.45 acp single shot

[lightload]

Of course it's not practical but would be fun. Which CVA or H&R rifle caliber could be easiest chambered for and then rebored to .45ACP?

[Outpost75]

Any small break open .410 shotgun. I just had John Taylor make a complete barrel assembly so that I still have the shotgun option. Also had .44-40 and .38 Special barrels done.

141868141869141870

[Piedmont]

Something I have always wanted to do is a long barrel single shot in a pistol caliber. Load it subsonic and enjoy quiet shooting. I'm thinking in the 28-30" range. H&R did those Buffalo Classics. The .38-55 was 28" and could be rebored to .45 ACP. The .45-70 was 32" and might possibly be relined.

[John Taylor]

Sort of reminds me of my 22lr with a 29" barrel. With target ammo it sounds like it has a silencer. The 45 acp is fun in a light rifle. I'm working on a Mauser 93 shortened up with a 45 acp barrel. As soon as I get the mag to work I will post some pictures.

[Clark]

http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx220/ClarkM/45acpTurkishMauserShilen452barrel.jpg

I put a Shilen .452" barrel blank on a 1903 Turkish Mauser and chambered it for 45acp.
I can load it past 45 Super and 460 Rowland levels and shoot groups at 100 yards.

[GoodOlBoy]

H&R made a 45 long colt version with iron sights that I always wished I could have gotten one of. The problem I see with 45 acp is that it spaces on the neck instead of a rim. Some folks that doesn't bother, me I like a rimmed round.

Still interesting.

GoodOlBoy

[GhostHawk]

Goodolboy I agree, rimmed cases and break action single shots just go together.

[405grain]

I built a Turkish Mauser as a 45 acp with the barrel and magazine insert from Troupsystems. If I were going to do it over, I would make this on a small ring Mauser because the large rings are heavy for a carbine. The '93 is an excellent choice, but you'll need to grind off the square chin on the bottom of the bolt to get it to feed from a 1911 magazine. The main problem that people have with these (Mauser) conversions is with feeding. The short stubby rounds sometimes try to point down as soon as they leave the magazine. Sometimes the rifle needs a feed ramp to help guide the round into the chamber. I've seen where some people weld in a piece of metal, and then shape it until the rounds feed properly. I did something different. I had some cans super hard epoxy: the stuff set up like a rock. I masked and dammed off the area between the magazine holder and the original Mauser feed ramp, and then cast in a feed ramp. It wasn't too different from glass bedding a stock. Since then I've gotten near 100% reliable feeding.
Green mountain barrels sells a "gunsmith edition" barrel blank in 45 caliber for not too much coin. There are lots of options for building a rifle in this caliber, either single shot or repeater. Here's what to expect; I have done all the gunsmithing tricks to improve accuracy and reliability on this Mauser because I built it as a learning tool for sporterizing other rifles: Timney trigger, crowned muzzle, lapped the bolt lugs, etc. So, I think that the accuracy that I'm getting should be typical for this round in a carbine. I shoot cast bollits in both 185 grain SWC, and 230 grain RN. I also shoot J word bullets in 230 grain round and flat point. All of the rounds shoot the same size group, at the same point of aim at 50 yards. I'm averaging just under 2", with about one and three quarter inch groups if I do my job. The rifle is about as loud as a standard velocity 22 long rifle, and even though I wear hearing protection while shooting it at the range, I don't while hunting. A rifle of this caliber is good for short range varmint blasting up to jackrabbits and coyotes, and makes a good camp gun. It's a good gun for kids and women to shoot, because there is no recoil and very little report.
Many people will claim that a rifle in 45 acp has no practical purpose. They are mistaken. It is a fun rifle to shoot, and with cast bollit loads is cheaper than a 22. The only recommendation that I can give is to make the rifle as light as possible. With no recoil to speak of, extra weight is just more stuff to carry. 142081

[leebuilder]

I know it would fun,,, be so practicality is unimportant. A single shot would be inexpensive and fun, if it is accurate even more funner. Here is a pic of a conversion of a LE to 45acp. It is a mismash of parts, i assume rhinemetal and or speacial intrest arms, know idea came to me i a box.
142083
be well

[ombesb]

45 Auto rim. Old WWI cartridge. Starline brass makes them. A 45acp with a rim.

[GoodOlBoy]

yeah there's also a 45 cowboy special? can't remember somebody sent me some brass for my collection for it (Still appreciate that by the way). All in all I like the idea of a 45acp single shot, just like I said I prefer a rimmed straight wall. Still I can see it being a fun nice little rifle.

