Guys, in order to collect handguns in the new Nazi state of Australia we may be hit with a pre-1947 requirement- in that anything after is 'too new to be collectable'.No one is too sure whether it is the model that needs to be before 1947 or the age of the gun itself.

Yeah I know...

Anyway regarding the 45 colt of which I know little just wondering if their are still models around pre 47 readily available.

Also whether any of them can handle those special loads that put the 45 colt up near the 44 rem, like the Ruger Blackhawks can.

Also failing all of the above what comes closest to an exact replica of a pre-1947 45 colt firing handgun.Any peacemaker copies getting around?
Which is an angle I can use if nothign else works.

Like I said weird tricky questions but I'm basically after a 45 colt I can use at around 1000ftlbs or so, or failing that whatever else I can get.

Karl.

I'm sure that most of the Colts you are talking about are already owned by collectors but anything is probably available for a cost. it just depends upon if you are willing to pay that price. there isn't any Colt out there capable of taking the same loads as a Ruger and don't even try. Colts should just be shot with loads that are equivalent to the original blackpowder load or less.

There are plenty of pre-1947 guns for sale..the question is are you going to like the price. $2K US is probably a minimum but they can be found.

As to loads, if all you are looking for is 1000 fps, Elmer Keith was making that with his loads way back in the 30's. Get his book Sixguns if you have not already seen it. I am not much of a Colt SA fan but I believe that the guns were also made in .44 Special back then. It is another caliber possibility.

As to your government....what can one say. My personal theory on why all the British Colonies except America have an anti-gun bent is that all but America were "given" their freedom. American took it at the point of a gun and with it kicked out the British mentality that still persists today in Canada and Australia.

Bob

I don't think you understand what pressure it would take to get 1,000 ft lbs of energy out of a 45 Colt. you can't get that kind of power out of any ruger. your only chance for that kind of energy is out of a Freedom Arms. up until the 357 mag came out the 45 Colt was the most powerful revolver cartridge in existence. this was a load of a 250 grain bullet at around 900 or so fps. that is still a powerful load and is sufficiently powerful for 98% of any requirement for a revolver.

I would be careful about using Elmer Keith's loads in the Colt. he blew a number of them in his experimenting to use heavy loads. Elmer does make for good reading though

Thanks Lar45- an approved replica as you said looks like it will be the best bet.

I'm glad you posted the load data since I was about to post 1000ftlbs loads straight from hornadies load manual for the 45 colt in a normal blackhawk.

Perhaps the obscurity of this load manual is why the other members had not heard of it.



Bob the major difference between the US and Australia regards gunrights is sheer muscle. We only have 20 million people, the same amount as some of your individual states (and Canada only a few million more from memory) so when the UN comes along with its disarmament proposals and says Jump, you can bet we say "How high?".



Also when the disarmament happens the hardcore backing comes from anti's in the US.



Considering the hard time they give you guys we are not going to be much of a match with 15 times less people.



Remember the same antis have managed to disarm whole "Australia sized populations" in your own country, like New York for example, where the gunlaws are similarly restrictive to here.



Karl.

Hey Lar, I shoot the 335 gr. LBT WLNGC out of my 7-1/2" Vaquero with 21.5 grs. of 296. It clocks a low of 1153 fps and a high of 1160 fps. I also have the big flat Lyman mould that drops a boolit that weighs 347 grs. with my alloy. With the same load I get 1167 fps.
I lapped the throats for a perfect push fit with these boolits. I guess it depends on the individual gun. I don't mind it at all when hunting, but never like to shoot more then 6 when target shooting. Really rough on the middle finger! Man does it ever drop deer.

Are you confusing energy with velocity ? 1000ft-lbs of energy would in deed be impossible and 1000ft/sec velocity would be difficult too.Elmer Keith gave up on hot loads for the .45 Colt revolver because the chamber walls were too thin.He went to the 44 then.

I switched to the Houge Monogrip on my 4 5/8" 45 blackhawk. It seems to save on the finger bashing and make it more reasonable to shoot. I was useing that grip when I was trying to push 405's past where they should have been. I had a bad case of 475 envy and was trying to see just how close I could come to my buddies new Linebaugh. Anyway's I have a new Bisley cylinder now and try to keep things abit more on the sane side. It's a good thing my buddy's bisley started out as a 45colt before he sent it off. I did get past 1200fps before I ran into problems.

On the reproductions, it looks like the Baretta Stampede has a trasfer bar saftey and most of the others don't, Uberti, EMF, Cimmaron. I don't know how close of a copy you might need. may be time to look at the fine print of the law and see. I've asked around some of the CAS and SASS sights for strength on these, but no responces as of yet. I do remember one article somewhere on a writer that was shooting a 45colt import clone. He was useing warm loads regularly with good success, but then one day accidentally stuffed in a load that was intended for a 5shot gun. I guess it blew the top off the one chamber and he used it as a 5 shot after that without any problems. I don't remember which brand it was though.

Lar, I have a lot of trust in Rugers. I never load max in anything and the 21.5 gr. load is fairly low but the most accurate. What is strange is that it also is the most accurate in my .44 mags. with LBT style boolits.
My friend forgot the powder in one shell and the bullet stuck in the forcing cone of his Blackhawk .41 mag. He shot a full power load behind it because he didn't catch it when shooting fast. The chamber swelled into the top strap and bent it up, it also pushed down and kinked the cylinder pin. However, the metal never cracked. Ruger scrapped it and sold him a new one below cost. That is service.
Then my other friend was told to work up loads for his .45 Vaquero (by the boolit maker, 335 LBT) until he got pressure signs, then back down. He got to 30 grs. of 296 with no problem or pressure signs other then trying to leave his hand and scared the hell out of me when he told me.--- < !--color--> PLEASE DON'T ANYONE EVER TRY THIS. STAY WITH LOADS FROM THE MANUALS. God only knows what the pressure and velocity was! < !--color-->

Quickload gestimate - 57k - depending on seating depth, assumed a .4" nose, bullet length .75".
I don't even shoot that in my 454. 26 gns of WC820 with a 340 for 1350fps. Most accurate load.