So what's this 45. Special?

[tayous1]

I saw an ad for them a few days ago and wanted to know if anyone has used this round also why did they come up with this round? Last is it used in 45 ACP or 45 LC?

[Char-Gar]

It is basically a 45 ACP case drawn with a 45 Colt head and rim. It was developed by the Cowboy shooters to wanted to use very light loads in the 45 Colt revolvers. Run it through a 45 ACP die and it does very well in SA revolvers with 45 ACP cylinders. It does the same thing as the 45 Auto Rim, you don't have to mill the back of the ACP cylinder for that big thick AR rim.

I load the 45 Cowboy Special for the ACP cylinder of my Italian Colt SA clone. The 45 Colt cylinder has .457 throats and the ACP cylinder has .453 throats. I load 242 grains Keith SWCs sized .452 over 4.5 grains of Bullseye. These loads shoot to the sights, are very accuracy and have plenty of thump at the target.

[tayous1]

It is basically a 45 ACP case drawn with a 45 Colt head and rim. It was developed by the Cowboy shooters to wanted to use very light loads in the 45 Colt revolvers. Run it through a 45 ACP die and it does very well in SA revolvers with 45 ACP cylinders. It does the same thing as the 45 Auto Rim, you don't have to mill the back of the ACP cylinder for that big thick AR rim.

I load the 45 Cowboy Special for the ACP cylinder of my Italian Colt SA clone. The 45 Colt cylinder has .457 throats and the ACP cylinder has .453 throats. I load 242 grains Keith SWCs sized .452 over 4.5 grains of Bullseye. These loads shoot to the sights, are very accuracy and have plenty of thump at the target.

Okay so I did read the article right about it. So my guess is that the 45 special is more accurate then a light 45 LC? Thanks for the information at first I thought it was a typo when I saw the ad to had to look it up. Then got more confused with the article I read about it.

[Castaway]

What is the advantage of it over a 45 Schofield?

[sharps4590]

Probably none, ballistically.

[tayous1]

Probably none, ballistically.

How about accuracy?

[gwpercle]

How about accuracy?

It's like shooting 38 Special in 357 Magnum chamber . The shortened 45 Colt case is easier to eject cleanly & quickly and the smaller case is better for small charges of fast powder ...
In Cowboy Competition guilt edged accuracy isn't as critical as speed .
45 Schofield accomplishes the same thing ...shorter than 45 Colt ... 45 Special , shorter than 45 Schofield . Could be a good use for old 45 Colt Cases with cracked mouth ... cut them down and wah-lah ...
45 Special !
Gary

[Ramguy]

I just started a similar thread on CB about this today! I am making them out of cut down .45 LC blank cases. The blanks have an aggressive crimp on them and it’d be pretty hard to use a once fired blank case to conventionally load a LC round. So…. I cut the crimp off and trim the cases to 45acp length and then load them in my 550 with acp dies and a 45LC shellplate. My load is pretty modest 3.5 gr Bullseye pushing a 230 cast LRN. Very pleasant in all my LC and ACP revolvers including a S&W 625 and Mod 25. I hope to list some very soon in S&S.

[Kosh75287]

I wonder how the .45 Spl. and .45 Schofield brass function through lever action and pump-action rifles.

[Castaway]

Sounds like a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.

[alamogunr]

I just started a similar thread on CB about this today! I am making them out of cut down .45 LC blank cases. The blanks have an aggressive crimp on them and it’d be pretty hard to use a once fired blank case to conventionally load a LC round. So…. I cut the crimp off and trim the cases to 45acp length and then load them in my 550 with acp dies and a 45LC shellplate. My load is pretty modest 3.5 gr Bullseye pushing a 230 cast LRN. Very pleasant in all my LC and ACP revolvers including a S&W 625 and Mod 25. I hope to list some very soon in S&S.

The few blank cases I've run into had enlarged flash holes. I can't imagine that it would be a problem with the light loads listed but might be in unaltered cases.

[scattershot]

Sounds like a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.

That’s pretty much my take on it, as well.

[herian67]

The 45 specials work fine in my Rossi 92.

[Char-Gar]

Sounds like a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.

That is for the most part true, UNLESS you are one of those folks who want to shoot a light compressed load of black powder in a 45 Colt revolver. A "boutique" use of a cartridge case for sure, but still.....there it is.

[Larry Gibson]

The problem [it does exist]; SASS rules require a rimmed cartridge for use in SAs. 45 Colt level SASS (cowboy action) loads are very small charges of powder under light weight bullets giving 400 - 600 fps which leaves a lot of air space in the 45 Colt cartridge.

The solution; Many use 45 Schofield cases in the 45 Colt chambers. It was found the SAs with the 45 ACP cylinders with ACP cases were much more efficient and usually more accurate. However, the 45 ACP, being rimless, was not allowed. Some trimmed 45 Colt and 45 Scofield cases back to 45 ACP length and the cartridge was approved for SASS matches and became known as the 45 Cowboy Special, 45 American and a couple other names.

While I have a few 45 Cowboy cases for test purposes I just use 45 ACP in my Uberti Evil Roy with the 45 ACP cylinder. I probably shoot more ACPs in it than Colts. I don't compete so the rimless cartridge doesn't matter. I use the same bullets in my 45 ACPs as I do My 45 Colts so using a bit less powder for the same performance works for me. Also, it's easier to crank out the ACP on the SDB than 45 Colt because I FL size the Colts on a single stage with an old RCBS steel die first then finish loading on the SDB. I use the 45 Colt in the SA when I carry the '73 Uberti Winchester also.

If the problem and solution don't exist for you then nothing to be concerned about.

[Earl54]

Have a 2.5in Bond arms Rough Neck 45acp. Made a rim cut and I have a 45acp/45 cowboy chamber. I like a rim for extraction of fired cases. Load a accurate molds 45-225w cause it will make a bit of a slap when it hits. 2 shots will do at arms length, when you don't want to carry a gun.

[bigwagon]

That is for the most part true, UNLESS you are one of those folks who want to shoot a light compressed load of black powder in a 45 Colt revolver. A "boutique" use of a cartridge case for sure, but still.....there it is.

+1. IMO that why I use 45 S&W now in my antique Colt SAA and if I wanted to reduce the charge even further, 45 Special would be a good way to go. Preferable to using wads and fillers IMO to otherwise reduce the charge.

[Baltimoreed]

Shorter schofield brass with 255 gr swc will run in my .45colt ‘94 Marlins and one of my uberti 1873s. Don’t know about the other as it’s getting worked on. The reason I use the shorter Schofield loads is to be able to squeeze 10 rds in the magazine in my short rifles. None of my .45colt rifles work with cowboy special loads unless I seat the bullet way out. I put this together to look like a Centennial 1876 but it’s a ‘73, with the shorter mag and the way it’s mounted it will only hold 10 short loads.

[Castaway]

Knowing little about Cowboy Action shooting, I’m surprised it’s allowed. I do know costumes have to be “authentic”, firearms must be period correct, and if they belch smoke, so much the better. It seems to me, the 45 Special goes against the spirit of the game, being designed to load black powder but with recoil reduced to the point a slicked up 73 has the recoil approaching that of a BB gun. Alas, I don’t compete in the sport, but if I did, I’d use the existing rules to be somewhat more competitive.

[Char-Gar]

I am probably delusional, but I have convinced myself that a rimed case (45 Cowboy) in my SA 45 ACP cylinders will give more positive and uniform primer ignition that an ACP case that headspaces on the front of case. I not putting any money on this theory or have any targets to prove it, but there you have it.