w1mnk
Member
I realize that there has been discussion of this subject, but I'd like to get a summary of the pros and cons of convering a 625 Mountain Gun and a 25 Classic to shoot 45 ACP in addition to 45 Colt. Thank you in advance for comments.
45 Colt -> 45 ACP Conversion
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w1mnk
Member
I realize that there has been discussion of this subject, but I'd like to get a summary of the pros and cons of convering a 625 Mountain Gun and a 25 Classic to shoot 45 ACP in addition to 45 Colt. Thank you in advance for comments.
10-12
Member
If I could find a decent, short .45 ACP cylinder, I will sure slap it in my 22-4. I just missed out on one over the holidays due to family visiting. Hopefully, I'll run across another that I can afford. To me the interchangeable cylinder for the .45 is a no brainer. Obviously, others may feel differently but I am with you. The only con I can think of is if you have to alter a collector's piece or a revolver you intend to resell. For instance on a .45 ACP you need a gunsmith to remove a bit of metal to allow the rear of a .45 Colt Cylinder to swing into the frame. If you are converting a .45 Colt you won't have to alter the frame if the timing is correct but will have a bit of play when the cylinder is out of battery since the overall length of the two cylinders are different.
Hope this helps or have I confused the issue?
Bill
Hope this helps or have I confused the issue?
Bill
rljatl
Member
w1mnk...Are you talking about milling the rear of the cylinder to accept moon clips so the gun will shoot .45 Colt and .45 ACP with clips? If so, I am not sure there is a downside. I plan to have it done to my 625 MG in the next few months.
10-12
Member
Actually no, I was referring to the small protrusion on the lower left side of the frame just above the trigger at the lower portion of the recoil plate that keeps the cylinder from sliding back too far when the crane is open. The overall length of a .45 Colt cylinder, even the short one, is greater than the .45 ACP since the ACP requires more headspace. On a .45 ACP frame that is converted, this protrusion will have to be milled back a bit to allow the longer .45 Colt cylinder to go into battery. If you are converting a .45 Colt to .45 ACP this is not an issue but the .45 ACP cylinder will flop a bit when the crane is open.
I hope I have cleared this up rather than made it more confusing. If we were speaking in person and I could point to the protrusion it would be apparent. As with the old Chinese proverb, one picture is worth thousand words. If I get some time tomorrow perhaps I can learn how to post a photo. Providing my photo is worth a hoot, it will be easier to see what I am referring to.
Hope this helps.
Bill
I hope I have cleared this up rather than made it more confusing. If we were speaking in person and I could point to the protrusion it would be apparent. As with the old Chinese proverb, one picture is worth thousand words. If I get some time tomorrow perhaps I can learn how to post a photo. Providing my photo is worth a hoot, it will be easier to see what I am referring to.
Hope this helps.
Bill
BUFF
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
The metal nub is called the cylinder stop. You do not have to mess with it to have a dual-cylinder gun in .45 ACP and Colt.
You take your .45 Colt cylinder and machine a recess around the back edge of the cylinder, on the outer circumference. You make it deep enough to clear the lug. The cut will be "L" shaped.
This way, you do all of the fitting on the new auxillary cylinder and leave the gun alone.
You take your .45 Colt cylinder and machine a recess around the back edge of the cylinder, on the outer circumference. You make it deep enough to clear the lug. The cut will be "L" shaped.
This way, you do all of the fitting on the new auxillary cylinder and leave the gun alone.
10-12
Member
Buff,
Now that is good information, makes me feel like, "Dah, I could have had a V-8." Altering the frame is the one thing that has caused me to demur on the conversion in the past because I did not have a relatively inexpensive revolver to try it on. About how expensive is that work on the cylinder?
Thanks,
Bill
Dale53
Member
I might suggest another solution:
Buy an extra revolver!
By the time you buy a cylinder and have it professionally fitted, you will probably end up close to half the price of a new revolver. If you ever sell it, I doubt you will recover your money. With an additional revolver, recovery of your investment will be much more likely.
Plus, you get to have a perfect excuse for another revolver
I have actually done that. I have both .44 Specials and .44 Mags on similar revolvers (model 624s and model 629s). I was working for a living and raising a family so money was a bit tight. I acquired these over time based on a long term plan.
Just a thought...
Dale53
Buy an extra revolver!
By the time you buy a cylinder and have it professionally fitted, you will probably end up close to half the price of a new revolver. If you ever sell it, I doubt you will recover your money. With an additional revolver, recovery of your investment will be much more likely.
