Rechamber Henry 45 Colt to 454 Casull

[Jack45acp]

The Henry company has repeatedly stated that the Big Boy H 006 is up to +P loads 300 grain bullets. I want to rechamber my 45 LC to 454 Casull 1/10 inch longer. Why not?

[Winger Ed.]

I'd call Henry and get their opinion before I fired a round that is potentially four times the rated chamber pressure for one of my guns.

That 1/10th of a inch longer case is made that way for a reason.
It works sort of like the differences between a .38S&W, a .38Colt, a .38Spec., a .357Mag. and .357Maximum.

[Nazgul]

What Winger said!!!

The 454 is in a totally different category, even from listed "Ruger Only" loads.

Don

[ohen cepel]

Agree with the above. Long ways from 45LC +P to .454 Casull. I doubt Henry will encourage it as you may well be creating a grenade.

[fastdadio]

I agree with the other guys here. Pause for a moment and explain to us which animal in this hemisphere can't be killed with a .45 colt +P or Ruger only load.

[Tar Heel]

Bad idea. NO REPUTABLE GUNSMITH would do this.

[pietro]

.

Welcome to the board, Jack ! !



WHY it's a bad idea:

The Henry BB receivers for handgun cartridges are brass, and not forged steel.

.454 Rossi Model 92 receivers are forged steel, and even those require hardening over the hardening for other cartridges.

The .454 Casull generates 3X the pressure of the .45 Colt

The .454 Casull generates 3X the recoil of the .45 Colt - and 2x the recoil of the .44 Magnum.

If you do it, I would suggest checking your medical coverage before proceeding. ( jes' sayin' )

.

[rbuck351]

+P pressure for the 45 Colt is 25,000psi. The 454 runs 65,000 max. Tensile strength of brass is around 45,000 psi depending on the alloy. I would not run a 65,000psi load in a frame designed with a max frame strength of 45,000 psi.

I have a Rossi 92 in 454 and it handles some very nasty loads, none of which I would even dream of shooting in a brass frame.

[badguybuster]

It would probably be cheaper in the long run just to find a Rossi 454 or to save up and buy a Big Horn Armory

[DougGuy]

Besides the obvious pressure limitation, your Henry might not even cycle a round as long as the 454. It would be easy enough to seat a boolit out to 454 COA and see if it will cycle. Not to encourage you in any way to proceed with this idea, but as others have said it is NOT a good idea to subject a rifle that will handle 30,000psi loads to pressures of the 454. The 454 isn't going to kill it any deader or any faster than the Ruger Only 45 Colt with 300gr RF boolits.

[Baltimoreed]

Get a rifle already chambered in .45-70?

[GL49]

Get a rifle already chambered in .45-70?

Stick with the 45 colt and read the above post. I think you'll be much happier.

I've got a couple .454 lever rifles, 99% of the time they shoot 45 colt level loads, the other 1% is just to remind me I don't need to load them to .454 levels.

[Pereira]

Stick with the 45 colt and read the above post. I think you'll be much happier.

I've got a couple .454 lever rifles, 99% of the time they shoot 45 colt level loads, the other 1% is just to remind me I don't need to load them to .454 levels.

:grin:[smilie=1::grin:

RP

[.45colt]

Get a rifle already chambered in .45-70? YES!
Many years ago I shot about every +P load I could find for the .45 colt in a rifle . after many months a light went on in My head and I got a 45-70. it can do it all , it works for Me.

[Tar Heel]

I've got a couple .454 lever rifles, 99% of the time they shoot 45 colt level loads, the other 1% is just to remind me I don't need to load them to .454 levels.

Same with the Freedom Arms revolver. I shoot mostly 45 Colt pressure loads through it but every now and then cut loose with a full power 454 load to remind me to stick with the 45 Colt loads. The 45 Colt bullet, well delivered, will bring home meat.

[rockshooter]

just to clear something up- while the Henry rifles are available in brass, they are also made in steel. I have 2 steel ones.
Loren

[Tar Heel]

just to clear something up- while the Henry rifles are available in brass, they are also made in steel. I have 2 steel ones.
Loren

It's more than just the receiver material. It's also the barrel diameter at the chamber and, more importantly, the thrust pressure on the bolt face & action locking surfaces/linkages.

[DougGuy]

Sounds to me like the BEST EVER reason to invest in one of the new Ruglins in 45-70! And if that isn't enough gun, wait around for Ruger to offer the levergun in 480, they might possibly evolve into other calibers such as the 454, or the 500.

