[quote=GunGeek]Personally I'd get it in .45 Colt and just skip the .454. When you load a round with the bullet all the way out to the end of the cylinder, you have just as much case capacity as a .454, so you can essentially duplicate the ballistics without having to buy that expensive brass.
I have a couple of problems with this.
OAL-- When loading most bullets in a 45 Colt case to 454 OAL you will not be crimping in the cannelure of that bullet. Not a good thing to do in a revolver with heavy recoil. It is okay in the T/C single shot except for not having equal bullet pull that a good roll crimp affords using slow burning powders.
Some 45 Colt brass can handle high pressures up to normal magnum pressures, but not at 454 pressures. 45 Colt brass has much thinner sidewalls and web section than 454 or 44 mag brass as a comparison.
I have never seen any loading data for the 45 Colt that equals the 454 as far as pressures go. The "Ruger/TC Loads" in the manuals do not equal the 454 pressures. For good reason.
Not that it makes any difference, but FA in their owners manual for the Model 83 states that they do not recommend shooting 45 Colt in the 454 cylinder. They have their reasons. A dirty cylinder from 38 special/.357 mag and 44 special/44mag is not the same as 45 Colt/454. The 454 SAAMI pressures are higher than .357 and 44 mag. Could pose a problem shooting a 454 in a dirty cylinder left over from shooting the 45 Colt "for some people". Like gunchamp said, keep it clean.
