45 Colt Problem?

[Bushrod]

I have an old Colt that when I slug the barrel I get .454-when I slug the cylinder throat I get .451. This Colt revolver was made in 1904. I don't want to ream the cylinder. I have a mold that will produce a 255 gr. bullet at .454-.455. Should I size them in my lubesizer or load as cast.If I do size, What size die would you suggest I use.If I load as cast is the bullet too big, could it cause damage. I cast them relatively soft. Any help would be appreciated

[littlejack]

Bushrod:
I just bought my first 45 Colt revolver a couple months ago, a Uberti "Evil Roy" model. I have however shot handguns since 1968. My first was a RBH in .41 mag.
With that said, If it were my revolver, I would size the bullets no larger than .452, and .451 would probably better. I believe that if you try to shoot the larger size in your revolver, and knowing the softer metals used back then, you would damage the cylinder, i.e. swell the throats, split the throats or blow up the chambers.
Jack

[prs]

Whal? And I thought that was just a Rooger thing! I would shoot .454 boolits in it jest like they did. The steel Colt used back then will size the lead alloy just fine. It likely will not be the most accurate arn, but it will shoot. Since you are worried about it, get expert advice; maybe Iron Duke or some one like that can 'splin it.

prs

[fredj338]

Shooting them @ 0.454" isn't going to help as they will get sized down passing through the throats anyway. Softer alloy @ 0.452" is likely your best bet, but IMO, opening the throats isn't going to damage the value of the gun much. Really, who would know you did that?

[geargnasher]

Way I see it you have three choices:

1: Ream the cylinder throats to .454" or .4545" and shoot .454-5" boolits through it. This is really the only satisfactory option if you want it to be a shooter.

2: Use a softer alloy (bhn 8-10) and load fairly light, hopefully this will allow the boolits to "bump up" in the barrel some and seal. If a seal doesn't happen, you may get leading and your accuracy is practically guaranteed to suck by modern standards.

3: Trade the gun for something you can shoot, or make a wall-hanger out of it.

FWIW,

Gear

[Poygan]

Five to ten years ago I bought a single cavity hollow base .45 mold from Lee which I vaguely recall was from a special order that fell through. I used it with some success in a Ruger that was rebarreled with a .454 barrel and .452 cylinder. Perhaps there could be one or something similar for sale on ebay. With softer lead I think it could pass through your smaller cylinder and bump up for the larger barrel.

[Bear4570]

Way I see it you have three choices:

1: Ream the cylinder throats to .454" or .4545" and shoot .454-5" boolits through it. This is really the only satisfactory option if you want it to be a shooter.

2: Use a softer alloy (bhn 8-10) and load fairly light, hopefully this will allow the boolits to "bump up" in the barrel some and seal. If a seal doesn't happen, you may get leading and your accuracy is practically guaranteed to suck by modern standards.

3: Trade the gun for something you can shoot, or make a wall-hanger out of it.

FWIW,

Gear

I would have to agree with #1, if your shooting the old Colt, why not have it shoot accurately. Get the cylinder throats reamed to .4545 and watch how the accuracy improves. I did this with a Old Model Ruger Blackhawk that had a barrel of .452 but the cylinder throats were .448, after reaming my groups were cut in half just by that change, and it was invisible to the naked eye. Just my two cents.

[Matt_G]

I have an old Colt that when I slug the barrel I get .454-when I slug the cylinder throat I get .451. This Colt revolver was made in 1904. I don't want to ream the cylinder.

Unfortunately, reaming the cylinder is the only satisfactory way to cure this gun if you want it to be a shooter.
I can understand you not wanting to do that. Don't know if I would want to alter it either.
If I were you, I would probably regulate it to safe queen status.

[Bushrod]

If I wanted the cylinder throats reamed is this something I could do or is there someone on this forum that can do it?

[Matt_G]

Cylindersmith does very good work I hear for a decent price.
http://www.cylindersmith.com/

[Dale53]

Cylindersmith.com can handle that by just sending the cylinder to him. Of course, you MUST talk to him first to make certain he can handle the larger diameter cylinder throats needed.

FWIW
Dale53

P.S. I just checked his web site and he only reams to one diameter .4525". That won't solve your problem.
Dale53

[376Steyr]

Not to be a smart aleck, but have you actually shot the gun yet? Maybe it will suit your purposes just as is. It seems to have digested soft .454 diameter factory loads for 106 years without prompting somebody to throw it into a lake.

[243winxb]

A thread here ( i cant find it now) on a 44mag with your problem. Tight throats, larger bore. He had good luck using a gas checked bullet, heat treated so it was very hard. Accuracy improved and leading was little. You should size to .452" and use a GC hard bullet.

[Thumbcocker]

Would hollow base swaged bullets help?

[StarMetal]

It sounds to me that your old Colt had the cylinder changed on it. Back in the old days the nominal dimension of the 45 Colt was such as you mentioned .454. I'm not familiar enough with the old Colts to know if Colt would put that .452 cylinder on the gun. If it is original you might buy yourself another cylinder and have it reamed. They aren't that hard to find.

[prs]

Manson and probably Clymer make throat reamers that are reasonable of cost. If you have experience at fine hand work of metal, such as engine rebuilding, then no biggie. But a fine old Colt is not a good learner's project.

prs

[Daddyfixit]

I agree that it may be a cyl from a post WWII gun. Try shooting it first, if it shoots poorly then have the cyl reamed. The gun value should not change, in fact you'll make the gun have more value to you!

[fredj338]

Find a grinding shop that does cyl work. They can polish to any dia you want. I am lucky, my buddy has such an operation & did the cyl for my RBH. It cut my groups in half & no leading in the first 2" of bbl like before.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Now lets think a moment...
Get back to Black powder and pure lead boolits and your problem is solved.
With Black that first shot is going to begin to fill that barrel with good ol crud and very soon your barrel diameter is going to shrink to .452 and less as you keep shooting. The pure lead is going to get a good base wack and bump up to that bore . With good natural lube (i like beeswax and oliveoil) that fouling will stay under control and at real pistol ranges you will be able to pop targets with fun and booming authority.
Clean up is not all that BIG deal the non orientated make it to be.
Or just ream it and you will be happy and so will the next owner... Me I am a shooter/ historian and shooting is what the revolver was made for.

[Lead melter]

Five to ten years ago I bought a single cavity hollow base .45 mold from Lee which I vaguely recall was from a special order that fell through. I used it with some success in a Ruger that was rebarreled with a .454 barrel and .452 cylinder. Perhaps there could be one or something similar for sale on ebay. With softer lead I think it could pass through your smaller cylinder and bump up for the larger barrel.

Lee still makes a hollow base design mold for 45 cal muzzleloaders. It is a 285 grain short nose design that may work in the situation if the alloy is fairly soft. Yes, the .454" can be sized down to even .450" and still be useable.