45 ACP in a S&W 45 Colt revolver

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SmithNut

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OK, either I'm just old or never paid attention, but my question is can one shoot 45 ACP out of a 45 Colt revolver (example M625-5 or a M25-9)?

Would the cylinders need to be milled to accept the moon clips?? IF so, who out there does this work these days?? TK Custom??

In reality, for me that would probably be a game stopper, would force me into looking for a M25/625 originally made as 45acp guns...

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, and if you have done any milling to shoot the ACP round from a M25/625 please input your experience...
 
SmithNut said:
OK, either I'm just old or never paid attention, but my question is can one shoot 45 ACP out of a 45 Colt revolver (example M625-5 or a M25-9)?

Would the cylinders need to be milled to accept the moon clips?? IF so, who out there does this work these days?? TK Custom??

In reality, for me that would probably be a game stopper, would force me into looking for a M25/625 originally made as 45acp guns...

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, and if you have done any milling to shoot the ACP round from a M25/625 please input your experience...
Click to expand...

Yep. Otherwise there would be no way to headspace. I don't even think you could use 45 Auto Rim brass...that's made for guns machined for clips.
 
Without modifying the Long Colt cylinder, you have two choices. Have a second cylinder in ACP fit to the gun OR trim Long Colt brass to ACP length and use ACP loading data. I think this kind of brass is called 45 Special and was offered by Starline at one time, and maybe still is! (That is a heck of a lot more affordable than a second cylinder or gun!

Ivan
 
All, Thanks for the replies ....
You've confirmed what I thought, and since I'm somewhat against modifying/milling my existing cylinders I'll be on the lookout for a cylinder to have cut for moon-clips (if I don't find a M625-2 or comparable revolver - cheap :)).
Just looking for something to launch 45acp rounds down the road, given I have a few autos that shoot just fine I'm not really in a hurry, just getting ready for Armageddon... :)
 
I sold a .45 Colt to a friend of mine.He is going to send it off and have the cylinder milled for moon clips.He is going to send it to TK Custom. I think they quoted him $200 with a 2 week turn around.
 
You need to use a long cylinder for that conversion. 44 mag cylinders are easiest to find and you could actually have one converted to acp with acp length chambers and long throats. Ream 44 cylinder to .452 then go in tight amount with a 45 acp reamer, then have the back of cylinder milled off about .039 for the thickness of moon clips. That would be the most accurate way with the least velocity loss to make long 45acp cylinder that would work with a 45 colt length barrel shank. An acp in a colt cylinder has a bit of initial blow by as the .452 bullet is in a .480 chamber for about 3/8" before it hits the .452 throat. Only tales a minute to remove yoke screw and change cylinders.

Or get a cylinder to 45 colt and recessed to fire both

This is a cylinder setup to fire both. It started life as a 44 mag cylinder. The 45 colts rim sets on the outside ledge to give it proper headspace and the acps in clips drop in the recess.
45colt/acp cylinder
rD5f9Id.jpg

38special 9mm cylinder, which uses the same basic idea. You need ream tthe cylinder a bit as the 9mm is a bit fatter. 38 specials still work, just swell cases a bit.
rrxJY4b.jpg
 
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Ivan the Butcher said:
Without modifying the Long Colt cylinder, you have two choices. Have a second cylinder in ACP fit to the gun OR trim Long Colt brass to ACP length and use ACP loading data. I think this kind of brass is called 45 Special and was offered by Starline at one time, and maybe still is! (That is a heck of a lot more affordable than a second cylinder or gun!

Ivan
Click to expand...

What about getting hold of some .45 Schofield brass from Star-Line? Back in the late 1800s .45 Schofield shells were issued for use in Schofield revolvers and Colt Single Action Army revolvers because the shells headspaced on the rims and were usable in both revolvers. I didn't see this in practice then, but I ran across it in my extensive firearms library.
 
smithra_66 said:
Yep. Otherwise there would be no way to headspace. I don't even think you could use 45 Auto Rim brass...that's made for guns machined for clips.
Click to expand...

