I jst read something the other day about not shooting .45 acp and .45 Colt in a New Service due to issues with high pressure.
Recommendations: "adding" a caliber to my Colt New Service Target .455?
Hi:
About a year or so ago, I bought a Colt New Service Target in .455 (Webley?). Sometime in the past, an owner chambered the NST to also shoot .45 Long Colt. The gun also has been reblued. I figured with these modifications, the revolver basically lost the majority of its collector value. In fact, I paid just a little over 1k for it. 45 Colt and 455 Webley are obtainable cartridges but I entertained the idea of sending it over to TK Customs to have it also shoot .45 ACP using moonclips, so I can shoot all three cartridges from the same gun. Before I go that round (pardon the pun), any objections? Is my reasoning sound or am I missing something? Thanks. NS41.
About a year or so ago, I bought a Colt New Service Target in .455 (Webley?). Sometime in the past, an owner chambered the NST to also shoot .45 Long Colt. The gun also has been reblued. I figured with these modifications, the revolver basically lost the majority of its collector value. In fact, I paid just a little over 1k for it. 45 Colt and 455 Webley are obtainable cartridges but I entertained the idea of sending it over to TK Customs to have it also shoot .45 ACP using moonclips, so I can shoot all three cartridges from the same gun. Before I go that round (pardon the pun), any objections? Is my reasoning sound or am I missing something? Thanks. NS41.
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That almost seems a bit odd since the New Service was built to shoot both cartridges. NS41.
I don't think you can have that modification done, to shoot .45 ACP using moon or half moon clips. In order to accomodate the clips, the cylinder must have the rear face shaved off, which will result in excessive headspace for use of .45 Colt ammunition. Further the stud, or boss, on the sideplate would allow too much fore-and-aft cylinder play of the shortened cylinder.
Bob Wright
As to shooting .45 ACP or .45 Colt in a New Service, never heard that being a dangerous practice. In fact, when I had my New Service ex-.455 to .45 Colt to .44 Special I used it with some of Elmer Keith's heaviest .44 Special handloads with nary a hitch. The New Service is one rugged gun. I had hoped Colt would revive it instead of going the Anaconca route.
Bob Wright
As to shooting .45 ACP or .45 Colt in a New Service, never heard that being a dangerous practice. In fact, when I had my New Service ex-.455 to .45 Colt to .44 Special I used it with some of Elmer Keith's heaviest .44 Special handloads with nary a hitch. The New Service is one rugged gun. I had hoped Colt would revive it instead of going the Anaconca route.
I agree with Bob, a .45ACP conversion to that cylinder would have excessive headspace fot the .45 Colt and .455 rounds. Finding another crane and cylinder in .45ACP and having it fitted would be a more viable alternative.
As for the pressure issue, I have heard that caution involving Webley revolvers that have been re-chambered to .45ACP, but not with Colt's revolvers. As has been noted. the New Service, both comercially and as the 1917, was chambered for that round.
As for the pressure issue, I have heard that caution involving Webley revolvers that have been re-chambered to .45ACP, but not with Colt's revolvers. As has been noted. the New Service, both comercially and as the 1917, was chambered for that round.
Does your former .455 Cylinder have a 'step' now, which co-responds to the length of the .45 Colt Cartridge?
If not, or if so, ( either way! ) there would be a LOT of blow by and 'jump' for a .45 ACP Bullet to be fired from it...as well as, that .45 ACP tends to be barely .452 in diameter, and, your Revolver was made for Bullets of about .455 in diameter...so, even more Blow-By and lousy accuracy would result, if it were chambering and firing .45 ACP.
I would say, stay with .45 Colt for this one! ( leaving aside the tasks of Cylinder 'shaving' or other things necessary for it to use .45 ACP in Moon Clips ).
My Avatar represents a 'solution' I arrived at, for some of my 'converted' .455 Revolvers, in this case, showing an S & W 2nd Model Hand Ejector, which was originally .455 Webley, and, was converted to .45 Colt as well as .45 ACP.
So what I did, was to modify a bunch of .45 Colt Cartridge Cases, for them to fit onto the usual .45 ACP full Moon Clips, and, I load them with .454 pure soft Lead, flat face Wadcutters, of about 230 Grains or so Bullet weight.
A dandy Cartridge! Accurate enough for any sensible distance, and, would be a delight as an SD round too.
No nasty 'blow by', everything fits nicely, no pesky 'gap' between Bullet and Cylinder Bore, no nasty 'jump', and, fun to look into the end of the Cylinder, as seen in the Avatar image.
Do you Load your own?
If not, or if so, ( either way! ) there would be a LOT of blow by and 'jump' for a .45 ACP Bullet to be fired from it...as well as, that .45 ACP tends to be barely .452 in diameter, and, your Revolver was made for Bullets of about .455 in diameter...so, even more Blow-By and lousy accuracy would result, if it were chambering and firing .45 ACP.
I would say, stay with .45 Colt for this one! ( leaving aside the tasks of Cylinder 'shaving' or other things necessary for it to use .45 ACP in Moon Clips ).
My Avatar represents a 'solution' I arrived at, for some of my 'converted' .455 Revolvers, in this case, showing an S & W 2nd Model Hand Ejector, which was originally .455 Webley, and, was converted to .45 Colt as well as .45 ACP.
So what I did, was to modify a bunch of .45 Colt Cartridge Cases, for them to fit onto the usual .45 ACP full Moon Clips, and, I load them with .454 pure soft Lead, flat face Wadcutters, of about 230 Grains or so Bullet weight.
A dandy Cartridge! Accurate enough for any sensible distance, and, would be a delight as an SD round too.
No nasty 'blow by', everything fits nicely, no pesky 'gap' between Bullet and Cylinder Bore, no nasty 'jump', and, fun to look into the end of the Cylinder, as seen in the Avatar image.
Do you Load your own?
Post some images of your Revolver..!
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