Originally Posted by siskiyous6
Shorten the cases to match the crimp groove and work up loads. There will still be lots of room for powder in a 45 "Special Shortened Colt".

You of course have your 44 and that is very cool. But, there isn't any real handicap for the 45.


Plus 1.

There have been many comments on different forums about how the .45 Colt is handicapped by the short cylinder on the FA97. This really isn't the case if you are a handloader. You can use bullets with dual crimp groves, trim cases, crimp over the front drive band or above the crimp grove. Tim Sundles, of Buffalo bore, wrote about using .45 Schofield cases to create some pretty stout loads.

The above is not conjecture, as I have done all of the above except I haven't used .45 Schofield cases. I have used 340gr LWNGCs at 1,100+ fps in a 3 1/2" FA97 -- good tight neck tension and a crimp applied above the crimp grove held the bullets just fine. My standard load, uses the RCBS 270gr SAA crimped over the front drive band (just too lazy to trim a bunch of cases). This load is quite accurate in both .45Colt and .454 W/.45 Colt cylinder.

This post is not ment to disparage the .44 Special -- I have a FA97 so chambered, and it is an absolute joy -- but there are no flies on the .45Colt either.

Anyway, if you are a handloader, and like the idea of the M97 in .45 Colt, don't let the short cyl comments turn you off.

These are two of my most used handguns -- both .45 Colt.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Paul