S&W Model 1950, 45 ACP, Target Revolver

[Gray Fox]

I think I have an even half dozen 25s in .45 ACP and Colt right now, and the blued ones would sure look good with those maple grips. Any chance you would share contact info for the maker? GF

[StrawHat]

… Any chance you would share contact info for the maker? GF

At this time, Curt has a two year wait and is not accepting new orders until he is caught up. Not sure what will happen then. He is keeping those cards close to his vest.

Kevin

[boatswainsmate]

[StrawHat]

Still curious about it because I hear stories of variance and wonder about what matters and what works despite what dimensionality is found. If you are getting good accuracy shooting through a particular sized throat that is worth knowing for my or maybe someone else’s mental reference compared to what I am experiencing with what I have. Mine run .4515” through a 625-3. This tends to make me fonder of Alliant 2400 in the ACP/Auto Rim than others who report larger throat diameters and the interference fit of shooting .452” bullets through 4515” throats is possibly something to do with that.

So that is why I asked. If .454” cast is shooting well through a big throat that is something to consider. Or maybe it isn’t so big. When I have a particular outcome sometimes I tend to look as to why. Just how I roll.

I grabbed some .452” and some .454” boolits. The 454 caught in the throats of both Model 1950 Target revolvers (also in a Model 1950 Army, but that is for a different thread.) I thought they would.

I then tried the .452” boolits and they also caught in the throats. I do not have plug gauges nor any smaller boolits so the throats are at least .452”.

Kevin

[35remington]

As I mentioned mine (625-3) are .4515” and it does shoot very well but due to the very shallow rifling skidding when striking the forcing cone is rather well developed and the heavier the bullet the wider the land marks are on the bullets. This is common to shallow rifled 45 ACP revolvers and also considering the longer jump to forcing cone, more so than standard deeper rifled calibers in Smiths like 38 Special. Skidding is noticeably less on 190ish grain target type 45 ACP bullets than the 452423 or the 452454 so the barrel fouls somewhat less over a long string of shots.

No problem with the heavier bullets for hunting use but for ultimate accuracy and frugality of lead usage my choice for practice and plinking is the lighter target type SWC’s with the 452423 used for hunting at around 960 fps with 6.8 grains Unique. One time I lengthwised a decent buck with that bullet at about 40 yards. Hit the base of the neck forward of the shoulder and the bullet came out the back of the right ham. The revolver is a five inch. Decent for woods range deer. Casting or heat treating to attain a harder bullet helps the skidding to some degree.

Sounds like your throats are definitely not too big so you have quashed that rumor for your collection. A friend had a 45 Colt Anaconda that accepted .458! Sheesh!

[StrawHat]

…

Sounds like your throats are definitely not too big so you have quashed that rumor for your collection. A friend had a 45 Colt Anaconda that accepted .458!…

I have not measured all of my ACP revolvers. I might get to it some day. The GB 453423 and the SAECO 453 both have a long bearing surface which I prefer in the S&W ACP rifling. I don’t cast them very hard, 20/1 and I have no idea what they look like as I do not collect fired boolits. I am very content when they all stay in a 5” circle at 50 yards from offhand. Like I mentioned, I have two loads that work in my revolvers. Both are similar to hardball. If the revolver does not like one of them, down the road it goes.

Kevin

[35remington]

The target wadcutters I like have short noses and quite long bearing surfaces for their length like the 452488 and the discontinued Lee 190 sorta slight round nosed semiwadcutter so there is some commonality of function there I think. I just like being frugal with lead when clanging steel or punching paper and an N frame Smith shooting a target wadcutter at 750 fps is a pleasant respite from shooting 19-24 ounce 9mm pistols.

Those blunt fat bullets sling a steel can of any sort a lot further than 9mm ball. I remember back in the day how much further the old metal coffee cans would get slung along the ground when shot. No comparison actually. Plinking is way more fun using a wheelie and I don’t have to chase brass.

[StrawHat]

On the left is the SAECO 453, middle is a 250 RNFP and far right is a 250 WC. This summer I hope to get a chance to test the middle and right boolits. Can they unseat the 453 or 452423? We will see!