Well... not quit. The 45AR are used in 45ACP revolvers (1917, 1950, M25, M625, etc) & while they (revolvers) can use moonclips they are not cut for moonclips.

These revolvers have a larger than normal headspace (from cylinder face to the recoil plate) to accommodate a moonclip & the 45ACP's case rim, which are the same thickness as that of the 45AR's rim.

The 45AR's rim is too thick to allow for use in a 45 Colt revolver as the cylinder can't be closed.

.
 
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To add to Bluedots post. If you will look at my previous post #7 you will see that recessing for moon clips leaves a ledge around the outside of the cylinders rear face. This is for about 1/3 of normal thickness rims to sit on and hold their headspace properly. AR rims are to thick and would not allow cylinder to close.

45acp rims are .049 thick past their recess thius varies some from brand to brand.
45AR rims are about .084 thick
moon clips are about .035-.040 thick depending on brand so when a acp round is clipped it is .084-.089
A 45colt rim is .060 so an AR case would be to .025 +_ too thick to head space in a colt

A 45 colt cylinder needs to be recessed about .030" deep to the OD of a moon clip to accept 45acp in moon clips and then the 45colts head will still headspace by the outside edge of their rim resting on the ledge left on cylinder. A 45AR rim would also rest on that ledge and not allow the cylinder to close. A 45 colt modified in such a way will also not allow the use of 1/2 moon clips or 1/3 moon clips because their manner of attachment would cause the clips to rest on the outside ledge. They will only work in true acp cylinders
 
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Wouldn’t it be more economical feasible to buy a 25-2 than to put $200+ into a 25-5? Thus killing its value.
 
Drm50 said:
Wouldn’t it be more economical feasible to buy a 25-2 than to put $200+ into a 25-5? Thus killing its value.
Click to expand...

Not sure I understand the new math...

Let's see, from what little I've researched, a M25-2 would be well north of $1000 these days, and the M25-9 I own is paid for so an additional $200 would be easy to scratch up.

As for other comments about using 45 auto rim, the intent was to find a way to shoot up all my 45acp rounds should the ten auto loaders I own (that are chambered in 45acp) give out down the road in an Armageddon type scenario (tongue in cheek of course...)

As for killing the value, I get where you are coming from, but in the type of scenario I mention (and wholly wish never happens), the $200+ spend would exponentially increase the utility value of the M25-9 should it ever come to that.....

Regards...
 
25-9

Totally off your reason for your post but Im looking at a 4” 25-9 .
What do you think of the .45 Colt in this platform ?
I have a 625-8 that is a great performer imho with auto rim brass or moon clips but have been wondering about the .45Colt performance vs the acp for poking holes in white tails & muleys .
 
Many many years ago when bowling pins were the thing I used my Colt Anaconda in 45colt. I experimented with .45 win mag brass and ground down a moon clip until it would hold the brass and still chamber. My thought was to use it for a reload. While it worked I found that I could holster and draw my 625 smith much easier. I would think a 45colt milled to use 45 win mag brass in moon clips would be the bomb.
 
umwminer said:
I have a 625-8 that is a great performer imho with auto rim brass or moon clips but have been wondering about the .45Colt performance vs the acp for poking holes in white tails & muleys .
Click to expand...

With the same bullet & powder, and loaded to the same pressure (45ACP+P= 23K psi or 45 Super= 25-28K psi), you'll get more velocity from the 45 Colt by virtue of the larger charge weight needed because of it larger capacity case, thus better performance.

.
 
Many years ago, I was experimenting with a similar idea. Not recommending it - but, the story.....
My stepfather had access to some sort of metal working shop at his job at IBM. I provided him some mil-spec half moon clips and asked him to reproduce them in a thinner spring steel.

Kept trying progressively thinner spring steel stock until we got to one that allowed the ACP rounds to headspace properly, cylinder closed perfectly and I used them for shooting .45 ACP for years in the gun.

Downside - they were so thin, you had to be careful loading and unloading ammo and brass from them, as they could cut you.
 
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