[Baltimoreed]

I have two .44-40 toggles, two .45colt toggles, a .45-60 toggle link and 2 Marlin .45 1894s. Never tried to exceed their limits but thats me. A new Ruglin would be nice. My current favorite is a ‘94 Trapper I put together.

[243winxb]

Ruger made a cylinder from Custom 465 stainless, then fired 50 proof rounds from each of six chambers (total 300 rounds) at 92,000 psi.

The story here. https://www.carpentertechnology.com/blog/most-powerful-revolvers-get-lift-from-aerospace-alloys

[45-70 Chevroner]

I agree with the other guys here. Pause for a moment and explain to us which animal in this hemisphere can't be killed with a .45 colt +P or Ruger only load.

I agree with this 100%. I really can't rap my mind around bigger and more powerful is better. There hasn't been a large game animal in the US that hasn't been killed with a 30-30, don't get me wrong I am not recommending that anyone go hunting Grizzly Bears with a 30-30 because there are better choices. As fastdadio said a 45 Colt 300gr Ruger only +P will do the job on any big game in the US. While I'm at it my first choice in rifles would not be a Magnum. With the right bullet and with in its range my choice would be a 30-06 and I wouldn't feel under gunned. As for the 454 or 500 S&W are not on my long list of Revolvers or Lever actions to own. Sorry for the rant.

[samari46]

Thanks for providing the link. Found it very interesting and informative. Only shot two 454 rounds out of the Ruger. Was a buddies and had two shots left. Smoke and fire. Just not my cup of tea. My limit is a Ruger Redhawk in 44 magnum. Frank

[Jack45acp]

I am kind of familiar with the 454 as I own a Freedom Arms five shooter. Have had it for maybe 20 years or so. I use special freedom arms 454 Casull brass that has beefed up head area. It sports a small rifle primer pocket.
I am not in any way arguing with the advice offered by some knowledgeable and others here. There is real danger here . The shock value of fast powder is mitigated by the use of slower burning powders stretching the ignition impulse out a bit. I used heavy loads of 296 which burns pretty quickly. Not claiming any expertise but it is my thought that to shoot a 454 or any cartridge fro any gun you would best be served by choosing a powder that burns nearly the whole time the bullet is traveling down the barrel. This not only would reduce the felt recoil some but increase the speed offered by the longer barrel.
The design of any lever gun is not one that encourages very hard kicking cartridge use. I may be a wuss but I find I am much more tolerant of recoil in a hand gun than a rifle. My 44 mag loads seem to have more recoil (to me) when fired from a long gun. I have both a 375 JDJ and a 45/70 of his bought back in the late 80s or early 90s and I have no real problem with them nor my Casull. I would not enjoy full house loads of even plus p 45 colt loads in a lever rifle. It is just I cannot leave anything alone. I am not some Wilde eyed shooter of unsafe loads. I thought about rechambering and my first thought was to see what others had done or experienced. I thank you all for your inputs. I will contact Henry though as I like Henry rifles. Maybe a Case hardened one would work. Even though the lever design would discourage hot loads. I still would like to have one. Not enough to build a bomb. If it can be done safely I would like to do it. Finally someone was talking about 45/70 and it has a bullet diameter of .458 where as the 45 colt and 454 and the 460 S&W is .451.

[Jack45acp]

I am aware of the steel Henry’s I have a brass BB and find it almost too pretty to shoot. I am a gun lover not a hunter. When I returned from Vietnam I no longer had any desire to hunt. It even took a few years for me to take up guns and shooting again. But as I said I am truly a gun lover. I have a model 29 and a model 27 Smith that I keep in a lined wooden box and do not shoot either one. I only look at them and wipe them down with a silicone cloth. My Henry BB is in the same category. A case hardened Henry I would love but don’t think I would mind using it. I have a few other guns that get good care taken of them but they get shot. Call me weird if you like but that is my gun thing. I am a reloader and started that in the mid 60s. Even though this is not entirely accurate any more “ I shoot a 45 because they don’t make a 46”. One last thought my grandson just got a Henry X in 45/70 and though I am a Henry rifle lover I don’t care for the X. It is just too mod to suit me. I am an old westerner and lever guns have to look a certain way to me and the X doesn’t do it. It shoots great, is great and has less perceived recoil than any other lever gun I have ever shot. But as old cops will respond when asked why they looked into something “it just don’t look right”.

[Jack45acp]

I like the Forum and the inputs but but if I had a complaint it is you are only talking to yourself and you gat responses dribbling in over months. I would enjoy if a bunch of us were talking at the same time. I understand the nature of the beast , as it were, I just saying how much fun it would be if several of us were exchanging ideas in something like a conference call environment . Other than that I really like the Forum and the responses I received. Thank you all.