.45ACP Roll Crimp?

[StrawHat]

Yes, the 45AR, with its fat rims, are made to fit the M1917/25/625 45ACP models.

Making a revolver for the 45AR would be a M1917/25/625.

Now taking Starline's purpose made 45 Cowboy Special Brass, with its .45 Colt rim and .45 Auto length, would require some tweaks from a 45ACP architecture.

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The 45 Cowboy Special works well in my Italian Single Action revolver with either the 45 ACP or the 45 long Colt cylinder in place. They also work well in my Model 1917 through Model 625-6 45 ACP Mountain Gun as I taper crimp them.

Kevin

 

[Chuck Edwards]

My understanding is that current production S&W .45 ACP revolver cylinders are reamed without the headspace ledge, requiring the use of moon clips. My 22-4 is this way.

I've gone to coated lead bullets for almost all my reloading. Loading the new style coated 230-grain RNLs without a crimp groove turned my 22-4 into a kinetic bullet puller - I never made it to six rounds, the last one pulled apart by shot #5. I switched to 225-grain RNFPs with a crimp groove and used a Redding profile crimp die. That solved the problem and hit to the same POA. Factory jacketed ammo, including both FMJ and HST 230-grain +P, doesn't come apart.

 

[BC38]

I wouldn't do that either without adequate experimentation. Most of the time, however, if I used a roll crimp for .45 loads, I would use a bullet design with a crimp groove. Plenty of them out there, cast or jacketed.

And that's a good rule of thumb to follow.

HOWEVER, as Bluedot37 observed, the OP has a bunch of 200 gr 45 SWCs that he's wanting to load up and use in his M625 revolver.

So while your answer is great in general, it isn't really applicable to the OPs specific question - which is the topic of this thread.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

The 45 Cowboy Special works well in my Italian Single Action revolver with either the 45 ACP or the 45 long Colt cylinder in place.
They also work well in my Model 1917 through Model 625-6 45 ACP Mountain Gun as I taper crimp them.

Okay, I can see that in the SAA 45 Colt cylinder.

In the M1917/625s the 45 CS case rim will be about .040" above the face of the cylinder (a gap) since the case mouth's taper crimp it'll be headspacing on the chamber ledge/shoulder, not the rim, if it's case length is the same as a 45ACP, right?

No ideal if the head strength of the 45CS is as strong as a 45ACP's, since it's a revolver cartridge which normally is fully supported, but I guess with low pressure loads it's not a problem?

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[pasound]

Years ago I had a 45 Colt/45ACP 625 convertible. I never fired a Colt round in it while I owned it. The store owner who had it, sold me 200 new 45AR cases for a very nice price. I had many moon clips, and loaded many ACP's for it, but the AR rounds became my go-to's for years. Wish I still had it. A fun gun to shoot, and sometimes I found very accurate loads, usually 225-250 SWC's.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

My understanding is that current production S&W .45 ACP revolver cylinders are reamed without the headspace ledge, requiring the use of moon clips. My 22-4 is this way.

S&W isn't currently making any 45ACP revolvers but of my three (made between 2008-2016) all have chamber shoulders/ledges, plus the extra cylinder I purchased for Project 45WSM recently.

What year was your 22-4 made?

I read in a 2008 Handloader article that Brian Pearce said a decade or so earlier that S&W produced a batch of revolvers without chamber shoulder/ledges & that eliminated 45ACP rounds from being firing individually in them.

He reported in an earlier issue that after WWII they had a similar issue so while they've generally been okay apparently they've had some bumps in the road on this.

PS: I see the 22-4 was re-introduced in Oct-2005.

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[StrawHat]

I have 3 of the Model 22-4 revolvers. Two of the three (both have 4” barrels) can shoot ACP ammunition WITHOUT moonclips. The third one? I have not tried it!

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I read in a Handloader article, some time back, that Brian Pearce said a decade or so earlier that S&W produced a batch of revolvers without chamber shoulder/ledges & that eliminated 45ACP rounds from being firing individually in them.

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Here is the sidebar from the article,

Kevin

 

[BLUEDOT37]

You beat me to it, Handloader #254.

I had found several articles & was going to post that info too. Thanks.

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[StrawHat]

You beat me to it, Handloader #254.

I had found several articles & was going to post that info too. Thanks.

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I type with TWO fingers!!

Please post what you found. Sharing knowledge makes sure it is not lost.

Kevin

 

[BLUEDOT37]

45ACP revolver headspacing

Here's an excerpt from another article that I pasted together on the subject:

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[steelslaver]

Yes, and in a revolver the .45 ACP round headspaces on the case mouth. Do not roll-crimp.

Not necessarily true. The first Colt 1917 had bored through chambers. I have 3 guns that fire 45 colts that also fire 45 acp in clips and they work just fine.

 

[BE Mike]

I didn't read all the posts, so this may have been suggested. When looking to use speedloaders or clips, chamfer the charging holes of the revolver.