Colt 1909 in .455 eley. Any thoughts?

[NoZombies]

I've got a heavily modified Colt new service in .455 eley on it's way to me, does anyone have any experience with these guns?

I know that a .45 colt reamer can be run through, and still preserve the ability to fire the .455 cartridge, assuming the work is done properly. Since the gun has been heavily modified already, I'm thinking it might be worth the work to have the gun chambered in a more available caliber. I've got other .45 revolvers, and see no need to hot-rod the thing, so no worries there.

Any thoughts?

[DaveF]

The difference in rim thicknesses (about .035" for .455 versus about .050" for .45 Colt) may be a problem for clearance between the rear of the loaded cylinder and the recoil shield.

[NoZombies]

The difference in rim thicknesses (about .035" for .455 versus about .050" for .45 Colt) may be a problem for clearance between the rear of the loaded cylinder and the recoil shield.

That's a Very valid point. I understand that there are 2 ways to go about the conversion, one involves milling the back of the cylinder for the thicker rims. I will not consider that. The other method apparently involves running the chamber reamer in to countersink the rim about .015. Since the .455 has such a large diameter rim compared to the .45 colt, apparently after the "conversion" the gun can chamber, headspace, and fire both round safely and without issue.

I guess there aren't too many of the 1909's out there in .455? It's a shame this one was so butchered in it's past.

[376Steyr]

If you're going to shoot this old gun only occasionally, I'd leave it in .455 and load it to it's original ballistics. If nothing else, that will keep your buddies at the range from bumming ammo off of you.

[Dutchman]

One I had was chambered out to .45 Colt with the slight rim counterbore. Shooting .45 Colt is MUCH better than .455 Eley/Webley. Lots of New Service were done this way after coming back from UK post-WW2 as this one was.

This one shown is a New Service not a m/1909. The m/1909 were USMC guns chambered in .45 Colt while the m/1917 were chambered in .45 acp.

Notice the trigger stop on the backside of the trigger. No over-travel. Was that way when I got it.

[NoZombies]

You're right of course, the New service in .455 isn't a model 1909. I mistakenly said that when I wrote the title.

Thanks for the "push" in the direction I was thinking, and confirmation that shooting the .45 colt might be better.

I expect the basket of parts to arrive any day, so I'll post a photo once everything is back together.

[NoZombies]

Well, since I couldn't get out of the office until a few minutes ago, my dealer was nice enough to drop the thing off on his lunch break.

No worries about the conversion at this point, the cylinder has been milled for .45 colt. Unfortunately they chambered it with a chucking reamer, and went clear on through! A .45 acp shell literally drops right through the cylinder! I bet this one's gonna need some love to make it shoot...

[I'll Make Mine]

Bubba strikes again. Sleeve the cylinder?

[NoZombies]

Bubba strikes again. Sleeve the cylinder?

Not a bad thought. I'm thinking either that, or getting some long straight wall brass, and trimming to cylinder length, then loading it with .45 colt data and seating the bullets flush to the end of the brass.

Man, that sounds like a lot of work. I'll start looking for a new cylinder!

[Grapeshot]

I've got a heavily modified Colt new service in .455 eley on it's way to me, does anyone have any experience with these guns?

I know that a .45 colt reamer can be run through, and still preserve the ability to fire the .455 cartridge, assuming the work is done properly. Since the gun has been heavily modified already, I'm thinking it might be worth the work to have the gun chambered in a more available caliber. I've got other .45 revolvers, and see no need to hot-rod the thing, so no worries there.

Any thoughts?

I picked up a New Service with British Proof marks and chambered for the .455 Eley. The owner befor me had the chamber lengthened to accept a .45 ACP round but not the Auto Rim. I was able to determine that the .45 Colt case could be shortened to .45 ACP length and chambered in this revolver. I ordered 200 .45 Cowboy Special brass and use .45 ACP dies to load them. Accuracy is fair and I do not have any headspace problems. Keep your loads light and it will be a pleasant shooter. I haven't shot any of the .455 out of it as I haven't found any of the ammo as of yet. My Lee 452-255-RNFP shoot well out of it. YMMV.

[rintinglen]

Some years back I had a similar gun that had been similarly "Bubba'd". I found a 38-40 cylinder, had that bored out to 45 LC, and replaced the cylinder. After all that, It shot OK, but not great, so I ended up selling it at a loss. Lesson not learned: never buy a fixer upper.

[Grapeshot]

One I had was chambered out to .45 Colt with the slight rim counterbore. Shooting .45 Colt is MUCH better than .455 Eley/Webley. Lots of New Service were done this way after coming back from UK post-WW2 as this one was.

This one shown is a New Service not a m/1909. The m/1909 were USMC guns chambered in .45 Colt while the m/1917 were chambered in .45 acp.

Notice the trigger stop on the backside of the trigger. No over-travel. Was that way when I got it.

The M1909 was used by both the US Army and The USMC. In fact, some Officers were still carrying the M1909 during the Mexican Expedition chasing Pauncho Villa in 1916.

[Steppenwolf]

Advice I should have listened to many times in the past

Lesson not learned: never buy a fixer upper.

[45 2.1]

No worries about the conversion at this point, the cylinder has been milled for .45 colt. Unfortunately they chambered it with a chucking reamer, and went clear on through! A .45 acp shell literally drops right through the cylinder! I bet this one's gonna need some love to make it shoot...

No, your only problem is the right mold.......... PM MiHec and buy one of the 4 cavity brass 455 Webley HB molds he just recently made. Cast it fairly soft... not over 8 BHN and try it. That boolit (and the RCBS original that spawned it) shoots very well in all the shot out 1917s and older 450 Colt genre cartridges out there. I've shot them in the first edition S&W 1917s with bored thru cylinders that you couldn't see rifling in the barrel that wouldn't group with anything and gotten very good accuracy.