Ammo Question - M17 DA S/W in .45acp

[majspud]

The S/W was next in line for the range until the Savage Enfield came home. I've noticed that the .45acp rounds don't nearly fill the chamber whereas the .38 special in my Victory revolver run the full length of the cylinder. As the M17 is designed for a rimmed .45, would the .45 long Colt fit with all that extra space - about half an inch? Is the long Colt a Rimmed cartridge?

t

 

[NavelOfficer]

The .45 ACP is a stubby round. It will have more cylinder jump relative to the longer .38 Special in similar length cylinders.
The .45 Colt is a rimmed case, be it quite minimal in dimensions. It's not meant to be interchanged for use in this revolver, I don't believe. Try chambering a round (I doubt it will even chamber, similar to trying to chamber a .357 Magnum cartridge in a .38 Special only cylinder).
The S&W can use the .45 AR (Auto Rim) or the .45 ACP with moon clips or even without (I believe all of the Smith's have the cylinders cut to headspace the round on it's mouth when not using the moon clips, but don't quote me on that).
Just this week I sold a friend all of my clips with assorted .45 ACP rounds and .45 AR rounds. Everything chambered as advertised, so he's a happy camper. We just couldn't do any shooting onsite the other day unfortunately. I don't recall what exact model he has nor the year of manufacture.

 

[majspud]

So....

Buffalo Bore cast wadcutter .45R 255gr@880fps = 438 foot pounds
Buffalo Bore cast wadcutter .45R 225gr@950fps = 451 foot pounds
Federal practice FMJ RN .45acp 230gr@830fps = 352 foot pounds
Hornady JHP .45R 185gr@875fps = 315 foot pounds

t

 

[NavelOfficer]

Just be happy that you don't own a Judge. How much shorter is the .45 Colt compared to a .410? Talk about bullet jump...

If you reload .45 ACP, you can also do .45 AR, just obtain the #8 (RCBS) or #13 (Lee) shell holder

 

[majspud]

I don't reload yet...

t

 

[majspud]

Federal .45acp JHP 230gr@900fps = 414 foot pounds

Hornady Critical Duty JHP with flexlock .45acp +P 220gr@975fps = 464 foot pounds

So the Buffalo Bore .45R loads seem equal to a +P

t

 

[NavelOfficer]

The above mentioned friend just bought his M1917 this past week and hasn't had opportunity to fire it yet. I have no experience with these revolvers, having only shot the .455 Webley version and only handling the .45 ACP/AR version of my friend's, so I don't know how stout a round they can handle. You might want to stick to standard pressure loads, unless you can verify the M1917 is gtg with higher pressure loads.

 

[mac1911]

Your probably going to like the buffalo bore wad cutter auto rim.
Good old

• Cartridge, Caliber .45, Ball, M1911
• Will do

 

[jpm]

DO NOT SHOOT +P in that gun!! Definitely not designed for such things. In fact I recall reading that the S&W model is not as strong as the Colt version (I have both) so don't even think about it.

 

[majspud]

Wasn't planning to - will try the Buffalo Bore 255gr.

t

 

[Woodstock]

As mac1911 suggested, the 1917 was built to work with 230 gr. ball cartridges, shared with the 1911 pistol, and launching at 850 fps. As you get into higher velocity and heavier slugs you'll increase the stress on the old gun. You could shoot white-box bulk .45 from Walmart forever and run out of money before you wear out the gun. Better yet, get into reloading and make your own. The revolver doesn't require sharp recoil to cycle the action like an autoloader, so light loads with 185 - 200 grain cast bullets are easy to load and more pleasant to shoot.
(BTW, Cabela's has a Hornady reloading kit on sale for $289 this weekend.)

 

[mac1911]

As mac1911 suggested, the 1917 was built to work with 230 gr. ball cartridges, shared with the 1911 pistol, and launching at 850 fps. As you get into higher velocity and heavier slugs you'll increase the stress on the old gun. You could shoot white-box bulk .45 from Walmart forever and run out of money before you wear out the gun. Better yet, get into reloading and make your own. The revolver doesn't require sharp recoil to cycle the action like an autoloader, so light loads with 185 - 200 grain cast bullets are easy to load and more pleasant to shoot.
(BTW, Cabela's has a Hornady reloading kit on sale for $289 this weekend.)

You will also be surprised just how whimpy you can load 45 and still function. I was loading a semi wadcutter with clays powder that was a cream puff. Also my most accurate load for cmp service rifle type shooting.

 

[majspud]

As mac1911 suggested, the 1917 was built to work with 230 gr. ball cartridges, shared with the 1911 pistol, and launching at 850 fps.

I assume it was designed for the rimmed .45 based on the extractor, not the .45acp. The moon clips are an unnecessary pain as the revolved already has a proper extractor. I presume the moon clips were added so both sidearms could use the same ammo.

t

 

[mac1911]

No the M1917 was designed to use the 45 acp
Born of the M1909 basically chambered and colt later redesigned the cylinders to headspace on the cartridge.
The ejector is ment to be used with the moon clips.

You can buy the full moon clips.

The 45 auto rim was designed after the fact. For the civilian market as the M1917s became surplus.

 

[Picton]

Yeah, the .45 ACP chambering was meant for ammo interchangeability. These guns (at least the Colt version) were originally made for .45 Colt as the M1909, but the 1917 was bored for ACP when Uncle Sugar asked them to.

I suggest Rimz plastic full-moon clips. They’re durable and about 400% easier to use than sheet metal clips, plus you can readily convert them to hal-moons using a pair of scissors. No affiliation; I’m just a happy user.