Kevin

[StrawHat]

As I mentioned mine (625-3) are .4515” and it does shoot very well but due to the very shallow rifling skidding when striking the forcing cone is rather well developed and the heavier the bullet the wider the land marks are on the bullets. This is common to shallow rifled 45 ACP revolvers and also considering the longer jump to forcing cone, more so than standard deeper rifled calibers in Smiths like 38 Special. Skidding is noticeably less on 190ish grain target type 45 ACP bullets than the 452423 or the 452454 so the barrel fouls somewhat less over a long string of shots.

No problem with the heavier bullets for hunting use but for ultimate accuracy and frugality of lead usage my choice for practice and plinking is the lighter target type SWC’s with the 452423 used for hunting at around 960 fps with 6.8 grains Unique. One time I lengthwised a decent buck with that bullet at about 40 yards. Hit the base of the neck forward of the shoulder and the bullet came out the back of the right ham. The revolver is a five inch. Decent for woods range deer. Casting or heat treating to attain a harder bullet helps the skidding to some degree.

Sounds like your throats are definitely not too big so you have quashed that rumor for your collection. A friend had a 45 Colt Anaconda that accepted .458! Sheesh!

I just reread your post. You are getting better accuracy with the shorter bearing surface of the lighter boolit? That sounds contrary to logic but, empirical evidence trump intuitive logic. Any specific boolit? I certainly would not mind a boolit that save me 25% each shot.

Kevin

[StrawHat]

I was just given a new grip adapter that I have fit to this revolver. I am not sure about it.





Your thoughts?

Kevin

[35remington]

The bearing surface might be slightly shorter compared to the heavy SWC’s but the overall length of the bullet is shorter as well, at least comparing SWC versus SWC. So bearing surface as a percentage of overall length is more favorable. They are used for target shooting for what I presume to be good reason, so I followed the crowd and have no complaint. Look for any of those favored by the bullseye crowd. These would be relatively short nosed SWC type.

[StrawHat]

The bearing surface might be slightly shorter compared to the heavy SWC’s but the overall length of the bullet is shorter as well, at least comparing SWC versus SWC. So bearing surface as a percentage of overall length is more favorable. They are used for target shooting for what I presume to be good reason, so I followed the crowd and have no complaint. Look for any of those favored by the bullseye crowd. These would be relatively short nosed SWC type.

I have thought about the 200/210 SWC but have not tried them.

As much as I like to experiment, I have nearly two dozen ACP revolvers, I want 1 or 2 loads that work in all. I may buy 500 boolits to try out.

Kevin

[Bazoo]

On the left is the SAECO 453, middle is a 250 RNFP and far right is a 250 WC. This summer I hope to get a chance to test the middle and right boolits. Can they unseat the 453 or 452423? We will see!

Kevin

A useful looking variety of bullets. That middle one, provided accuracy was there, would check all my boxes.

[Bazoo]

I was just given a new grip adapter that I have fit to this revolver. I am not sure about it.





Your thoughts?

Kevin

Is that grip adapter brass/gold colored?

[StrawHat]

Is that grip adapter brass/gold colored?

I believe it is called bronze. This is the first one I have had in the flesh. I had seen images but never the real thing. I am not sure what revolver this will end up gracing.

Kevin

[StrawHat]

A useful looking variety of bullets. That middle one, provided accuracy was there, would check all my boxes.

I will give it a good trial but I really prefer the wadcutter boolits.

Kevin

[35remington]

I like a nice fat strong leading band myself to grab ahold of the rifling ASAP.

[Jtarm]

I will give it a good trial but I really prefer the wadcutter boolits.

Kevin

A double-ended wadcutter based on the SAECO 348 (.38 special) has a bevel at the nose.

Crimped in the groove, it should fit right up against and the chamber throats and align itself.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_...bullet=45-225W

[StrawHat]

A double-ended wadcutter based on the SAECO 348 (.38 special) has a bevel at the nose.

Crimped in the groove, it should fit right up against and the chamber throats and align itself.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_...bullet=45-225W

Correct. But, I am only interested in wadcutters, or very blunt noses, for the 45 calibers, preferably, ACP.

Kevin