1911 .45 acp loaded with black powder

[Hang Fire]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dQbirKRvgs&feature=youtu.be

[MtGun44]

Interesting. . . . . . but why?

Bill

[btroj]

Seems like it would be a nightmare to clean the fouling from all those nooks and crannies.

And again, why?

[para45lda]

My guess? Because he can. And it worked! Never really thought about it but nice to know.

Gonna have to charge you 5 seconds for that miss though. :kidding:

Wes

[Hang Fire]

I thought why also, but then maybe why not. I guess with it not being gas operated may not be too bad. Nice to know the old slab sides will operate with BP if need be.

Me if I had to clean it, would just field strip it down, put in some warm water with a little detergent, brush out the barrel, scrub rest with a tooth brush. Rinse all with very hot water, blow dry outer and intertnals with compressed air, liberally apply WD-40 and forget about it.

This has worked well for me over several decades of shooting C&B and BP revolvers. others mileage may vary.

[jh45gun]

Guess he thinks it is cool I would stick to smokeless.

[NickSS]

I ran right out and tried it with an old beater 1911 I own and it worked fine. I just fillled the case to within 1/9 inch of full with FFFG and seated a 230 gr RN lubed with BP lube and shot it in my back yard. I blasted 50 rounds through my gun and cleanup was not that bad in fact no worse than shooting smokeless except the first couple patches were blacker. A new way to make lots of smoke.

[LVRFAN]

Can't wait for some moron to try it in an AR. They are out there.

[garym1a2]

I thought about doing this a few times. But after shooting my Old Army Ruger a couple cyls and than spending an hour cleaning it. I figured that their was no need for Black powder in my 1911 when 4 grains of Bullseye does fine.

[Geraldo]

I really don't see a need for it as long as there's WST, but whatever floats your boat. If you wanted to make a habit of it, a stainless 1911 and the dishwasher would be the way to go.

[sqlbullet]

Can't wait for some moron to try it in an AR. They are out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKWK2idDdm4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKWK2idDdm4)

I know it as actually just a BP upper on an AR lower, not loading 223 with black powder. Still....

[Groo]

Groo here
I knew a man who worked at an armory in WW2.
He said that they tested BP in 45acp because of a shortage of smokless for
rifles..
The guns worked fine and fieldstriping and cleaning was all that was necessary .
It just SMOKED....

[scattershot]

Well, I gotta ask... what was the velocity? Seems like the limited powder capacity compared to the LC round would result in pretty slow boolits.

[runfiverun]

i have tried 6grs of unique with a 160 gr boolit in my 1911's it won't cycle the gun but a 200 or 230 will just fine.
thier velocity is in the 850 range.
so id guess at 800 or thereabouts with the blackpowder..

[Fishman]

When I was much younger and didn't have but one revolver, I'd shoot pyrodex rs loads in it. It was a smith and wesson 681 police turn in. I really wanted a colt and real black powder but the 681 and pyrodex was what I had.

Still have the revolver and still shoot it.

Sometimes you just try things for the heck of it.

[Larry Gibson]

Years ago down at the Four Corners Rod & Gun Club in Salem, Oregon there was a guy who seemed to always be on the range when I was. He would come over and ask to try some of my .44 Magnum loads all the time to shoot in his M29 (very hard to get one back then and they were expensive). He got to be really bothersome as he was just mooching the .44s to shoot in his M29 and would expound to no end how it was a much better shooting revolver than my SA (couldn't prove it buy his shooting!). Anyway, I loaded up some of the .44s with BP and had them sitting on the bench one day. He showed up and sure enough he came over after a while with his M29 in hand telling (asking) me I loaded the best .44s and his M29 sure did like them......So I said "well there's some right there, why don't you shoot them up?" He smiled and said "sure......." and walked back down the line to his bench.

I tried hard not to stare and laugh as he loaded 'em up and shot the first shot. It went boom ok and he had the most quizical look on his face because of the smoke but he went ahead and shot the other 5. He open the M29 cylinder and looked long and hard at it but I'll be darned if he didn't load up another 6 and shoot them too. Then he unloaded the emptied, looked and sniffed the residue on his fingers and got up bringing the remaining loads (only 6 left) and the empties and layed them on my bench saying "that was funny, real funny...." and stormed off, picked up his gear and he left the range. Needless to say he never mooched ammo off me again.......[smilie=l:

Larry Gibson

[Catshooter]

Man was right Larry, that was funny! :)


Cat

[Dale53]

The .45 Cowboy Special works just fine with black powder for Cowboy Action Shooting. The Special has the same capacity as a .45 ACP.

I guess we really shouldn't be surprised that it would work.

FWIW
Dale53

[Echo]

Cleaning would be no problem. Lock the slide back, set it upside down in an ammo can 1/2 full of mineral spirits, wait a while, take it out, shake it a couple times, wipe it off, spray with WD40, and put away.

[Alan]

I wanna see someone do it with a Thompson. 8)

[BLTsandwedge]

BP in a 1911. OK, fine.....but let's see someone turn a 1911 into a flintlock.

[Lonegun1894]

I did this years ago just to see if it would work, and it did. The clean up wasn't bad at all, just a bit more detailed than normal. I would do it again. I wish I would have had a chronograph to check velocity, but I didn't so have no clue what velocity was, just know it worked and was accurate.

[garym1a2]

What size charge would you use?

[Catshooter]

I'm sure the load would be enough powder in the case so the bullet compresses it in seating.


Cat

[Lloyd Smale]

I would have to wonder if the more violent way black ignites it wouldnt be harder on the gun. I have to side with the guys that say WHY? to me it ranks right up there with **** like shooting 300 grain bullets out of them or with the 500 smith guys looking for 800 grain bullets to shoot.

[tek4260]

I would have to wonder if the more violent way black ignites it wouldnt be harder on the gun. I have to side with the guys that say WHY? to me it ranks right up there with **** like shooting 300 grain bullets out of them or with the 500 smith guys looking for 800 grain bullets to shoot.


Glad I only shoot 276gr boolits outta my 1911, and not 300's! :-P

Of course they are loaded with Unique which seems nearly as dirty as BP!

[Chihuahua Floyd]

Can't wait for some moron to try it in an AR. They are out there.

If I remember correctly, it was tried with some 223 in black powder. I don't think they got a third round off. Black powder, gas operated, no lube on FMJ, what could possibly go wrong?
Don't kow for certain, but I remember hearing about that severalyears ago.
CF