[kidcolt]

Does anyone know what they are on the new production guns?Thanks

 

[weagle99]

I read in Handloader that they are oversized (like .457 or something).

When asked, the Colt rep said it was to 'keep pressures down.'

 

[arjay]

Mine shoots 454s quite accurately.When one is dropped through a chamber it takes a little push to go through.

 

[kidcolt]

That's a deal killer for me. I don't know what Colt is thinking about keeping pressures down. If the cylinder isn't strong enough to handle standard loads, then they need to do something else.My local dealer said he can get one for me, but I won't be buying. I have my .45 Blackhawks.Off to buy a German Luger!

 

[Hondo44]

Throats in my newest from 2005 run .454 to .456" and shoots quite well with .452" bullets. Slightly oversized throats is far less detrimental to accuracy than overly tight throats, in my experience.

 

[kidcolt]

Yes. In the Rugers the throats ran tight on some guns and could be economically reamed. When oversize as much as .457, all you can do is get a new cylinder custom bored.All of the .45 bullets I have seen run .451/.452 which is correct for my Rugers. I suppose you can get someone to cast and size oversize if you need that.I am a Colt gun owner, I buy them whenever the planets align. I am disappointed that I can't get a new SSA that I can shoot with the components I have. I just can not visualize good results with a chamber that oversize.P.S. no Luger yet. looking at a new Agent with shroud.

 

[WIL TERRY]

THE LAST ONE I MEASURED, a brand new SAA 45 had six charge holes whose throats measured .453" I.D. dead-on-the-money using pin gauges [ NOT plug gauges ] and measured with an electronic mike that measures to fifty millions of an inch. This SAA shoots like a champ too, right on the sights. Too damn bad it is not mine.

 

[arjay]

"over size" bullets are available from various companies if you load your own.Mine didn't shoot factory loads worth a damn.With a full charge of black powder and 454 bullets,it shoots very nice groups and poa is poi at 25 yards. Can't beat that.

 

[swamprat]

That's a deal killer for me. I don't know what Colt is thinking about keeping pressures down. If the cylinder isn't strong enough to handle standard loads, then they need to do something else.My local dealer said he can get one for me, but I won't be buying. I have my .45 Blackhawks.Off to buy a German Luger!

kidcolt;
I've got a 1914 DWM all matching except grips and mag if you're interested, email me @
[email protected]

 

[CraigC]

I've heard them reported both ways. Some correct, some oversized as usual. One of the reasons I'd rather have a .44Spl.

 

[ussmanlovede36]

I think all this worry about over sized chamber throats is much to do about nothing. I've owned many colt saa 45's over the years and found the rem or win 250gr and 255gr loads shoot very good ( factory loads ). I think the bullets are sized .453". I also found that swaged lead bullets sized .454" shoot great. you can buy these bullets already casted. I think colt still sized there throats the same as in the black powder days. happy shooting

 

[kidcolt]

OK, I'm still interested. What about case life? I won't be shooting a lot, maybe I will keep the brass separate from my Rugers.Any body know if the .357 guns are likewise oversize? How about the 38-40 guns?Thank you all. If I get one I will ask you folks for some plinker load data.

 

[kooz]

I talked to Ben Forkin about this earlier this year, and he said that it has been his observation that the 38-40 guns are most consistant as far as dimensions, and that they can be real tack drivers. I seem to remember Bowen telling me the same thing.

 

[kidcolt]

How much $$$$ for a 38-40 these days? I have a Marlin 1889 rifle in this caliber.By the way, it is my understanding that the 38-40 and the 40 S&W are almost identical ballistically.

 

[kooz]

I would imagine that the 38-40 is priced the same as other calibers. Yes the .40 S&W and the 38-40 are basically ballistic twins.

 

[CraigC]

With modern smokeless loads, the .38-40 is more like the 10mm. Think 180's at 1200fps. Even with Unique I get 1550fps from a Winchester 1873 replica. Need an SAA to go with it, the large frame Blackhawk is too much meat for the cartridge.

 

[sixgunshorty35717]

I read in Handloader that they are oversized (like .457 or something).

When asked, the Colt rep said it was to 'keep pressures down.'

No way.
a .457 would be adequate for a 45-70 but not for a 45 Colt!
Current SAA 45 3rd gens run approx .454( Colt has always been notorious for slightly varying bore sizes(+-.001) but nowhere near a .457! IMHO. NEVER try to stuff a .457 or anything larger than a .454 in a Colt .45
Kind of hilarious that using a .457 in a 45 colt would keep pressures down! Absolutely the opposite!

 

[1KPerDay]

I think the intent of the comment was that shooting .452-454 "standard" loads through a .457 throat would keep pressures down.

 

[reconciler]

I just purchased "Customizing the Colt Single Action Army" video with Larry Crow and he was working on a brand new out-of-the-box .45 Colt SAA that had throats at .460!!! His remedy would be to throw away that cylinder and re-bore a .357 cylinder to .45 Colt "unless you are shooting large targets up close".

 

[kidcolt]

I am out of the picture now. Local dealer can not get me any Colts except ARs. Maybe some day a 38-40 will show upMeanwhile, I continue to reach for and buy other Colts. Local dealer says a 6920 is available. Maybe........ ( I don't have one)Colt firearms, still making men equal after all these years........