Magnum Research 45 Colt

[Walkin Horse]

Ok I will look at them better. I didn't notice any scarring when I had it apart. I'm using a Remington 250 gr lead flat nose. The first 10 shots were some cci blazer jhp.

 

[westcliffe01]

Another thing that can happen is that bullets can move forward out the case mouth due to recoil if not crimped well. The last round is usually the worst. Then the tip of the bullet can jam the cylinder too. Usually one hears of this happening with light revolvers chambered in a powerful cartridge but the 45LC sounds like quite a powerful cartridge too.

 

[RSKY]

Not much of a comparison but I just bought a Super Comanche 410/45LC single shot. It has the different chokes and I was warned by the dealer to never shoot a Colt with the shotgun choke in place. It has a 10" barrel and at about 10' with #9 shot it has about a 10" pattern. With #4 shot the pattern is a little tighter. Got this gun to use on snakes, rats, etc. while on my tractor. With the shot shells this is a definite close range weapon. Closer than 10' and it blows a large hole in the plywood. Step back to 20' and the shot barely sticks in. Don't think the #9 shot would do more than irritate a snake or possum beyond 60'.

Gonna find me a cross draw holster for it to make it easier to draw while sitting on the Kioti. Next time I step off on an unseen snake I will be prepared. Wife says I will blow my foot off. Anyway I figure I am better off losing a $200 pistol down in the bottoms than a $600 one.

RSKY

 

[GolfAddict]

Right now I'm not real impressed with it. I have 5,5 shot groups with it. Each round the cylinder would hang up on the fourth or fifth shot. This messes everything up when you got the concentration going on. So I took it apart today and cleaned it really well. There was some burnt powder on the back of the frame and the cylinder was filthy. I then shot 1 5 round group with no hang up. Then I tried rotating the cylinder on spent shells. It would not cock. So I don't know if it's heat or dirt doing it. The pic is of the best group at 50 yds. This is off a sandbag rest. The rest were so scattered they wouldn't fit in a pic.

I've read a bit about the various 410/45 guns, and it sounds like this is pretty common, particularly with handguns. That is, to not get great accuracy when shooting 45lc, not the hanging up part.

One reason posited for it is that the cylinder is so long to accommodate the 410 shells. I didn't really understand all the explanation, but it was about the bullet traveling that initial distance of the cylinder with no rifling. It will wobble some in the cylinder, then gets into the rifled barrel, but the barrel is too short in a handgun. Too short amount of rifling so the bullet doesn't have a chance to straighten up good, etc. - something like that.

It's still a pretty cool gun!

 

[RobertBrown]

R The pic is of the best group at 50 yds. This is off a sandbag rest.

That's a good group for a pistol and factory loads...at 50yds.
You did mean 50yds....right? not 50 feet?
The overall length of a .410 shot shell can be up to 3" (3" magnum). The over all length of the 45lc is 1.6". Seems to me, a cylinder that would accommodate both would mean the 45lc bullet would have to travel at least .5 inches before it reaches the barrel.
Magnum Research indicates the barrel is cut rifled, so the head space for that colt round is like up to 1.4" as the gun is chambered for 3" shot shells.
That is excessive. It does not seem to hurt the accuracy, based on your groups.

 

[The Suburban Farmer]

I have a legitimate question for the group -- not trying to be a jerk with this post. That is a beautiful gun and congratulations on your new gun!

BUT -- Why does anyone NEED a gun like this one, or the Taurus Judge, or any of the other "hybrid" pistols? I've always had excellent results using rat shot in my .357 for snakes and I still get excellent groupings with 38/357 since it's built for that. I'm maybe missing something, but what "gap" does a gun like this fill between the rat shot and the .357 round (or the 44 Magnum if you want a heavier pistol load)? In my 30+ years of shooting handguns, I never felt a need for anything between "bullet" and "rat shot" so I've never understood the dual chambering 45LC/410 pistols. What exactly are you supposed to get by going from rat shot to 410 bird shot, or to 3 pellet Buckshot?

If I'm out in the far fields of the farm, my 357 with alternating ratshot / bullet has worked well on everything from rattlesnakes to coyotes and I've never felt like I "settled" for a hybrid gun when I'm at the range looking for tight groups.

If I may ask, what exactly prompted you to get this particular gun? Is it specifically the 45 Long Colt round? (That IS a pretty awesome round with a LONG heritage...)

Then again, maybe it's like tractor implements -- you can never have enough, even if you don't need one.

 

[Walkin Horse]

You know I wonder myself why I bought it. I had looked at everything else in the case he had. Then I looked up on the wall and saw this BFR. I just had to have. It doesn't fill in gaps, it starts a whole new chapter for me. I do have an Uberti 1866 Henry that shoots 45 LC. It the most fun shooting rifle I have. I also was thinking it would be the perfect tractor and mule gun for snakes and possums. So if I get this jamming problem worked out I will probably keep shot shells in it.

 

[The Suburban Farmer]

Well, it's a great looking gun! Congrats again on the acquisition! :thumbsup:

 

[Walkin Horse]

Well, it's a great looking gun! Congrats again on the acquisition! :thumbsup:[/QUOTE

Another thing that entered in to it. It came with a big padded shoulder holster, the vent rib was an add on plus it has the adjustable sights and the plate for a scope. The wood grips on it were extras. I went with a friend and she found a Ruger sr22. We got them both for $900. I couldn't turn it down.

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[westcliffe01]

"Need" and "firearm" in the same sentence ??? Slippery slope...

Here in MI it is the game laws that require so many different weapons. Regular centerfire for varmints from Jan to Nov 10. Pistol caliber rifles (357 or over) for deer season from Nov 15 to Nov 30. Then Muzzle loader for another month. Turkey requiring a smoothbore shotgun in spring and fall. Lead shot permitted. Federal migratory birds require a shotgun with 3 rounds maximum and steel shot. Night hunting for predators you may only have a rimfire rifle or shotgun and if a shotgun, nothing better than birdshot (no 00 buckshot or slugs). During "firearm" deer season one is allowed to use a handgun with a bore greater than 0.35". No bottleneck cartridges.

There is not much living that one is allowed to shoot with a 22 rifle anymore beyond squirrels rabbits and possum/raccoons. Doves/pigeons do not have a legal season in MI, they can only be shot when doing damage (which is all the time on a farm, but none of the time on state land).

I did own a "rifle barreled shotgun" for deer season prior to the relaxation of the game laws to allow pistol caliber rifles. The Savage 220 can be quite accurate with the special slug loads, but at $3/shell it was an expensive hobby. It was not possible to obtain the correct components to reload and for just 2 weeks a year I sold it off pretty quick.