GoodOlBoy

[Outpost75]

When John Taylor did the barrel for my .45 ACP single-shot, he used a .38-40 reamer to rough the chamber, so that it would have a rim seat for using either .45 Cowboy Special or 5 in 1 blank cases for shot loads, then he finish reamed the chamber with a .45 ACP reamer so that the proper stop surface would be there for the case mouth to headspace on. The shoulder diameter and angle of the .38-40 reamer produces a perfect ball seat and throat to enable seating .45 Colt bullets out a bit, and their forepart engraves upon chambering like Eley Tenex does in your favorite .22 match rifle. The rifle is very accurate with standard .45 ACP ammo, extracts and ejects the rimless cases fine, but the extractor cams out of the way to clear the case body until the action is closed when using .45 Cowboy or 5 in 1 long shot.

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[Light attack]

John Taylor, I have an old break open .410 that is just begging for a .45 ACP barrel.!!

Gary

[John Taylor]

John Taylor, I have an old break open .410 that is just begging for a .45 ACP barrel.!!

Gary
Are you looking to get rid of it or do you want me to put a barrel on it for you. Best to PM me either way.

[Mk42gunner]

Outpost75, I like the looks of your rear sight. Seems very practical to me.

Robert

[roverboy]

I love it. A .45 ACP rifle has a lot of appeal. Would make a decent hunting/target/plinking rifle.

[Outpost75]

Outpost75, I like the looks of your rear sight. Seems very practical to me.

Robert

John's clever mod to the XS peep to a 3/8" dovetail base!

[GhostHawk]

.45acp is indeed one of the 2 single shots I want but have not yet found.

Other is a 9mm Luger single shot.

What can I say, I love pistol caliber rifles.

[GoodOlBoy]

See when this thread started as was very neutral on a 45 acp single shot. Now I've got it stuck in my noggin, and then GhostHawk had to go and mention a 9mm version so now I'm thinking that would make a heck of a plinker....

If I had a spare H&R action and the funds I wouldn't hesitate to contact John Taylor about either or both.... dangit I can't afford to keep reading these threads :p Yet I know I won't stop....

Anybody else who gets one PLEASE share pics!

GoodOlBoy

[John Taylor]

See when this thread started as was very neutral on a 45 acp single shot. Now I've got it stuck in my noggin, and then GhostHawk had to go and mention a 9mm version so now I'm thinking that would make a heck of a plinker....

If I had a spare H&R action and the funds I wouldn't hesitate to contact John Taylor about either or both.... dangit I can't afford to keep reading these threads :p Yet I know I won't stop....

Anybody else who gets one PLEASE share pics!

GoodOlBoy
I know what you mean, every time someone comes up with a good Idea I try building one for my self. I have one shotgun with no barrel and some place along the way I picked up a box of 28 gauge brass shells. Doing a little reverse engineering I found out the brass would take a bullet that is .590" in diameter so I made a barrel that size. Now I just need some time to finish it. Looks close to the 577 Snider but without the bottle neck.

[GoodOlBoy]

I would like to see those results when you finish it John. Sounds like a interesting bugger.

GoodOlBoy

[dk17hmr]

http://www.gunadapters.com/12-gauge-to-45-acp-pathfinder-series/

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=489595952

I have a smooth bore 12 gauge to 40 s&w just because it's fun to play with and quiet enough you don't really need ear plugs. I have an Ithaca 66 buck buster 12 gauge I will probably end up buying the 8" rifled adapter for rabbit hunting.

[.22-10-45]

Theres a photo in one of my books that I can't remember right now..Hatcher's? of a 1903 Spgf. chambered in .45ACP as an experimental tryout.

