What Cylinder Do I Need

[45B10]

I'm toying with the ideal of converting a 2nd model hand ejector in 45acp to 45LC. It seems 45LC cylinders are high when you find them so my thought is to get another cylinder and have it reemed.. My question is am I limited to hand ejector cylinders or are there other options ?

Thanks In Advance

 

[murphydog]

The standard conversion back in the day was to use a .455 Mk II (Webley) part from a British contract gun and alter it for .45 Colt. The best way to do this is to lengthen the charge holes and counterbore (recess) the mouths slightly for the thicker Colt rim.

However, .45 ACP is much more available and gets close to .45 Colt ballistics, plus you can get .45 Auto Rim? Good luck in your decision.

 

[steelslaver]

You have 2 options. An N frame 357 reamed to 45 colt or a 41 or 44 mag cylinder. All of them will require the frame lug to be trimmed back as the 45 acp cylinder is about.04 shorter in the rear and lug of course is longer to prevent excess movement when cylinder is opened. I you use a recessed cylinder lug will need trimmed more to accommodate recess portion of cylinder. This can be done with patience and a file that has no teeth one side not cutting lug. Some duct tape to hep keep from marring frame is a go plan. You only want to be filing leading edge of lug.

If you use a 41 or 44 mag cylinder the barrel portion that sicks into frame window will need to be trimmed about .10 also as those cylinders are about that much longer on forward end. Trim to get that .004-.006 barrel to cylinder gap, then recut forcing cone.

A 455 cylinder reamed deeper to 45 colt would also work. You would also need to recess it or face the rear of cylinder off about .022 as the 455 has a rim that is about.040 thick while the 45 colt and other revolver rounds have a .060 rim thickness. But, good luck finding a loose 455 cylinder.

I have made several 1917 and Brazilians into 45 colts. Even a 1955 45 acp. I have also made 629-1 into 45 colts using 45 acp barrels and reaming their 44 mag cylinders to 45 colt and trimming barrel shanks. Big time 45 colt fan. Have 7 of them. The only one that started as a 45 colt was 8 3/8" 25-5 but it had the large cylinder throats like most early 45 colt cylinders so, I reamed a recessed 44 mag cylinder and while I was at it cut the barrel to 5"

A pinned and recessed 5" 45 colt

4" & 5" using 629-1 frames and reamed cylinders

converter to 45 Brazilian using a cut down 1950 barrel and 44 mag cylinder

 

[Hondo44]

The only two N frame 2nd Model Hand Ejectors are the .44 Spl and the .455 British Service Revolver. So you have a 1917 Army which all have case hardened cyls. But what vintage is it?

The very simplest conversion is to ream your cyl chambers for 45 Colt. BUT, the shoulder in the chambers must not be deep enough for the case rim to touch the rear face of the cyl. It must leave the 45 Colt case sticking out of the chambers the same distance as the ACP cases! Otherwise the firing pin won't reach the primers or have reliable ignition. It's a perfectly safe conversion and by far the easiest and cheapest!!


Note: if you use a pre 1920 cyl from the two 2nd models above, the cylinders are not heat treated so you'll need to stick to standard 45 Colt loads; no loads above 15,000 pressure.