454 Casuall Case in a Governor

[buckwheatpaul]

Let me start by saying that I DO NOT WANT TO SHOOT A 454 CASULL LOAD IN A S & W GOVERNOR. With that said I would like to take the case and load it to 45 Colt velocities to possibly increase the accuracy by reducing the jump of the bullet to the forcing cone.

I love the pistol and was wondering if you used the longer 454 Casull brass (Same neck diameter of .480 and same rim diameter of .512) with the 45 Colt speed that you would have to increase the accuracy by reducing the distance the bullet would have to travel to contact the forcing cone.....

Give me your 2 cents worth guys and gals....and I would like to thank you all in advance! Paul

[Tom W.]

Sounds doable......

[RPRNY]

The 454 Case is only 1/10" longer than the 45 LC case. And they take small rifle primers. For the purposes of your intended use, 460 S&W would be a better place to start. Regular 45 lc loads with a fiber was should do the trick.

[Greg S]

Yea, what RPRNY said. If your going to spend the money on brass...

I don't see a problem with it but realize you might have erratic velocity issues due to powder position.

[james nicholson]

I could be totally off base, but what about the brass .410 shells? I have never used them and have never measured them, but the rim should work, I think.

[JimB..]

If you want a handful of 460 S&W mag cases to test with send me a note, I have more than I’ll ever need.

[frkelly74]

All the 410 shells I ever picked up that had been fired in a 45 colt/ 410 cylinder revolver had a ring around them where the 45 colt chamber ends. I kind of figured that it was a fire once and throw away the empty situation for the 410 shell. Will the longer brass be cut or marked by the 45 colt chamber?

[victorfox]

Let me start by saying that I DO NOT WANT TO SHOOT A 454 CASULL LOAD IN A S & W GOVERNOR. With that said I would like to take the case and load it to 45 Colt velocities to possibly increase the accuracy by reducing the jump of the bullet to the forcing cone.

I love the pistol and was wondering if you used the longer 454 Casull brass (Same neck diameter of .480 and same rim diameter of .512) with the 45 Colt speed that you would have to increase the accuracy by reducing the distance the bullet would have to travel to contact the forcing cone.....

Give me your 2 cents worth guys and gals....and I would like to thank you all in advance! Paul

Sir, check your cylinder chambers for a step at .45 Colt case length. If it's present, it's a no go. Taurus Judge has this step and it won't allow the chambering of a longer than .45 Colt bulleted round, like your idea. If they are straight, you're probably better served by say a .460Mag case.

One can also try the Magtech brass which has a mouth of about .440" with a custom heeled boolit... :(

[victorfox]

All the 410 shells I ever picked up that had been fired in a 45 colt/ 410 cylinder revolver had a ring around them where the 45 colt chamber ends. I kind of figured that it was a fire once and throw away the empty situation for the 410 shell. Will the longer brass be cut or marked by the 45 colt chamber?

If it's brass, not some steel cased Russian ammo, you can resize the shell till a tad below the ring. It can stand a lot of firings without any cracking at this point (Magtech brass). I keep loading them after sizing and eventually cut a few for my .45ish experiments (left in the backburner for more than 1.5yr). The full brass will be harder to eject due to the ring, but .45Colt/cut to its length brass hull falls readily.

For the plastic hulls, it must be resized and can be reloaded. The base swells quite a bit! I do my .410 shooting exclusively from a Judge.

[buckwheatpaul]

Yea, what RPRNY said. If your going to spend the money on brass...

I don't see a problem with it but realize you might have erratic velocity issues due to powder position.

If the round works I plan on using filler to keep the powder against the primer as laid out by Larry Gibson's post on that subject...thanks for reminding me about that potential problem......Paul

[Whiterabbit]

If it's brass, not some steel cased Russian ammo, you can resize the shell till a tad below the ring. It can stand a lot of firings without any cracking at this point (Magtech brass). I keep loading them after sizing and eventually cut a few for my .45ish experiments (left in the backburner for more than 1.5yr). The full brass will be harder to eject due to the ring, but .45Colt/cut to its length brass hull falls readily.

For the plastic hulls, it must be resized and can be reloaded. The base swells quite a bit! I do my .410 shooting exclusively from a Judge.

how are the patterns? For a lark, could one go clay breaking with one?

[BigBore45]

Sir, check your cylinder chambers for a step at .45 Colt case length. If it's present, it's a no go. Taurus Judge has this step and it won't allow the chambering of a longer than .45 Colt bulleted round, like your idea. If they are straight, you're probably better served by say a .460Mag case.

One can also try the Magtech brass which has a mouth of about .440" with a custom heeled boolit... :(

I'm sure it has it there. I wouldn't think they would send a gun out that would chamber a big powerful round and not handle it.


I also would not advise reaming it out incase you sell it. Those guns were never designed to be accurate, they even have shallow rifling to better accommodate the shotshell side of the gun

[dakota]

You could always get a 460 finishing reamer...

[victorfox]

how are the patterns? For a lark, could one go clay breaking with one?

As I probably mentioned earlier, I live in Brazil and my gun is a smoothbore .45ish one. Not 410, not rifled, it's even weirder than the ones sold in America.
Inside 20 yards it patterns well most reloads I put through it. I never tried shooting clays, but it would be doable, yes... Due to the fast powder allowed to non-licensed by Army shotgun owners (my case), I can load up to 3/8oz of shot without risk. The factory loads are also punnier, at 5/16oz and good for nothing beyond say 15 meters...

I use mostly 00 buck, BB and F sized shot, and a lot less of #7 shot.

[victorfox]

I'm sure it has it there. I wouldn't think they would send a gun out that would chamber a big powerful round and not handle it.


I also would not advise reaming it out incase you sell it. Those guns were never designed to be accurate, they even have shallow rifling to better accommodate the shotshell side of the gun

My thoughts too. Even mine which is a smoothbore supposedly sold as .410 only has this step. The best choice for the OP would shoot his gun as is and be content with the "accuracy" offered or try a heeled boolit, like .480 Achilles, inside any of the longer cases (say 460Mag, 9.3x74, expanded 303, whatever...), with neck sized to fit the cylinder. Ejecting them wouldn't be very easy in my experience with .410 Magtech brass, even after I polished the chambers, which made the gun more smooth and reliable.

[buckwheatpaul]

Just an update on my project. After much review and looking at all the angles I have abandoned this project. The accuracy in my Governor is more than adequate for skunks, snakes, and home protection...I just had an inquiring mind and wanted to tinker.....not make a magnum out of this fine pistol.....so I would like to thank each and everyone of you for your thoughts and support. Paul