Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 45 Colt single action choices

Yeah, a real Colt with adjustable sights would be at the top of my list.

I went with the next closest thing and don’t feel slighted at all: a USFA worked on by Alan Harton.

These have the crispiest sights than any handgun I own.



I run it in either a homemade “quiet shoulder holster” or Purdy gear Mountain Man type rig when I’m feelin’ sassy





I set it up to shoot 45 Cowboy Special loads and 255 gr SWC over 9 gr of Unique with the same POI at 10y

It’s a solid 1”-per-10y gun and that is plenty good for me for as far as I can see these days.

USFA

I like the Ruger Bisley 45 Colt.. It is capable of everything from Mouse to Moose. The FA Model 97 limits you cartridge OAL to about 1.6 inches. The Colt SAA clones limit your chamber pressure. The older large frame Ruger Vaqueros are your best bets for fixed sight gun to shoot the heavier Buffalo Bore/Grizzily/Garrett 45s. You don't NEED to shoot the romper stompers but with the full size Rugers that is an option.

Garrett makes a Colt SAA(3rd gen) and Colt clone compatible cartridge that goes about 260 grains @ 900FPS that I would not be afraid to hunt any North American ungulate, black bear or other medium sized game with given the appropriate shot angle/distance.

Frank Hamer had a pearl gripped pistol. I don't think Patton would have said that to Captain Hamer.

If you follow Brian Pearce's columns and articles, he has developed lots and lots of loads for the 45 Colt. In his 14,000 psi section, he loads a 285 gr. cast SWC to just under 1,000 fps. In the ~20,000 psi (Ruger New Vaquero and Uberti SA's) he loads the same bullet to 1100 fps.

If I need more power than that, you'll find me carrying something with a shoulder stock, a tubular magazine, chambered in a caliber beginning with the number 4!

35WN

Since Frank Hamer's 45 was mentioned, I'll post a couple of pics I took of his engraved pearl-stocked 45 several years ago at the NRA Museum at the Springfield MO Bass Pro. Pics were taken with an old phone and glare edited out as best I could. While I don't care for pearl grips there's no shame in them, especially if they are carved with steer heads.




Frank's favorite and most used Colt was 'Old Lucky'



More at http://russellcushman.blogspot.com/p/frank-hamer.html

Sarge, great stuff!!!

I’m still with Patton on this issue.

Not my bag either, TRH. Give me ivory, sheephorn or stag.

The custom option is a good one. This one features an oversized six-shot cylinder that can be loaded hot to your heart's content. It's a JRH creation...

This is another I like a lot. Dealer exclusive (Talo) .45 Colt Ruger Bisley with color case hardening by Turnbull.

Fantastic revolvers, Max! The blue & case colored Talo gun is perfect.

That Talo/Turnbull 45 is rare as hens teeth right now.

How does your Turnbull shoot, Whitworth? The throats on mine measure .451, and I was considering having them honed to something like .4525, but the danged thing has been doing well with cast bullets of .452 in the 265 and 300 grain weight range. Bhn? Cast Performance bullets.