45 Colt

[shtur]

Anyone load 45 Colt for a Colt 1909?

There are three US Army 1909 45 Colt revolvers at my LGS. I am thinking of getting one for javelina, cougar, and maybe black bear hunting behind hounds. They are over 100 years old and I don't know if they were ever really capable of shooting over 750 fps with 250 grain bullets.

What bullet do you cast for it?

[cwtebay]

I would strongly advise slugging the barrel and taking advice from "dougguy" on this forum before deciding on a cast boolit.

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[jreidthompson1]

Couple of articles as well as Wikipedia indicates that the model 1909 is the same as the New Service/Model 1917 except 45 colt vs 45 acp. So I would venture that it would handle normal pressure 45 colt loads.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_New_Service

"The Colt M1917 revolver was created to supplement insufficient stocks of M1911 pistols during World War I.[2] It was simply a New Service re-chambered to take the .45 ACP cartridge and used half-moon clips to hold the rimless cartridges in position. After World War I, the revolver gained a strong following among civilian shooters.[3] A commercial rimmed cartridge the .45 Auto Rim was also developed, that allowed the M1917 to be fired without the need for moon-clips"

https://www.all4shooters.com/en/shooting/pistols/colt-new-service-1909-the-last-of-the-great-revolvers/

https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/last-of-its-kind-the-usmc-model-1909-colt/#:~:text=45%20Colt%2Dchambered%20Model%201909,of%2 01911%20pistol%20was%20adopted.


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[shaggybull]

If you need moon clips let me know. Found some in 45 acp brass, I set them aside and have no need for them.

[challenger_i]

Shaggy, the 1909 doesn't need the half-moons, as it is chambered in the 45 Colt cartridge.

3 each 1909's at the same location: that's quite the family reunion! :)

[slam45]

i have a Colt M1909 and although i don't shoot it as often or as hard as my ruger blackhawk... it is a fine shooter and handles standard 45 Colt load fine and shoots where it looks... i consider it one of the best additions to my revolver pile... i find holding and shooting it at 112 years old satisfying and the old Colt will be shooting fine after its next hundred years has come and gone...

[HWooldridge]

As mentioned above, slugging it is an important first step. Would not be surprised if it comes in around .454-.455.

Standard .45 loads are pretty formidable - no need to hot rod the old girl. 250 gr bullet and 6.0 grs of Unique will take care of most anything on 2 or 4 legs.

[DougGuy]

Take something to measure the cylinder throats on ALL of them, that right there might make the decision for you! Or not! Have heard of some of these with .456" throats which would be perfect for the .454" bore. Otoh, my avatar Uberti has .4565" throats, and a .451" barrel, I feed it 454190 cast in 50/50+2% sized .456" at standard pressure, I always say it is a fly's worst nightmare at 10yds! Never leads never even needed to clean the barrel.

[Tall]

I don't have a Model 1909 Colt but I have a NST made in 1919 that chambers the 45 Colt. Mine likes .454" lead bullets at 250 grains and 5.5 grains of Unique powder.

[Outpost75]

Larry Gibson pressure tested .45 Colt loads for me. Factory velocity with standard pressure are closely approximated with 6.5 grains of Bullseye and a 255 lead conical similar to #454190. Accurate makes a version with a crimp groove.

324561

[rintinglen]

FWIW, the Colt 1909 was the first Colt to have heat treated cylinders at the insistence of the Army. What is frustrating is that although that has been documented, I have yet to find real, documented info on when the smaller frame Colt's began heat treatment. With the S&W's, the 1917 Models were the first to have the cylinders heat treated, while the K-frames did not get that attention until cerca 1920 (Ser no 314648, for 38s, 81287 for 32-20's, 321000 for the I frame 32's.) I have read that the Army Special began getting the heat-treatment ~1910, but have also read that it was post 1920. I have never seen any reliable source for when the D-frame guns began to receive heat treating. Trivia, perhaps, but it matters if you are trying to match loads to guns.