Plus, you get to have a perfect excuse for another revolver
I have actually done that. I have both .44 Specials and .44 Mags on similar revolvers (model 624s and model 629s). I was working for a living and raising a family so money was a bit tight. I acquired these over time based on a long term plan.
Just a thought...
Dale53
BUFF
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Dale is correct; the gunsmith's time will be considerable and expensive. I had the late Andy Cannon add a .45 Colt cylinder to a M-25-2 back in the late 1970's. Along with a barrel bob to 4 inches and a trigger tune-up, the work and new cylinder was as much money as another revolver.
And Cannon wasn't getting rich!
The work was easier to justify back prior to the Model 25-3, when S&W didn't catalog a production revolver for the .45 Colt.
And Cannon wasn't getting rich!
The work was easier to justify back prior to the Model 25-3, when S&W didn't catalog a production revolver for the .45 Colt.
Another alternative if you want to shoot 45 acp type loads in a 45 colt is using the 45cowboy special brass.
Apparently there are a lot of cowboy shooters who wanted an 4acp loads to shoot in their 45colts and ran into a problem when they tried cutting the colts to 45acp overall length.They could not chamber the rounds using the common .452 diameter bullets
The 45 colt is not a purely straight wall case being much thicker at the bottom thus making the case mouth thicker in diameter when loaded with a .451 or .452 diameter cast bullet
There is a fellow named Adirondack Jack who had Starline make a straight cased rimmed 45 case with the length exactly like a 45 acp so action shooters familiar with acp loads could use them on their single action colts.
I have not tried it myself but I though this might be a reasonable alternative to cutting chambers and so forth.
Apparently there are a lot of cowboy shooters who wanted an 4acp loads to shoot in their 45colts and ran into a problem when they tried cutting the colts to 45acp overall length.They could not chamber the rounds using the common .452 diameter bullets
The 45 colt is not a purely straight wall case being much thicker at the bottom thus making the case mouth thicker in diameter when loaded with a .451 or .452 diameter cast bullet
There is a fellow named Adirondack Jack who had Starline make a straight cased rimmed 45 case with the length exactly like a 45 acp so action shooters familiar with acp loads could use them on their single action colts.
I have not tried it myself but I though this might be a reasonable alternative to cutting chambers and so forth.
Andy Taylor
Member
Forgive me as I am not up to speed on this, but wouldn't that be the same as .45 auto rim? What would be the difference between .45 Auto Rim and .45 Cowboy Special?
It also misses the point that some people prefer the .45 Colt cartridge, but would like to be able to occasionally shoot .45 ACP simply because the can stop at Wal-Mart or any other place that sells ammo and they will have .45 ACP. Not true with .45 Colt and certainly not true with .45 AR or this .45 Cowboy Special.
To answer Lucky's second question
It depends on what w1mnk's set up is and what he wants the conversion for. A lot of people reload and prefer the auto rim to the rimless acp case including myself. As I mentions it is being advertised for cowboy action shooters most of whom who reload.If he reloads then the cost is less meaningful.
The cases are 25bucks shipped for 100 cases. Why not get these and try them to see if you really feel the conversion is worthwhile? I personally like the 45 colt so much that I would not go for a conversion.
It depends on what w1mnk's set up is and what he wants the conversion for. A lot of people reload and prefer the auto rim to the rimless acp case including myself. As I mentions it is being advertised for cowboy action shooters most of whom who reload.If he reloads then the cost is less meaningful.
The cases are 25bucks shipped for 100 cases. Why not get these and try them to see if you really feel the conversion is worthwhile? I personally like the 45 colt so much that I would not go for a conversion.
Vanman
Member
The cost of converting a 45LC cylinder to accepting 45ACP moonclips is rather inexpensive. How about $100?
http://www.pinnacle-guns.com/revolver.asp
or
http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/moonclip.htm
http://www.pinnacle-guns.com/revolver.asp
or
http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/moonclip.htm
OP
w1mnk
Member
Hey guys, thank you for the abundant very useful answers. My original questions was whether it would be worthwhile to modify these revolvers to take the cheaper and (sometimes) more abundant 45ACP rounds. I see that it can be done, and for a reasonable price. However, with the other considerations, such as resale of an unmodified piece, I think for now I'll just shoot 45Colt thru these beauties for now. Again, thank you all for sharing your wisdom.
