.45 auto rim in .45lc

[Hotlead]

A while ago I asked about .45gap in a 625-8, and it seems that just when I get one question or idea out of my head, three more pop in there. I've seen threads recently about moon clip conversions and stuff, specifically one about a conversion to use .45acp and moon clips in .45lc revolvers.

So, can you shoot .45 auto rim in a revolver chambered in .45lc ?

And, if you can, has anyone tried cycling .45 auto rim through a lever action rifle?

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

The rim on the AR round is to thick to work in a non modified .45 Colt chambered gun. I don't believe that it will work in a gun that has been cut for the ACP and moon clips due to the large rim and the way they cut the rear face of the cylinder for the moonclips.

The rim issue will also cause it not to work in a lever gun without modification the the feed system and bolt face/extractor.

 

[NavyFrank]

.45 Cowboy Special

Try .45 Cowboy Special cases. They have the .45 Colt rim but are cut to the length of a .45ACP. I use them in my SAA in .45ACP. Cheers Frank Jr.

 

[sunday bill]

Frank nailed it. Couple years ago, I got over on the SASS Wire and ordered my 45 Cowboy Special brass from a feller named Adirondack Jack. Seems Jack contracted with Star Line Brass to make up'em up. Case capacity is about the same as 45 ACP. Jack can provide all the loading data and details.

These cases are intended to work in guns chambered for 45 Colt. They allow for reduced loads, which can get a little squirrelly in the cavernous 45 Colt case, which was designed in the early 1870s for bulky BP loads. The Specials are great for use in old, fragile guns or any time you desire a reduced load in a gun chambered in 45 Colt and can be loaded on Dillon's progressive presses (maybe other progressives, as well).

The Auto Rim was introduced in the late teens or early twenties to work wiithout clips in the ACP-chambered guns of WW I. The Auto Rim case's rim is so thick the techs at Dillon say not even their engineers can figure out how to make'm run through Dillon's progressive presses. I load them on a single stage press and prefer them over ACPs in my 625, Brazilian, Pre-26 and Colt New Service revolvers for accuracy reasons.

Reason for edit: punctuation

I'm certainly no authority, but this is my "take" on the subject. Hope it helps.

 

[Stainz]

Phooey on the Dillon remark! I've been reloading .45 Auto Rim for my 625 for over 8 yr on my RL 550B press. All you need besides the .45 ACP dies, etc, is the # H (13010) Shell plate and #4 locator pins (Same as .44 Russian, Special, Magnum, and .45 Colt). Taken from pg 16 in their instruction manual.

There is always the slightly shorter than .45 Colt case - the .45 Schofield. They are ~$156/1k from Starline - and in-stock, while AR's and Colts are 'back-ordered'. The Schofield has a larger OD rim ring - more positive ejection from a DA. They won't feed in my Rossi Puma SS 24" octagon barrel M1892 - the rim catches on the gate. They work fine in my two 625MG's - and never had the limp ejector star of my Ruger RH in .45 Colt skip over them, either. It regularly 'jammed' with Colts.

Stainz

 

[sunday bill]

Don't intend to hi-jack the thread, but I need to throw a big "thanks" Stainz's way. Just spoke with Eric at Dillon and he's heading an "H" shell plate (10297 for the 650 machine) and station 1 locator my way.

Says he has no idea why someone there misinformed me. My old Rockchucker is dear to my heart, but I'll sho-nuff be glad to get away from "fifty rounds an hour" when loading AR.

I owe ya one, Stainz.

 

[Muley Gil]

"So, can you shoot .45 auto rim in a revolver chambered in .45lc ?"

I can in my Ruger Blackhawk, using a modified .45 ACP cylinder. Otherwise, no, due to the thicker rim (.090 vs. .060)

The modified double action .45 Colt revolvers allow use of the .45 ACP in full moon clips only, as the full moons are riding on a thinned ejector star. Half moon clips will NOT work in the modified .45 Colt guns.

 

[Chuck Jones]

Sunday Bill,

Welcome to the club, I've been loading .45 Auto Rim on my 550b since it was a 450. Enjoy.

/c

 

[Stainz]

There is something just 'cute' about .45 Auto Rims - and .44 Russians. Neat little rounds! I do load my 255gr LSWC .45 Colt bullets in .45 Auto Rim cases - .45 Colt-ish bullets from my 625JM. Glad I could help.

Merry Christmas, all!

Stainz

 

[Cossworthe]

.45 Auto Rim

You can most definately shoot .45 Auto Rim cartridges in a S&W M1917 or M25/625 chambered for .45 ACP. I've been shooting and reloading .45 Auto Rim's for 30+ years in my Smith N-frame .45 ACP revolvers. They work fantastic. All of my Auto Rim brass is Remington with solid heads, never reload the old baloon head Auto Rim stuff. The .45 Auto Rim will not fit into the .45 Colt cylinder of a S&W N-frame revolver, it's just to thick. The .45 Auto Rim was specifically designed for the S&W M1917 right along with the 0.5 and full moon clips.

 

[Cossworthe]

.45 Auto Rim was made for .45 ACP cylinders

The .45 Auto Rim does NOT work with the .45 Colt. It was specifically designed to be compatible with cylinders drilled to chamber the .45 ACP cartridge. The .45 ACP headspaces on the case mouth not the rim, this is true for both pistols and revolvers. With the .45 Auto Rim the cartridge can headspace on the rim and/or the case mouth. But you don't need moon clips with the .45 Auto Rim because the ejector star easily grabs the big rim and removes the case from the cylinder. The moon clips allowed for .45 ACP cartridges and casings to be easily removed by the standard extracter/ejector. Without the moon clips the cartridges or cases had to be removed by hand, you had to pick the brass out with your fingers. The big thick rim of the .45 Auto Rim allowed for extraction and ejection of the casings without the need for a clip. So you had you choice of using clips or Auto Rim cases to fire these awsome .45's

 

[sunday bill]

Was there not a "third moon" clip, too (two rounds)?

 

[gagunner 2]

Ranch products made 1/3 moon clips.

 

[Hotlead]

Alright, no AR in an unmodified .45lc revolver, thanks all.

So, what would it take to fire .45AR out of a lever action rifle? Would it be just relieving the bolt face for the thicker rim, and maybe a little stoning the extractor?

Bill- I picked up a pack of 1/3 moon clips by ranch products, $8 for 25 I think.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

Depending on the gun brand, you may need to modify the feed lips/rails/follower, and also check the mag tube to see if it'll even accept the rims of AR brass. They are usually fairly close in dimensions to the round the gun was designed for.