45 ACP Revolvers

[Gun 4 Fun]

I think you mean lower, amigo.

Yep, I meant the heavier bullet will hit higher. Thanks for the catch.

 

[Dave T]

If you're a fan of the N-frame, which I am, and aren't trying to prove to everyone else at the range you are Dirty Harry II, then the 45 ACP revolver is an excellent choice. Someone earlier said they were big and heavy. Well big is a given but with the largest chambers and bore in the N-frame line the weight is reduced by there being less steel in both barrel and cylinder. Doesn't make the steel framed guns "light" but compared to a 357 they are a noticeable improvement.

As for accurate, most of the newer 45 ACPs, with properly sized chamber mouths shoot just fine. I have two older guns that have the dreaded over-sized throats but since I shoot plated bullets for practice and jacketed for carry, they both out shoot my aging eyesight so…no problem here.

I used to love 44 Specials and still think highly and fondly of them, but in the past 5-10 years I have come to prefer the 45 ACP chambering as the best for what I want an N-frame to do.

Dave

 

[sigp220.45]

Some folks get .45 ACP ammo at work, but prefer to shoot revolvers. At least I've heard that.

I have a converted Webley MKVI, a Smith 1917, a Ruger Vaquero with an ACP cylinder, and I just traded into a 25-2. Life is good.

 

[Dave T]

Some folks get .45 ACP ammo at work, but prefer to shoot revolvers. At least I've heard that.

LOL - I carried a 1911 Colt of one persuasion or another for all but the first 9 months of my LE career and never got free ammo, even during my last 6 years when I was the departments chief firearms instructor. You must be talking about Federal LEOs. That's taxpayer money their agencies are spending. (LOL again)

Dave

 

[Dennis The B]

They're well-represented in my arsenal -

• Model 1917 - Delivered in March 1918
• Model 25-2
• Model 625-3
• Model 22-4
• Model 22-4 Model of 1917
• Model 325NG
• Colt New Service Model 1917
• Ruger New Model Blackhawk Covertible - .45ACP/.45 Colt

I can't think of anything any more fun to shoot. Big frame, big bullet; recoils like a K frame .38 Special.

PS - I have several hundred rounds of .45 Auto Rim ammo. HKS even has speed loaders for the round. Just one more piece of flexibility.

Now, please keep this information to yourself. If others find out...

 

[usncorpsman1]

My 625 Model of 1988 is the easiest to shoot gun that I own. It is also the most accurate.

 

[jtcarm]

The 25-2 was originally designed for 230 ball ammo, not the 200 grain H&G #68's (even though I do shoot a lot of them through my 25-2). The sights are regulated to be in approximately the lower one third, to the center of the adjustment range when using ball ammo. A lighter bullet will generally hit higher on target than a heavier one will

I dunno how we'll prove who's right, but the 25 was designed for 2700 pistol, where 185-200 grain LSWCs have long ruled.

And Jack is right, I believe you meant to say lighter bullets impact lower.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

I dunno how we'll prove who's right, but the 25 was designed for 2700 pistol, where 185-200 grain LSWCs have long ruled.

And Jack is right, I believe you meant to say lighter bullets impact lower.

I already acknowledged his pointing that out above, and yes, that was what I meant.

For one thing, the rifling in the 25-2 is designed for ball ammo just like the original rifling in a 1911. It is the only S&W from its time frame to have 6 lands and grooves vs the standard 5 in all other Smiths. On top of that it is shallower than normal, also like the 1911. If the rifling were designed for lead, it would have been deeper like their standard rifling in all their other revo's, which was originally designed for lead. Brian Pearce makes a couple references to this in his article on loading for the 45 AR in Handloader #254, and in a couple other articles written since that one.

 

[RubEric]

And they are gorgeous!!

 

[BLUEDOT37]

45ACP

And versatile!

.

 

[jfp357]

Darn it you guys. Just when I thought my collection was complete. Now I gotta get a .45 revolver! My wife is gonna kill me.

 

[Muley Gil]

LOL - I carried a 1911 Colt of one persuasion or another for all but the first 9 months of my LE career and never got free ammo, even during my last 6 years when I was the departments chief firearms instructor. You must be talking about Federal LEOs. That's taxpayer money their agencies are spending. (LOL again)

Dave

When my department finally went to having a full time trainer/firearms instructor, practice was encouraged. Anyone who wanted to shoot could come out and practice as much as they wanted.

A few did go out often; a few more went occassionally, and most went only when forced to go. My .45 Colt/.45 ACP Ruger New Model Blackhawk shoots fine with FMJ ACP.

 

[pennlineman]

I just like big bores.....

