.45 Super in .45ACP conversion of No.4 Mk1 SMLE

[badge176]

Maybe this is a better way to ask the question...

"So if the .303 action can gracefully support the pressures of the .303 British rifle cartridge, and the case head of the .45 ACP is fully supported in the chamber (unlike original design 1911s), then am I correct that I could reasonably expect to safely use .45ACP +P? How about .45 Super with its beefed up web?"

from this thread...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=125881

[Larry Gibson]

Same answer basically as before; unless you plan on .45 Super loads that exceed the psi of the .303 then it would be safe. I've pushed some above .45 Super loads out of my M98 and my friend has shot them out of his converted SMLE without problems. A GC'd 245 gr 452490 at 1400 fps out of the 16 1/4" barrels is pretty snappy, accurate and should be deadly on deer and pigs.

Larry Gibson

[roverboy]

Wow Larry, that 245 gr. load at 1400 would be awesome.

[Moonie]

Or 460 Rowland for that matter.

[badge176]

Dropped by GunStop reloading in west metro area MN and low and behold! John had a bag of 130 new.45 Super cases!!! On to the loading!

[leadman]

I used to push the 200gr SWC boolit pretty fast out of my Contender 18" custom barrel. I used a heavily compressed load of Blue Dot for almost 1,800 fps. I do not recommend doing this.

[frnkeore]

My question is why not use the 45 Colt, the rim will fit the bolthead, as is and for loads, it would be much more versitile. You could load it at ACP velocity all the way up to mini 45/70 with 300 to 400 gr bullets. Lots and lots of loading data throught that range.

Frank

[greywuuf]

45 colt won't feed through many pistol magazines. 45 ACP will.

What is it about the Rowland that has people fooled? Yes the brass is longer but it is loaded to the same over all length.....meaning you have not gained any powder space. The lenght is to keep people from putting these very high pressure rounds in a gun not suited for it. You can easily load the ACP cases to the same pressures in a suitable gun.

Me, I am chamberinng my mauser as an ACP and just using seperate headstamps on my hot loads.
Hmmm, come to think of it, nevermind, if you are using 1911
Mags you probably have a 1911, and it might be better to use the long brass to prevent mistakes.

Homeland defense begins at home. I'm not there. Sent from a mobile device using a commercial app.

[frnkeore]

Wouldn't the Colt work in the issue mag? It may even fit in the 303 striper clip?

Frank

[Larry Gibson]

Wow Larry, that 245 gr. load at 1400 would be awesome.

Not a whole lot different in perfomance than a 240 - 250 gr SWC out of a 6 1/2" 44 Magnum revolver.

Larry Gibson

[greywuuf]

Wouldn't the Colt work in the issue mag? It may even fit in the 303 striper clip?

Frank

Now that I don't know about. I am putting mine together on a mauser and would as soon not mess with rimmed cases. The .303 guys may be in a completely different boat.

Homeland defense begins at home. I'm not there. Sent from a mobile device using a commercial app.

[Multigunner]

I wouldn't put any hot loads through a original or correct replica of the Delise carbine. The Delise used a shortened bolt body and the barrel shank extended back past the receiver ring. That shank has relatively thin walls.

I'd considered converting a out of spec action body and otherwise good bolt with worn out bolt head threading. But if I did I would find some method of cutting into the action rails and sidewall to allow use of a much larger diameter barrel shank.

The pistol caliber conversions that use a full length bolt and conventional barrel shank should handle any .45 ACP load that the brass itself can handle.

A friend mentioned a .45 Long Colt conversion years ago.
Perhaps a pistol magazine made for one of the .44 Magnum autoloaders could be adapted to feed the .45 Colt rimmed cartridge.

[Mohillbilly]

There IS a difference in case head thickness in 460 Roland , 45 Winchester maginum , compaired to ACP or Super. I buy the Winmag brass and use if in my Grizzly pistol , and when it gets beatup I trim it back to use as ACP . Be aware that those trimmed cases also have less internal capacity , so you then have to cut back your favorite ACP powder charge. I have heard an old story about 45 ACP being shot in springfield/Enfield Rifles . WITHOUT a barrel change !!!! yes they do come out .30 !!!! NOT in my rifles , I'd have to be awful scared to even think of doing it . So figure with a proper .45 cal barrel , you could push them to whatever the 303 brit /06 action is rated for .

[303Guy]

I've just noticed the thread title says "No.4 Mk1 SMLE". I originally only noticed the SMLE part. It's a No.4 right? Can't be both. Different animal. Much stronger and can take 7.62 NATO pressures (but without the safety margin I should think).

[curator]

http://http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx80/Dsouthall2/IMG_1103b-1.jpg
I often load a 280 grain gas-check bullet over 10.5 grains of AA#7 in cut-down .45 WinMag cases to shoot in my Lee Enfield #4 .45ACP conversion. Pretty zippy and accurate too.

[bydand]

My No4 was converted to 7.62x39 by Black River Armory. Uses Czech single stack AK mags.

By the way is was a bubba job to start with, so no original rifle was harmed in the process.