[Shooter6br]

Anyone try Short Lane 10 in adaptors? http://www.gunadapters.com/ or X caliber brand? http://gearupcenter.com/products/x-caliber-gauge-adapter-system.html

[GhostHawk]

I do have a shotgun adapter that lets me shoot 9mm in .410.

My problem is I get 2 or maybe 3 shots then the cases dislike to be removed. I have to run a rod down and may or may not get it out. So instead of doing it that way I bought some Magtech brass cases and just load the bullet in the long brass case with several wads and an overshot card glued on top to hold it in place.

About the same accuracy and no issues reloading.

I think that shotgun adapters are better than nothing. If you are going to do it I would go with the longest one you can find, and insist on rifled not smooth bore. Most of the 3" .410 to 9mm adapters are not rifled.

[roverboy]

My .357 Mag. adaptor is a Dina Arms. Its aluminum and is rifled but, accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. A longer one that is steel and rifled would probably be ok.

[xdmalder]

Here's a picture of my Marlin 1894 lever gun I had redone in 45 ACP143182

[roverboy]

Here's a picture of my Marlin 1894 lever gun I had redone in 45 ACP143182
That's cool as can be. I love it. Is the barrel 16"?

[lightload]

Please tell us who converted the Marlin. And it is a single shot, correct? Accuracy and favorite load?

[Outpost75]

John Taylor converted my .45 Colt Cowboy Limited to .45 ACP. It is a repeater. I use the same H&G68 200-grain SWCs I do in my M1911A1, with 4.5 grains of Bullseye for 1000 fps and I get 2-inch, ten-shot groups at 50 yards.

He also made .45 ACP, .38 Special and .44-40 rifle barrels which interchange on my pre WW2 H&R .410 shotgun.

[lightload]

You have some really nice rifles.

[xdmalder]

16 3/4" barrel Ranger Point Precision in Texas did it. He has prices on his website

[wonderwolf]

I think it would be very practical. I like the turkish bolt action conversion, I have a H&R pardner junk 12ga barrel (or two) I have set aside to do .45 ACP builds on (along with others) as soon as I decide on a method of doing it. completely threading the stub and fitting it like a savage 110 barrel is what I'm leaning towards.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I'd agree that a rimmed case is the natural one to use in a break-open rifle. The auto-rim would work, but it's expensive brass which may be hard to find locally, or at some future date maybe anywhere. You would probably have to cut the rim recess separately unless you spend a lot more for a custom reamer, and in the actions named I think you could use the extra powder capacity of the .45LC, and/or use a bullet with a longer cylindrical surface.

[Jedman]

I have built 2 handi rifle barrels in 45 ACP. Both of them I used a Green Mountain barrel blank and turned them to fit shotgun barrels as a thick walled liner. Both of them shoot very well and with a modified 410 ejector they eject perfectly.
I found a seller on EBay that has short 10"+ pre chambered liners at good prices and bought a couple of them to experiment with. I used one of them to make a 12 ga. adapter with, the liner is 5/8" OD. so I turned a short 12 ga. head sized piece of aluminum with a rim and pressed it onto the end of the 5/8" tube to headspace it. at the muzzle end I turned a short piece of PVC plastic and pressed it on the muzzle end of the adapter and turned the OD to .725 so it would slip in the 12 ga. bore.
I first tried it on a shotgun I had a red dot sight on and it shot into under 1" groups at 30 yards so I was pleasantly surprised at the accuracy.
My next project is to take the barrel off my HI Point JHP in 45 ACP and drill and ream the ID of the factory 4.5" barrel to 5/8" and epoxy in the other liner I have. It will be threaded 5/8- 24 at the muzzle so I can screw on some other home made attachments.
I wanted to mount a red dot sight to the HI Point but didn't want to mount it to the slide as it would take quite a beating and don't want to put a hi quality $400 sight on a $140 gun.
I found a 1" diameter aluminum blank that is pre threaded 5/8-24 on EBay and took it and milled the top with a dovetail cutter and now a small compact red dot can clamp on it and be threaded on the barrel. I also made a muzzle brake and other gadgets to screw on the muzzle to experiment with.

