.308 shot loads for .45 acp

[ditchtiger]

Just got off a revolver shot area and remembered this from my distant past.
20+ years ago I found an article on cutting .308's back to the shoulder to make
shot loads for the 1911.
The barrel had to be removed to insert individual rounds and then resembled.
This was labeled as a survival round.
Yes I know now it's bad for the extractor.
I'm not recommending this just wondering if any one else ever came across this.
Of course you had to disassemble the 1911 to eject the empty and I remember seeing the rifling marks on the spent case.
Don't give me grief about what I did, I was young and it was a Ballester-Molina anyway.

I am only wondering if anyone else ever heard of this.
I don't want to do it again, just curious.

[shotman]

I think what you are refer to is a 308 cut and resized to 44-40 . not sure but case was cut to same as full loaded round and then you had to hand eject. I t would feed but not eject

[ditchtiger]

These were not resized.
Was just an oddity I found in my reading.

[GRUMPA]

I've done it more than once just for kicks and it required a lot of hand work. When I used them (about 10-12yrs ago) they were rather weak in nature but I wouldn't want to prove that by standing in front of it. And I had to cycle the slide on my 1911 after every shot, their wasn't enough power to cycle it. Plus I had to make a kinda tool that really puts a rather large roll over crimp for the overshot card I used. It's in one of my books just really haven't looked thru it lately.

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

Long ago in Austin, I worked at McBrides Gun Shop with a guy I remember only as Oliver. He wore a huge George Nonte stache. He came up with a cut down 308 case, sized to form a headspace shoulder and roll crimped a card wad over the shot. I have no idea of what he used but it would cycle the action. Worked as well as it could be expected but didnt fly very far. Solution to a problem no one had.

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[kenjuudo]

RCBS made a .45 ACP Shotshell die set. I use cut down .308 cases, 115 gr. of shot, a .410 shotcup and a .38 gas check. Rounds feed and function in my .45s. About a 15' pattern at 15 feet, 20" or so at 30.

[45 2.1]

RCBS made a .45 ACP Shotshell die set. I use cut down .308 cases, 115 gr. of shot, a .410 shotcup and a .38 gas check. Rounds feed and function in my .45s. About a 15' pattern at 15 feet, 20" or so at 30.

Same here. The pattern was good for hunting to 15 yards with 20 as an absolute max. I used 7 1/2 shot and took a lot of rabbits with it. Try to use a worn barrel as the case neck would grab the rifling good if it were sharp.

[JIMinPHX]

Don't give me grief about what I did, I was young and it was a Ballester-Molina anyway.


What's wrong with a Balister Molina? I happen to like those things.

[Mk42gunner]

Ed Harris wrote an article about making .45 ACP shot loads using cut down .308 Win brass. The article is in one of the Gun Digests, 1996 IIRC.

I have made a few using 243 brass, (sold the rifle, still had brass). I didn't want to spend the big bucks RCBS wants for the die set, so I used a .22-250 sizing die to squeeze the neck enough to chamber. I tried both a card over shot wad and a 35 cal gas check, the gas check worked a little better. I crimped the mouth by gently using a .357 tapercrimp die to form the srimp against the gas check.

If you look long enough on the internet, you can find dimensions to make a set of dies that are supposed to work; no more than I need them, I will muddle along with my improvised set.

The easy way to get the correct length brass is to use .45 Win Mag brass, but I had the .243s.

Robert

[Larry Gibson]

I've made a gob of .45 ACP shot shells using 7.62 NATO blanck cases. Made a cutoof die with out of an steel .45 ACP sizer. Lathe turn the "neck" back so there is a shoulder to headspace on and load 6 gr Bullseye, an over powder wad cut from primer carton with steel .45 case, fill with #9 ot 12 shot, put another card wad over the shot and seat with .45 expander die. Crimp is made with bottom of Lyman 55 powder funnel in adapter in press. Over powder wad is sealed with finger nail polish.

This load feeds and funtions in M1911s and is effective to about 15 ft or so as mentioned. The cases are reloaded by sizing the body in a .45 ACP sizer and the neck in a .41 Magnum sizer.

Three are shown in the photo.

Larry Gibson

[scb]

I load these with the RCBS die set mentioned above.
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr236/scb2008/45ss.jpg
They even cycle the action and feed just like ball ammo. The top is closed with a 35 caliber gas check. They are made from 308 casings.

[94Doug]

I have a set of the old RCBS dies, I was shocked at the current price. I also have an article from an old 45 magazine on the whole procedure which I could scan if anyone wants it. This author crimped a 00 Buck to hold the shot. The buck will go through 1/2" plywood, the shot stays lodged.

Doug

[kywoodwrkr]

[/QUOTE]
They are made from 308 casings.[/QUOTE]
Do not use other cases as the extraction groove of the 308 is wide as needed for the 1911.
FWIW

[justashooter]

i shoot cut off 8X57 in a S&W 25 revolver. the cylinder length is 1.600", so cases are cut to 1.500" and fireformed in the chambered cylinder with about 150 grains of #7 1/2 over 5 grains of green dot with card wads in the right places and wood glue over top card. on 2nd fireforming or so the cases fit well with step at chamber front and deliver 20 yard patterns that are squirrel killers. more powder blows the center of patterns, and velocity is prolly in the 900 fps range. spiral effect is seen in dender close range patterns, less so at more than 10 yards.

i have the afore-referenced article in PDF form and can post it if requested. it is about 5 pages from a 1980's magazine.

[Intel6]

We started discussing this very thing in this thread back in December. I posted some pics of the stuff I have done in this area.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=100106