Went to the range today to chronograph some 454 and 45 Colt loads. Got delayed by a friend's flat tire so I had to rush as it was getting late. I had a while back loaded some 45 Colt 325 gr Cast Performance bullets with 22 grs of H110, didn't think I had any left but I found some (along with other stuff) so I grabbed them and headed out.

I set up my Chrony, loaded a round into my 7-1/2" ruger 45 Colt Blackhawk, and fired. Very little kick and the velocity was only 799 ft/sec! Opened the loading gate, rotated the cylinder, tried to eject the case but it stuck. I lightly banged the ejector rod and the case came out. Here is what it looked like!



I was very surprised at first, but then I looked at the base and it was a 44 Magnum round that I had loaded a long time ago with the same 22 grs of H110 and a 240 grain lead bullet!

Needless to say I did not do any further testing for velocity or accuracy.

So now you know why I titled this post the way I did - in a pinch, you can stick 44 Mag rounds in your 45 Colt and pretty much duplicate the old west 45 ballistics!

glad you weren't hurt

but,yes, i agree, the 45 colt is the best all around centerfire pistol cartridge... i wouldn't know how to qualify between the 45 colt and 22LR, though

Stuff happens

Looks like the 41 mag case I didn't mean to fire in my 44 mag.

No danger of doing this; pressure won't build up to mag levels, but please don't make a habit of it.
Now, I have loaded 45 LC bullets into 44 mag brass, after the mouth was expanded. It makes a huge reverse bottle neck. Didn't fire it though.

quote:

but please don't make a habit of it.

Only once in 10s of thousands of 44 rounds.

quote:

I have loaded 45 LC bullets into 44 mag brass, after the mouth was expanded. It makes a huge reverse bottle neck. Didn't fire it though.

I hate that when it happens.

Dang why are these bullets sitting so hard.

No, the bullets seat normally, the case was already expanded to fit the 45 bullet and in a progressive you don't notice it.

I did the same thing with a 7-08 in my 308 Encore pistol barrel. No recoil and wound up with a perfectly formed piece of 308 brass.

Steve.......

Steve,
That's simply call fire forming cases..Good way to get some .308 brass...The old boys back in the day shot 30-06 milsurp ammo in the 35 Whelen, some of todays experts say that's dangerous, but I betcha a million or two got fireformed that way..

I did it with a 41 mag in a 44 mag. Some how one round got in with the 44s. The case didn't split but it did expand a little.