Jedman

[Larry Gibson]

Caution; Having built several 45 ACP rifles based on Mauser actions and a SMLE you must understand that with bolts having front locking lug creates a very large "jump" for the short stubby 45 ACP cartridge to go from magazine or single shot feed ramp to the chamber. 100% reliable feeding takes quite a bit of adjusting, especially if other than RN bullets are used. A CF feed is needed and only those with a proper bolt face to catch and hold the case rim will be reliable. The N0 4 or SMLE are the best bolt actions for conversion.

If your single shot has an extractor made for or readily adapted for use with a rimless case the 45 ACP is as easy to use and as accurate as with a rimmed case. I have Contender barrels for both the 45 ACP and the 45 Colt (plus numerous other barrels for rimed cartridges) and find no difference in usage between them. What I find amazing is the amount of ammo one can go through with a single shot!

Larry Gibson

[BAGTIC]

Here in the US 45 AR is readily available and no more expensive than 45 ACP. Several years ago I bought a case of Remington and Starline manufactures it as a regular item.

[Buckshot]

............I built a 45ACP on a Spanish Destroyer carbine when they were available from Century Arms for $69.

http://www.fototime.com/4FFDE36264BD077/standard.jpg

About the same time Gun Parts Corp has some steel Lyman receiver sights available for $28 that they had no idea what they fit. Didn't matter to me as I needed one.

http://www.fototime.com/CFF89A3A068D404/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/EFE3FFB26179CF8/standard.jpg

Come to find out later on they were special made for a H&R (I think it was left handed 22 target rifle).

http://www.fototime.com/9A75475EFE7F865/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/25C9008F0F6CE7C/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/62EED1AEE2CEF6C/standard.jpg

Bolt open showing one of the 2 opposed rear locking lugs. Right photo showing both.

http://www.fototime.com/70FB3F38BF60C27/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/8E2F3E0E13B7FCA/standard.jpg

Breech for the 45 ACP. A fairly large hole. Right with the bolt closed.

I was probably stupid, but using EC43 cases (Evansville Chrysler, steel cases) I managed to propel a Lee 457-405 slug (sized .452") to 1100 fps from a 45 ACP case. I'd tried earlier with brass cases but after a couple firings they'd crack internally around the walls at the base. I think that is what is called a clue?! The powder was Blue Dot, but I won't add how much, nor do I suggest it. Didn't seem to hurt the action any and I still have the carbine, but this isn't a suggestion that you try it.

We all do some stupid things in our lives, and some of us God looks over enough to have survived to pass along our recommendations to not try the same kind of shenanigans.

...................Buckshot

[Lead Fred]

I thought about building a 45 ACP conversion adapter for my Buff Classic. Get a shot gun 45 acp adapter, milling to fit inside the 45/70 chamber and paper patching cast rounds. They should go down the 45/70 nicely.

[Rustyleee]

During WWII the Brits came up with a .45 Carbine built on a Lee Enfield called a Delisle carbine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Lisle_carbine

From time to time small companies pop up with kits for making a home built version of a Delisle. I have a friend who has one without the built in suppressor that is a joy to shoot.

[Blue2]

I like the 788 Rem for a 45acp conversion as it has no front locking lugs.

[blindeye]

I've had a 7mm rolling block with a worn bore that's been on the project list for years, intended as a 45acp conversion. Thinking was to preserve the full military appearance. Sort of a training rifle, like a 22lr conversion. The rotary extractor 7x57 action ought to work just fine as-is. If I ever get a roundtoit.

[jrap]

You can get a tc encore and get a 45 barrel for it

[Uncle45Auto]

From around 1943 till about 1950? H&R made a semi-auto .45 acp called the Model 60. They are now kind of hard to find. But some guys have used SMG parts kits to construct semi-auto carbines in .45acp and .9mm Luger. Looks like a lot of fun.

[El Bango]

I wandered into a gun shop in Albuquerque about a year ago.They had a TC Contender carbine barrel (not factory) and they wanted $175.00 for it, I passed at the time but told him I was coming back in a week and may pick it up then. He smiled and said he had it for a year and he doubted it was going anywhere.long story short I should have bought it because you guessed it, some hemorrhoid bought it and I've been kicking myself ever since.

[Shooter6br]

Not single shot(I want one) but fun all the same.