Conversion .455 to 45 Colt

[delta-419]

Rummaging thru my safe produced an unfinished project that was set aside and forgotten until today. It proved to be of interest on a cold winter's day with nothing to do but stay by the fire. A number of years ago I bought a .455 that had been refinished with most of the old British markings polished off. It had a serial number of 9980, all the numbers matched and I thought it would make a good conversion to 45Colt. I even acquired a new set of elk stag grips to show it off. About that time a forum member said that he had a cylinder bored out for a 45 colt from .455. I have never taken this gun to the range to fire it. With the extra cylinder there was no work to be done, only change out the cylinder. My next range day will be a 45 colt day.

 

[RobertJ.]

Nice revolver!

I bought this New Service (which dates to 1916) about twelve years ago, and it had been bored out to .45 Colt from .455 Ely, so I figured it was a prime candidate for a big bore snubby.

It started out as a British piece, but eventually wound up in the hands of an Amercan serviceman. The inside of one of the grip panels is marked, "Harrelson, R.L. USN". It's one of my more unique handguns.

It's pictured with his grandson, a 3rd Gen. DS:

 

[glowe]

The gun cannot be #9980. I see a 5 digit number on the rear of the cylinder and it should match the number on the butt.

 

[austintexas]

I think he is showing the modified cylinder, It is from a different revolver.
SWCA 892

 

[delta-419]

Cylinder

Glow, the cylinder in the photograph is from a different gun. I still have the .455 cylinder (9980) that will put the gun back as built. You have sharp eyes. The 45 colt cylinder (#53518) was acquired from a forum member. I hope she shoots as good as she looks. Carry up and timing is great.

 

[delta-419]

Cylinder

Glow, the cylinder in the photograph is from a different gun. I still have the .455 cylinder (9980) that will put the gun back as built. You have sharp eyes. The 45 colt cylinder (#53518) was acquired from a forum member. I hope she shoots as good as she looks. Carry up and timing is great.

 

[smoothshooter]

Does .45 Long Colt have enough of a rim to provide reliable extraction?
.45 Auto Rim might be a better cartridge choice.

 

[delta-419]

Ejection

I tried different brands of cases (from my days as a cass shooter and lots of 45 Colt) and all ejected ok. I prefer Starline brass when I can find it.

 

[tennexplorer]

Find a pre-war adjustable rear sight, cut the barrel to 3 and 3/4", install a BIG Patridge front sight, and make your oen copy of the Herreshoff revolver. Go for it!

 

[steelslaver]

Does .45 Long Colt have enough of a rim to provide reliable extraction?
.45 Auto Rim might be a better cartridge choice.

The body of a 455 is .480 the exact same as a 45 colt and they will eject properly if the muzzle is held tilted up as it should be, even though the colt rim is slightly narrower than the 455. The 45 colt rim OD is .512 and the 455 is .530 The 455 rim is only .038 thick and the colt's is .060 so the 455 extractor is about .020 thicker but other than that it is the same as one in a modern model 25 or 625 in 45 colt

The best way to modify a 455 cylinder to fire 45 colt is to ream the cylinder to 45 colt dept and machine a .512 OD, .020 deep recess. Then it will chamber, close up and fire 45 colts,plus, still chamber and properly head space the 455 because their wider rim will sit above the recess.

A 45 auto rim has a .515 Od rim, just .003 wider than a colt, but it is .083 thick so to modify a 455 cylinder to fire them you need to shave or recess the extractor .044 for the heads to clear the recoil shield and you would still end up with just .0015 more width of material sticking out from the case body for the extractor to engage.

A 455 cylinder reamed and partially recessed to fire both 45 colt and 455 as was done to my 455 triple lock prior to my purchasing it

There is a step in the cylinder from case to cylinder throats, it just doesn't show up well in this photo

There is also no reason you could not fit a 45 acp or a short 25-3 vintage 45 colt cylinder or one made from a 357 length cylinder to a second model 455. The first models (triple locks) would require more work as I believe they used a differnt OD center pin.

 

[chiefdave]

My .455 was converted to shoot .45LC as well as the original cartridge by replacing and countersinking the cylinder prior to my purchase. I had an issue with keyholing when using .452 bullets which was cured using .455 bullets from Missouri Bullet Company. Found that Hornady brass worked best because it is slightly shorter.

 

[steelslaver]

My .455 was converted to shoot .45LC as well as the original cartridge by replacing and countersinking the cylinder prior to my purchase. I had an issue with keyholing when using .452 bullets which was cured using .455 bullets from Missouri Bullet Company. Found that Hornady brass worked best because it is slightly shorter.

Ya, I have a mold that I got for my Ruger Old Army that cast 220gr .454 round nose bullets. I use it to cast bullets for my standard velocity 45 colt ammo and don't size them. My 1100fps loads I use a 255 gr SWC and will not fire them in my old TL 455. When I load handgun ammo I usually do hundreds at a time, keep them in coffee containers and identify them by bullet shape.

I also use those bullets to load 455 brass for my 455 second model