Rem 58 in 45 acp conversion

[nekshot]

My son has a pietta 58 and was looking at getting a conversion cylinder to 45 colt and we saw they make one for 45 acp. He already has a 45acp 1911 and we got to wondering how fast a 45acp in bp would be. Surely it seems it would be alot less than the 45lc. Any one have solid info on this? They say stay under 850 fps with the 45lc and can you match this with a acp in pb. Smokeless is out of the question so its black only info I want.
Thanks nekshot

[I'll Make Mine]

I'd be very concerned about mixing up the ammunition between his 1911 and the Pietta -- a modern smokeless .45 ACP load is too much for a revolver made for black powder (they're a little hot even for a Webley Mk. IV, despite the commonness of that conversion). Without some reliable method to keep the ammunition separate, you'd be better off with a cartridge that you don't shoot in anything else -- .45 Colt, or if he has another .45 Colt revolver, even .45 Schofield (same base as .45 Colt, but shorter).

That said, the .45 ACP with black should be ballistically very similar to .455 Colt-Eley (same as Webley Mk. 1) or British .450 Revolver loads. Tempting to ask whether the .45 ACP cylinder could be altered without undue cost/effort to take the rimmed .455 -- based on cartridge dimension, it looks like you might only need to accommodate the rim by facing off the back end of the cylinder -- and that would resolve the ammo interchange concern as well as giving you a round that was originally made for black powder.

[Nobade]

I have a USFA dual cylinder model, and find I shoot it more with the 45 ACP cylinder than I do with the 45 Colt one. It is quite a bit more pleasant to shoot, brass is pretty much free to be picked up at the range, and it hits to the sights. 230's at 700-750 fps depending on the powder. The Accurate 230 black powder boolit works great. They also feed and function well in my 1911. Loads are easy - all the FFFg you can stuff in there.

I have also thought about those conversion cylinders, and I would go with the ACP one too. If for no other reason that the Colt loads will likely hit way high to the sights. They are far more powerful than the loads it is designed to use and regulated for.

-Nobade

[nekshot]

thanks for the info, We have nothing in 45 lc and plenty of dies and such for the 45 acp and we could load bp into nickle and smokeless into brass( or other way around) so no mix up and it all seems to make sence to me. I like the input on sights would possibly be close on acp also. I did think the small handle and overall weight of the gun would be interesting with a full 45 lc bp load. Decisions, decisions decisions. The current thoughts of govt is kinda prodding me on this also.

[rbertalotto]

Check out "Cowboy 45 Special" brass.........PERFECT for black powder in a 45LC cylinder. You load them with 45APC dies. GREAT for plinking and Cowboy Action Shooting. They headspace on the rim so no issues with black powder fouling screwing up the mouth headspace of a 45ACP.

[bob208]

many advantages to the acp. you can use lighter bullets to get to hitting to the sights. if you use smokless you run less chance of loading a dubble charge. you get 6 chambers bored stright instead of 5.

[StrawHat]

Adirondak Jack has stopped sales of the 45 Cowboy Special.



Sales of all products suspended indefinitely.

To our loyal customers:
After six years, Adirondack Jack has decided to pull down the shingle at the Trading Post
and pursue other interests.
Once a doc said the three words none of us wants to hear, "You have cancer", the desire to
travel, fish, and otherwise "live while yer alive" has taken center stage.

You might be able to find the brass used but most who have it, like it.

[StrawHat]

Look what I just found!

http://cowboy45specialbrass.blogspot.com/

It may be available after all!

[nekshot]

great, this is looking better all the time! thanks, nekshot