Was there a concealable S&W .45 Colt

Mark, tell me this is a typo??

A 255gr LSWC in a 45ACP case out of a 2-3/4" bbl at 1200fps?

45 Super brass is no longer than 45ACP & has slightly less case capacity. That bullet takes up about half of the case capacity, or more, of a 45ACP case (27.3gr/H²O).

I can't concoct a bullet/powder combo in QuickLoad that will reach 1200fps without astronomical pressures, far exceeding what the thin chambers of a S&W 45 cylinder are designed for & in that length barrel.

That would seem like a pretty hot load even in the bigger 45 Colt case in a S&W 625 & its longer barrel.

I try to limit my 45ACP revolvers to 45 Super level loads (~28K psi), even in my 25.6% larger 45WSM case's loads I developed for my 325TR

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This just proves that I should not type load information when I'm not at home where my load computer is

That is my 45 long colt load not my 45 SUPER load
 
The Judge and the S&W Governor both come to mind as CCW 45 snubbies. The Governor if I remember correctly shoots 410/45 colt/ and 45 acp.
 
I plan to conceal these…
IMG-1328.jpg
 
I've gone through a decent handful of CC revolvers over the years, but the longest carried one has been my 625-9 Mountain Gun in a Kramer belt scabbard. I carried that for five years straight. I've mostly carried J frames of some iteration since. I made a year or two with an LCP. It was...comfortable, but not comforting to consider the words of Clint Smith.

I recently did alot of thinking, and decided I want a .45 again for Winter Carry. I have the Charter Arms. 45 Colt enroute. Normally, I wouldn't be drawn to that direction, but it's one of two double action .45 Colts made currently that is not designed primarily to shove *$#@!! .410 shotgun shells into. 22 oz. As I recall, 5 shot .45 Colt, made in US, affordable, and a good reputation for customer service. It oughta get me by until I can set up something like the beauties that y'all are showing.

To shoot a revolver, I think being a reloader is darn near requisite. Even for .38 Special these days! I have about 1500 .45 Colt brass, bullets, etc. I have zero .44 cal. I try to keep my reloading bench uncomplicated, but I can feel a serious draw towards .44 Special or mag. This is juat based on the available arms for the .44 cal that my barely fatter ballistic near twin .45 Colt is not available in. 329, 69, 296, 24, etc...

If I just committed to one more revolver caliber on the bench, it sure would open up a vast selection of really swell pistols to own.
 
An additional train of thought… I’m toting a Henry 45 Colt carbine so I want my holster gun in the matching caliber. Like both the 44 and 45acp just fine but wanted a companion for the lever gun. Additionally, I made a call to Charter’s customer service and they were totally up for providing a 45 acp cylinder and crane combo that slips right into place on my 45 Bulldog. As hard as 45 Colt ammo has been to find around here the 45 acp has been readily available.
 
My thoughts exactly! I love my wheel and lever gun combos!

Thanks for the info on the ACP cylinder! That is very, very cool! Do you have a price quote, etc.?

Did I just get excited for a Charter Arms?! Oh my goodness....
 
I'm quite certain it's old news at this point, but what is or is not "concealable" depends more on your dress and your holster than it does on your weapon. I've carried a Colt Special Combat Government going on 30+ years--------and that's a BIG, HEAVY, .45!

Not only that, but the holster is a Blackhawk something made of hard plastic that's as smooth as a baby's butt on the inside, and there's not even a hint of any holster wear on the gun----and NO gun wear on the holster!

Ralph Tremaine
 
Be aware that a standard S&W 45ACP cylinder is 1.540" long.

The SAAMI max COAL" for a 45 Colt is 1.600".

Some bullets exceed that length when seated to the cannelure/crimp groove. Heavyweight bullets even more so.

A standard S&W 45 Colt cylinder is 1.670" long.

Now if there only was a cartridge that had a case longer than the 45ACP but shorter than a 45 Colt's, for heavy bullets, or one in between that wasn't designed for 40K psi pressures & one that took less work to convert to but you could still shoot 45ACP/45AR in it too?

Hmm... let me think? 🤔 :p

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Blue Dot. I do like the idea of your 45 Short Mag. It would be the way to go for the reloader who wants more than acp from an acp cylinder. Just ream the cylinder to correct depth, shorten up some brass and have at it.

But, I prefer to be able to fire both colt and acp from the same cylinder.

I had a 25-3 which had the shorter cylinder. Same length as a non recessed N frame 357 and about .038 longer to the rear than an acp cylinder. I also reamed out a couple 357 cylinders. I did find a few bullets that were too long for those cylinders. My 255 gr SWC and the poly tip of the factory LEVERevolution rounds. Usually not a problem.

Later S&W starting with the 25-5 they went to the longer cylinder. As 45 colt cylinders with .452 throats were hard to find I started using 44 mag cylinders reamed to 45 colt.

I left my 325 with the short cylinder, I could have trimmed the barrel shank and fit a longer 45 colt cylinder cut for full moon clips, but I wanted to be able to return it to stock and I don't plan on firing any of my warmed up 255 gr loads in it.. I could also install a new style 45aco ratchet in the cylinder with the 45 colt length chambers and fire DOWNLOADED 45 win mags in it.
 
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