto jammer! You can have powder puff loads and barn burners in the same moon clip. Most people don't like full moon clips because they do not have enough so it's a hassle to load and unload at the range!

This is the clips I keep loaded in case I want to step into the back yard and shoot a little!
jcelect

I shoot a 625JM in IDPA and it is a blast, in fact I shoot that gun better than any other I own. Moon clips are cheap enough I can load all the ammo I will need before a match, even a sanctioned match. Another nice thing in most matches they will be a "lost brass" match so not to slow the match with people picking up brass. I don't have a problem saving brass because I only pick up my moonclips. Jim.

I've never lost brass out of a revolver

A S&W .45 ACP revolver is possibly the most accurate handgun I have fired, and it doesn't lose expensive brass in the gravel. Sixty years ago, revolvers dominated slow fire competition, and top marksmen would put 90% or more of their shots inside a 4" circle at 50 yards.

I totally agree.

There’s absolutely nothing that can’t be accomplished with a rimmed cartridge by anything in a rimless.

Absolutely nothing??

Show me some one firing 12 round in less than 3 seconds using rimmed cartridges.

Show me some one stacking up as many ready to speed load rimmed rounds as in post 29. (I do something very similar with mine).

Show me how to always pick up 6 ejected empty rimmed cases with a single grab.

Show me how to buy 100 speed loaders for rimmed rounds for the cost of 100 clips

45acp in a revolver? Why not? Here are my five. Lots of fun. Pretty cool to shoot a piece of history. All revolvers should use moonclips. Shoot what you like and like what you shoot? BTW, I like it in semi-auto's also.

Thanks to S&W and Colt’s answer to the government’s call for additional .45 caliber handguns 106 years ago we have some pretty neat revolvers in this caliber.

While the .38 Combat Masterpiece maybe my favorite the big S&W and the Colt New Service .45 ACPs are’nt very far behind. I have a few of each. I always wanted a 1955 Target after shooting a few with both hardball and lead SWCs. Maybe someday I will have one.

For now I am having fun with the 1917s with .45ARs. But I have also accumulated a mountain of both GI and commercial ACP
brass as well as half moon clips. Both cases are easy and economical to reload. Lyman’s Cast Bullet Book is my go to book for loading for and another half dozen or so revolver cartridges. I have some home cast 225 gr RN cast from a Lyman mold that I will soon be using in both the ACP and AR cases.

Adapting the .45 ACP to a revolver was a good idea that helped the war effort in 1917 and again to a lesser extent in 1941.

It is a shame that Colt did not bring the New Service back after WWII. I would loved to have seen a .45 cal Colt New Service Shooting Master Target revolver configured like a 1950’s Colt Officers Model Match.

I have 2 S&W revolvers in 45ACP. One is the 625-6 that was stolen, recovered, and fixed up by BMCM. I am not so sure I would not sell or trade it for the right incentives trade: 357 MG 7 shot, no lock; had one and had to sell it while under employed); while I am not proud of this feeling, I have some loss of enjoyment as a result of its departure and return.

The other is one of the last S&Ws that Hamilton Bowen worked on, a 629-4 IIRC converted. Amazingly accurate. I've done the LEOSA qual with is more than once.

I have never owned a .40 and really don't care for/about it in any format.

I like the 45 caliber N frame revolver because it is the lightest N frame available to carry and it shoots a proper bullet. I can not speak to the 40 as I do not own one.

Why the ACP cartridge in a revolver? It is very much like Bluegrass music, if I have to explain it you may never understand. But, let’s give it a shot.

Historically, the 45 ACP was developed to approximate the ballistics of the 45 S&W used in the SAA. Browning designed it and some nifty pistols to shoot it and the Army eventually settled on the Model 1911. Then, the world went to war but the US stayed out as long as we could. Joseph Wesson realized we would be forced into the war and that Colt could not keep up with the demand for the pistol. He tasked his engineers to create a revolver that would fire AND eject the 45 ACP cartridge. The firing part was easy, cut a proper chamber in the cylinder for the cartridge. Ejection was the hard part as there is no overhanging rim on the ACP cartridge. They came up with a full moon clip and the 1/2 moon clip. Nearly 170,000 revolvers were produced for the Army.

After the war, the revolver was in continuous production until 1949. In 1950, an upgraded version was offered with the short action and better sights. A target version with adjustable sights and the short action was also offered. In 1955, the Target version was again upgraded to include a heavier barrel. At some point, the ACP cartridge was offered in various stainless steel revolvers.

Why? Because it is the perfect combination of portability, power and accuracy available in a factory package, including factory ammunition.

And by handloading the versatility is enhanced. Self loading pistols would choke on the bullet shapes unless heavily modified.



The bullet on the right is a 235 grain full wadcutter. When loaded to hardball velocity it hits hard and is very accurate. It is my carry ammunition.

In modern revolvers, it can be stepped up a bit.

Those who use the ACP N frame are usually quite fond of it. Full moon clips make it easy to load, fast to load, and easy to retrieve spent brass. The 4” barreled revolver is light enough to carry all day, every day and provides sufficient power to handle most situations.

Oh, and I like them.

Kevin

Back in my youth you could get very cheap surplus 45ACP ammo and very cheap surplus 45 Smith and Colt revolvers. Great protection and lots of shooting fun. Today I have a 9mm in a Model 986 which is a really nice gun. Even though I carried a BHP for over 40 years when it comes to shooting I much prefer the revolver.

Ok, you guys won me over on the 40 and 45 auto loads with moon clips in a revolver.. I was not up to speed on this combination and my brother called me a idiot for even buying such a firearm, but the more I research it the happier I am.

Not to mention mine are all pre model so no problem there. Thanks!