Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 44 Magnum or 45 Colt. Which one would you pick?

If it was a single action, then it would be a 45 Colt. DA, then a 44 mag.

Just make sure you use a JSP or a JHP....everyone knows that Hardcast don't expand enough to kill things.....

I toss my vote for .45 Colt........I'm fortunate to have both a 629 and a 625 Mountain Gun......and the .45 Colt flavored gun will be the last one to ever leave my grasp.

This was just to show what I think of "ballistic gel".

Its really a 7 BBHN nose with a 28 BHN shank. It performed exactly as I wanted it to.

If Brians bullet was "soft", would not the nose expand like Craig says and have none of those signs of wear?

They don't show any wear on the meplat edge, either, because its ballistic gel.
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Some 44's: RCBS 250-K, H&G 503 (Elmer went to H&G after Lyman peeved him), LBT 280 LFN, a 38 OWC LBT.



I'll let you decide..

Some 45's: 260 LFN, 280 LFN, RCBS 270-SAA, LBT 340 LFN.

Some more food for thought. Above I posted the 150gr. LBT 38 OWC.

It has a larger meplat than both the LBT and Keith bullets.

Anyone care to guess if it creates a larger wound channel (leave overall penetration out of this one)?

For the 44 lovers....


FWIW, Elmer ditched frontal area to shoot really far and that is the primary reason he left the 45 Colt; that and the 300gr rifle bullets he tried kicking out of SAA's were way too much.

Elmer ditched the .45 because they weren't strong enough for what he wanted to accomplish.

The material I use is Sim-Test and it stops a 230gr Federal HST from a .45ACP in 4". It stopped a 225gr .338 in 11". It's tougher stuff than ballistic gel.

Why ballistic testing media? Because it'll actually stop a bullet, where they usually exit on critters. It's VASTLY more consistent to compare loads to each other than shooting critters and it's more consistent from test to test than wet newsprint. If you think you can do better, you're more than welcome to try.

The question was 'which one would you pick', I answered according to my own preferences. Both are very flexible but to me, the 44 is better when velocity and flatter trajectories are more important. The 45 meanwhile has the edge in heavier bullet options and when velocity is not as important.

Here's a good writing on the topic http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm

I have 3 "Old" Vacqueros, two in 45 Colt and one in 44 Mag. One 45 is a Bisley and the 44Mag is also a Bisley.

I went on a search for a Buffalo killer with these three shooters and used 300g slugs in each application and found the 45 reaching an over pressure mode earlier than the 44 Mag. All loads were with H110 powder and the 44Mag peaked out at 1377 fps and the 45s at 1213 fps. So for a comparison of just horsepower, in MY GUNS, the 44Mag was the velocity king.

In an accuracy comparison, IN MY GUNS, the 44 Mag was able to produce the best results.

So IN MY GUNS, my choice for Buffalo or Bear hunting would be the 44 Mag.

Every gun comes off the line with slightly different specs and either one of these would do the job efficiently I just went with the 44 Mag for the accuracy comparison. As "they" say your mileage..........

I'm curious what the over pressure signs were in your 45.

But it doesn't have an edge. As I posted earlier, I tested two identical guns (4 5/8" Rugers) with every heavy cast bullet tested by Hodgdon.

The .44:
310gr at 1314fps
320gr at 1282fps
330gr at 1226fps
355gr at 1130fps

The .45's:
300gr at 1176fps
325gr at 1241fps
335gr at 1225fps
360gr at 1060fps

Where is the .45's heavy bullet advantage? I'm not trying to be combative but this seems to be a popular myth that the .45Colt is somehow better with heavy bullets. I don't think this perception is based in reality.

45 Colt for me......have this Ruger along with a couple lever 45's

mucho boolits and other components too......

Oh......forgot have two Marlin 44's too.........

Wow.

Sure a lot of heartache over a couple hundredths of an inch and less than a hundred fps (if any).

And muzzle blast? Who shoots these things without hearing protection? I quit doing that decades ago.

My answer to the OP's question has always been either/or, depending on the price and condition of the gun - assuming starting from scratch (no dies, brass, or other previously owned component). For the non-reloader, it's an automatic ".44".

Well, I ended up with a 45 Colt. After listening to the arguments for and against each one (I thought the thread was very civil for the most part BTW) it came down to this; I've owned several 44 Mags in the past but never a 45 Colt. It was really that simple in the end and reason enough for me. After the decision was made I planned on getting a Blackhawk convertible in the Colt/ACP variety but walked in a local gunshop and they had a SS Vaquero .45 Birdshead sitting on the shelf and it was calling my name. I've always wanted a birdshead revolver too and this kills two birds with one stone.

I'm thinking this is going to be a fun pistol.



Thanks for all the replies. There was actually a lot to be learned in those 4 pages.

Terry

This is from Hogdon reloading site


44 mag

BULLET WEIGHT330 GR. BTB LFN GC
ManufacturerWinchester
Powder296
Bullet Diameter.430"
C.O.L.1.730"
Starting Load
Grains19.0
Velocity (ft/s)1,239
Pressure30,200 CUP
Maximum Load
Grains20.8
Velocity (ft/s)1,350
Pressure38,800 CUP


45 Colt

BULLET WEIGHT335 GR. CPB LFN GC
ManufacturerHodgdon
PowderH110
Bullet Diameter.452"
C.O.L.1.680"
Starting Load
Grains20.5
Velocity (ft/s)1,109
Pressure19,200 CUP
Maximum Load
Grains23.5
Velocity (ft/s)1,240
Pressure28,000 CUP


Notice 10,000 CUPS lower pressure for the 45 Colt and if the 80% rule is used the 45 Colt is under loaded


Here is chrono results with a 4 3/4" barrel 45 Colt

TC1: If your new 45 Colt sixgun says "NEW VAQUERO" on the frame, you understand you CAN NOT fire 45 Colt +P loads in it correct? No 32,000 CUP loads, as the NEW VAQUERO is built on the mid frame not the large frame. Please be careful!