A "YOUR FAVORITE" thread: .44 vs. .45 Colt

[mod34]

So, on this lazy Sunday afternoon, I was digging through the safe and started looking at my short-tubed .45 Colt SWs and my short-tubed .44 magnum SWs and decided to post the thread: what is your favorite? Not getting into the, "What will you use it for?" debate or anything like that, just what is your favorite. Maybe its that your favorite gun is chambered for it or perhaps one cal. or the other saved your bacon or maybe one or the other brought home the bacon, etc. .44 or .45 Colt?
I'll start it: It would HAVE to be my 3" 625!

 

[Thuer]

It is for sure .45 Colt. (There is no such thing as Long Colt)
It is my favorite caliber for almost 25 year. My Uberti Schofield. Second Generation Colt, Virginian Hammerli and several other single action revolvers I do own are chambred for this fine Cartridge.

It is accurate and do the job for me.

 

[gregintenn]

I'll pick the 44.

 

[Sprefix]

.45 Colt! Big bullet, big hole. My two favorites are my 625-6 Mountain gun and my 4" 25-5 with DWFan cokes on it.

 

[venomballistics]

44 magnum all the way. it can cover all the territory of the 45 colt and a good bit more adhering to SAAMI standards

 

[Thuer]

It is a little bit odd for me to shoot .44 magnum in classic and antique revolvers. .44 magnum loaded with blackpowder. Hmm.
I better load a Colt Walker with 48 grain blackpowder.

However I still lookking for a good .44 magnum to add to my collection.
A nice model 29 will do.

 

[StatesRightist]

.44 magnum because it is more versatile.

 

[Alpo]

Is it 44 magnum vs. 45 Colt, or just 44 - period - vs. 45 Colt?

If the latter, it's 44. 44 Winchester, to be precise. While the Colt is a whole lot easier to load, there is just something about that 44/40 that gets me. Of the six I've got (three and three), I like my 544 best.

 

[feralmerril]

You need to read this: Linebaugh's Custom Sixguns - The .45 Colt - Dissolving the Myth, Discovering the Legend

I have more experiance with .44 specials and somehow own seven of them. Relatively lately I have started to get into .45 colts. One thing that does bug me about the .45 colt is colt just cant seem to get the right diamensions on its own invention. Almost always they are grossley overbored. Now I do have a 4" 25-5 that appears to be perfect. But then again I also have a 4" 24-3 that is sweeter to pack as the barrel is lighter. I have both calibers in 4 3/4" colt single action armys. As of yet, I trust the special more than the 45 colt in them, but that could change with more experimenting. Maybe its unfounded but I am more comfortable with the clyinder thickness in both colts and smiths in .44 special. When you handload I think you can pretty much make both calibers fairly compareable. If you handload, I really belive for the most part they will both do at least 95% of what people that buy .44 mags think they need a mag for.
I also have a 544 that I have never shot.

 

[mod34]

Is it 44 magnum vs. 45 Colt, or just 44 - period - vs. 45 Colt?

If the latter, it's 44. 44 Winchester, to be precise. While the Colt is a whole lot easier to load, there is just something about that 44/40 that gets me. Of the six I've got (three and three), I like my 544 best.

.44spl/.44mag............

 

[Alpo]

You need to read this: Linebaugh's Custom Sixguns - The .45 Colt - Dissolving the Myth, Discovering the Legend

I have more experiance with .44 specials and somehow own seven of them. Relatively lately I have started to get into .45 colts. One thing that does bug me about the .45 colt is colt just cant seem to get the right diamensions on its own invention. Almost always they are grossley overbored. Now I do have a 4" 25-5 that appears to be perfect. But then again I also have a 4" 24-3 that is sweeter to pack as the barrel is lighter. I have both calibers in 4 3/4" colt single action armys. As of yet, I trust the special more than the 45 colt in them, but that could change with more experimenting. Maybe its unfounded but I am more comfortable with the clyinder thickness in both colts and smiths in .44 special. When you handload I think you can pretty much make both calibers fairly compareable. If you handload, I really belive for the most part they will both do at least 95% of what people that buy .44 mags think they need a mag for.
I also have a 544 that I have never shot.

You need to send it to me, then. Mine is looking for a friend. I'll be happy to shoot it. Shoot the heck out of it, even. I KNOW it wants to be shot.

 

[feralmerril]

 

[Rule3]

I also am getting more into the 45 Colt over the 44 Mag. It is really very versatile when reloading rather than just Cowboy loads. All without the nasty 44 Mag pain.

The link ferralmerrial posted shows what it can do in the right gun. Just something about those big arse cartridges.

 

[arjay]

Like em both and the 45 acp.

 

[goldenlight]

I too think the 44 magnum chambering is more versatile.

You can shoot 44 Special in it, and if you handload, you can really have a huge assortment of bullets and powders to work up that perfect load.

The venerable 45 Colt just doesn't offer this level of versatility.

 

[Old Corp]

Well, ol' Elmer liked both, but did always state that if one was looking to shoot the warmer loads in these fine cartridges (and he was speaking of the .44 Spl.), then the .44 usually had alot more 'meat' between the chambers.
Properly loaded, I don't think there's a game animal that could tell the difference.

 

[keith44spl]

Ya know, I had that same delimmer this morning....

Cracked open the strong box. Had to ask myself what's it gonna be today, a 44 Spl.or a 45 LC


3rd model 44 S&W Spl.

Or sumthin' more modern, in 45 Long Colt

The ol 3rd model won out today,




Su Amigo,
Dave

 

[26Ford]

Is this a trick question? . 44 Mag/Special all the way.

I know there are many who love their 45 Colt's and that's great. I felt a bit of Nostalgia when I first fired the .45 Colt round, kind of like the first time I drove my Model A Ford feeling and I'm not being sarcastic here folks.

 

[Reevolvers]

.44 Mag! Always a crowd pleaser!

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I would opt for the 44 Magnum for the "Special/Magnum" load versatilityy and the old "handgun and long gun in the same caliber" capability. AFAIK .45 Long Colt long arms didn't appear until the CAS shooters requested them, though strictly speaking in the Old West "44" would have been 44-40, with 44 American rather briefly at the start of the cartridge gun era. Again, those SAAMI specs are not mere "guidelines"
or "suggestions".