 

[kaaskop49]

Interesting how so many knowledgeable people like this concept! Started out as an emergency measure during WWI. Our armed forces did not have enough 1911 pistols; how could we quickly obtain more sidearms? (Armies seem to hate handguns, yet when war breaks out, they never have enough...) Solution: chamber Smith and Colt large-frame guns for .45ACP via the use of a 'half moon' clip for headspacing and ejection of the rimless round. The late gun writer Elmer Keith called this smart emergency engineering, not practical engineering.

And almost a century later, we're still not being practical! The full moon clips are stronger with less chance of warping than the original 'half moons.' The 1917s, old and new, weigh in at some 36 oz, about the weight of a loaded HB Model 10. The heavier 25s make magnificent target guns, for which many folks handload. Some PC guns have even shorter cylinders, doing away with the long-ish jump of the bullet from case to barrel (the original impracticality). And .45ACP factory ball ammo has always been the least expensive big bore handgun ammo out there; I just paid $35 for a 100-pack at WM.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all .45ACP revolver fans out there. And to all Forum members!

 

[Dave T]

When my department finally went to having a full time trainer/firearms instructor, practice was encouraged. Anyone who wanted to shoot could come out and practice as much as they wanted.

Gil, I was the "full time trainer/firearms instructor" for my department for my last 6 years, and I still didn't get free ammo. (LOL)

Dave

 

[weatherby]

I had wanted one for years finally found the one they made just for me



Well him too

 

[punxsutawneypete]

This is a one of a kind customized Brazilian S & W Model 1917 .45 that I just had to have when I read the description of it. I don't know who did the work but it is a fabulous job. The finish is hard chrome and an FDL Wondersight was installed. The original barrel was replaced with the underlug barrel. I don't have any provenance with the gun but I always hope it was a case of bringing a beater back to life. And it really shoots!

 

[brucev]

I am relatively new to the forum and am seeing quite a few 45 ACP revolvers. People seem very fond of them. What is the attraction? I have shot a lot of45 ACP out of my 1911's, and owned a 25-5 in 45 Colt for several years that I enjoyed. I feel that I may be overlooking something with the 45 ACP revolvers. Could some of you please educate me?

I cannot speak for anyone else. But for me, the 625-2 just feels "right." Mine has a 5 inch barrel. With the lugged barrel the way it handles is remarkable. Mine came w/ the standard Hogue grips which I replaced w/ Pachmayr Presentation grips as I prefer the square over the round grip frame. Later on I will set it up w/ proper round to square butt wood target trips by some aftermarket maker.

I've shot this revolver with just about every commercially available 230 gr. FMJ load. Results on target have always been excellent, even startling. It is perhaps one of the most accurate handguns I've ever owned. For Christmas I was given a nice Hornady LnL automatic press. With some primers and powder on hand I only need bullets and I'll be able to see how this revolver does with handloads. Given it's uniformly outstanding results w/ factory ammo, I expect it will respond well to handloading.

About the only thing that I don't like about this 625-2 is the front sight. I would prefer a searrated ramped black blade and a Fireglo type front sight w/ a pushbutton release so that I could swap the front sights out to suit condition. But, that of course is not an option. So I soldier on with the plain partridge front sight. Given that I am now a few years older than when I first began shooting, I'd like to have a rear sight w/ a slightly wider notch to allow more light to come through.

In the coming days I will do some experimenting loading for my 625-2. I will be looking rear hard at trying some R-P .45 ACP rimmed brass since this will allow me to shoot the heavier .45 bullets. I don't at all plant to magnimize loads for this revolver. But I do want to experiment with what can be done. A few months ago I purchased from a fellow member of this forum a nice Lawrence holster designed form the S&W 1917. Very happily it fits my 625-2 w/ the Pachmayr grips that I am currently using. It is a exceedingly nice rig for the woods and fields that I love to wander. I know the .45ACP is not a hunting round. However loaded with 250 gr. LSWC's I do think that this revolver would be effective on deer out to 25 yds. In my area that is a long shot. So, next year it will be on my side when I am out deer hunting. And should the opportunity arise, I will almost certainly use it.

 

[Snapping Twig]

I'm coming at this from another angle, a single action.

It's a 45 Colt, but I'm going to buy a second cylinder in acp. This was offered in acp and Colt, so it shouldn't be too hard to get one from Ruger.

Easy to feed the acp from a 1911 magazine too!

Cheaper to shoot that way, even as a reloader.

 

[LTC]

What's not to love, and I can shoot it with my reloads for about the same price as my .22's.



The bottom one is my M25-2.

LTC