Could someone explain to me why the .44 Mag has higher velocity with the same bullet weight as a .45LC? I compared cases and looked in loading manuels and the reason for the extra velocity it beyond my knowledge. Thanks

In short because the 44 mag is loaded to a higher pressure.

If loaded to the same pressure the 45 should give slightly higher velocities due to the slightly larger area of the base of the bullet. Basically "pressure x area x distance (barrel length) = mass x velocity x velocity" if you want it in math form. This is really symplified and I'm sure to get flamed for it (but basically true). The pressure is in the form of a wave so the barrel length is really a lot more complicated, but longer does give higher velocities.

The 45LC is loaded to a lower pressure for a reason, lots of 45's will come apart at 44 mag pressures. The loading manuals often have a separate section for higher pressure loads and what guns they are appropriate for.

Another (I think better) option for a hot 45 is the 454 Casull. It is basically a high pressure 45. It is very powerful since it is loaded to even higher pressures than the 44 mag. All 454 Casull chambered guns are made to handle these high pressures and the factory rounds are loaded to high pressure.

Thanks for your input, I was looking in my Nosler manuel and they have the different section for Ruger and TC guns.

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Could someone explain to me why the .44 Mag has higher velocity with the same bullet weight as a .45LC?

When lead bullets reach 300-325 grains the 45 Colt operating at 30K PSI runs with the "43 Magnum" operating at 40K PSI (or is that CUP, I always forget). Linebaugh lays out the details as clearly as anyone http://www.linebaughcustom.com/Articles/THE45COLTDISSOL...bid/201/Default.aspx Anyway, with the right bullet in the proper pistol either will do nicely for most chores.

If you load the same weight bullets in the .44mag as the .45colt, you will get the same vel. w/ a bit less pressure in the bigger bore of the colt. The manuals are way on the safe side in difference to all the old .45colts aorund that CAN NOT handle hot Ruger/TC loads.

This conversation is pretty relalistic in the replies,,it's not the round it'self,,but what youre piece can handle,,I've seen .41's tear fire extinguishers in half,,while a .44 just left dents,,In my contender,,I can load .45 colt to lower casull levels,,.357mag. close to 30/30 energy,,I can and have done such,,but in reality,,I don't need to,,the biggest game I shoot is white tail,,average distance,,15-20 yds,,casull or 30/30 power is'nt needed for such,,I put down deer every year with more or less target loads of clays powder and 250 grn bullets,,if the target is too far away,, and walks away,,oh well,,there's always tomorrow,,they'll be back,,and I'm not going anywhere.Guess what I'm saying is do you really need full power house loads? Will a full case of 296 kill'em any quicker than 9 grn. of clays?In the years I've spent rolling my own,,I went from "max power",,to,,what I really need that works,,groups well,,is easy on the wrists,and pleasant to shoot all day,,just my 10 cents,,Clay

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Originally posted by nordrseta:
Linebaugh lays out the details as clearly as anyone http://www.linebaughcustom.com/Articles/THE45COLTDISSOL...bid/201/Default.aspx

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The main argument against the Colt .45 is that there are thousands of "unsafe" Colt SAA blackpowder revolvers out there just waiting with mouths open to swallow your new high pressure reloads. This is a fact of life but I assume the reader of this report is a safe, intelligent person and an experienced handloader.

While I think I meet the above definition most of the time, I have quite a few friends who are nice enough otherwise, but don’t. Anyone who shoots on a public range also shoots around people who don’t meet the above definition. Some yokel saying “Those are cool man! I’m gonna snatch me a cylinder full to try in my Colt†is not out of the realm of possibility, they may not even ask first. Explaining to them that their pride and joy is not up to the task of digesting your more manly ammo won’t be fun either. Especially since their gun has the exact same caliber stamped on it as yours. The full potential 45 is a great round for some nice guns but keeping an eye on your ammo is one extra safety concern with it.

OK, I’m off my nanny soapbox.

Wow, if some guy took ammo off my bench w/o asking & blew up his Colt, I think he would pretty much deserve that one.

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FREDJ338 -"Wow, if some guy took ammo off my bench w/o asking & blew up his Colt, I think he would pretty much deserve that one."

Yep ... but you could still expect the asshole and his bottom feeding trial lawyer to sue you, big time.

L.W.

Sometimes even the stronger guns will come apart under the right, but unwanted, circumstances.

Nice pic Paladin 56, way to jump in with both feet! Is there a story with it?

By the way, my post was not to imply that it "should" be our responsibility to look out for fools. I was just bringing up a point that some new 45 owners may not have thought of. Making ammo from parent brass (wrong headstamp) comes with the same issue.

Be safe, cover your own ass, have fun.

Nice picture Paladin, however this could have just as easily come from a much lighter but accidentally double charged load and not a heavy load at all. When using progressive loaders and/or not following a disiplined practice at the bench double charged loads are not at all uncommon. I would bet that the experienced guy loading heavy loads is more careful about what he is doing than the novice that is just cranking them out on the progressive loader and thinking everything is falling into place. Anyways, I load my 45LC Rugers to shoot at the same power levels as the 44Mags but its not for everyone. Attention to detail is the order of the day and theres never room for sloppy reloading practices regardless of what you are loading.

I load my 45 Colt Rugers to 44 Mag levels as well. I love the 45 Colt cartridge but I was so paranoid about a hot load getting into the wrong gun that I sold a beautiful early 3rd Gen Colt New Frontier but it's worth it to me to be able to run my 45s at the level of performance they are capable of. I talked to Starline a couple of years ago about making a run of .45 brass and stamping it .45 Colt +P for load segregation but they never pursued it.

Thanks for the compliments.

The story is that the shooter was unharmed. Not so an innocent bystander, a fellow about 6-8 feet to the right and slightly ahead of the shooter. That fellow received a hole in the sleeve of his shirt that almost matched the one in his arm. Seems his arm took it worse than the shirt. He should have had stitches, a gash a little better than an inch long and quite deep, but I’m uncertain if he got them. As near as could be ascertained, the brass pictured to the right of the gun caused said wound.

As for the circumstances, Woodrow may be as close as anyone to guessing what actually happened. It could have been a double charge of a fast burner, and most likely was, but no one would or could really come up with the how’s and why’s. I heard mention of HS-7 as the propellant. Note the missing top strap, indicative of way high pressure, not simply an overload. My personal opinion is the double charge route for this reason. Would a bullet stuck in the barrel from the previous round have the same effect without some other sign in the barrel itself? I’m not knowing, but would suspect at least a bulge, but who really knows? I don’t believe the load was produced with a progressive, but again, I don’t know the method of reloading, the powder charge or bullet weight. I like high load density slow powders give with heavy loads for this reason. Hard to double charge when powder spills over the case mouth and not notice it, progressive or otherwise.

Recoil wasn’t abnormal, but report was. Extra loud. Noticeable with standard hearing protection. As was mentioned at the time of the disaster, it would have been interesting to see the results of a chronograph reading with such a load. One can only imagine a 310 grain 45 bullet at 3000 fps from a revolver, but without the recoil, was it any higher than the others?

As for opinions on the old BP Colt’s and heavy loads, given the price of first generation Colt’s these days, it would indeed be the fool to even harbor the thought of shooting such a firearm with any ammunition. Of course fools abound, so it is possible one could possess a $3,500 or higher collector and not know it, or not know the lack of strength in any Colt SSA. I guess it’s for similar reasons it‘s hard to see a ladder for all the safety notices on them.