Читать книгу Gun Digest 2011 - Dan Shideler - Страница 27

all about the .45 AUTO RIM

BY ROBERT H. CAMPBELL

The author’s much-appreciated Smith and Wesson .45 Auto Rim revolver. This is possibly the most versatile big bore ever produced.

I enjoy firing a number of pretty odd handguns simply for their own sake. Like many of you, I find calibers both new and old a challenge to fully develop in terms of accuracy and power. But when it comes to real work, such as harvesting game or winning competition, logic dictates the proper choice.

Among the handgun calibers I enjoy the most are those that give results out of proportion to their paper ballistics. The .44-40, .45 Colt and .45 Auto Rim are relatively mild to fire. The big, heavy bullets they use don’t break any speed records. But their effect on the target – be it a game animal, falling plate or the inoffensive ten pin – is impressive. I do not enjoy firing hard-kicking magnums nearly as much as the milder big bores. When I need more power than is available from a six-inch barrel .45 Auto Rim revolver, I consider a rifle rather than a longer, heavier, more powerful handgun. The man who masters the .500 Magnum has my respect, but when I feel the game outclasses my handguns, a rifle such as the Mauser Engineer’s carbine is much handier, and easier on me, than a hard kicking Magnum. But that’s me.

I am sure my affinity for the big bore revolver is related in some manner to my appreciation for the 1911 .45 caliber semi-auto. But the die was cast at an early age. Let’s just say I owned a big bore revolver before high school and the 1911 came along after I was driving and owned my own vehicle. No matter how many 1911s I eventually own, I can never change the fact that my first .45 was a humble and well-worn 1917 revolver.

The 25-5 revolver, top, is heavier and has better sights than the 1917, bottom, but either can serve well in their intended roles. Note Ahrends grips on the 1917.

Even today, my battery includes several 45 ACP handguns that are not autoloaders. These revolvers are more versatile than any semi-auto and can be loaded with a wider selection of bullets. The edge in power goes to the revolver for reasons we will cover in due course. I am not, however, going to argue that the .45 Auto Rim, a companion to the .45 ACP in revolver chamberings, is more efficient than the .44-40 or the .45 Colt. The differences are probably conversational at best. But the .45 ACP/AR revolver is the ideal big bore revolver for the man who also owns .45 caliber self-loaders.

An observation that I must make is that the .45 Auto Rim is among a very few revolver cartridges designed from the start for use with smokeless powder. The .44-40, .45 Colt and the .44 Special are longer cases, designed to perform well with bulky black powder. The .45 Colt in particular demands attention to detail. The .45 AR is much more straightforward, with good results with practically any powder. The .45 AR can be a miser with powder, producing good results with light charges of fast burning powder. But each cartridge has its place.

If you’re not familiar with the .45 Auto Rim, perhaps bit of history is in order.

Smooth, reliable, hand-fitted. The original 1917 is a good revolver, among the best choices for personal defense.

IN THE BEGINNING

The .45 AR is something of an accident, but it was also a fortunate turn of events for the handgunner.

Big and heavy, this old Colt New Service 1917 is also very smooth and accurate.

The .45 AR came to life in 1920, using a short cartridge case that is simply a thick-rimmed .45 ACP case. This gives the .45 AR a tremendous advantage in the use of controlled amounts of faster-burning powder. A full powder burn, limited muzzle flash and blast and mild recoil are more easily realized with the .45 Auto Rim than with any other big bore cartridge.

The story of the 1917 revolvers is well-known but must be told again. Considering the material shortages across the nation as we entered World War I, it is a surprise Krag rifles were not sent to Europe! The Springfield was in short supply but a production line in full swing, supporting the British, supplied the Enfield 1917. In like fashion, Colt and Smith and Wesson production lines were producing large-frame .455 caliber revolvers for the British. Production of these handguns, which were based on the Colt New Service and S&W New Century respectively, was diverted to the US Army. The Army did not wish to use .455 caliber revolvers; neither did they wish to use the .45 Colt cartridge. The .45 Colt is designed for button-ejecting single action revolvers and does not translate as well to double action star-ejecting revolvers. The big .45’s case rim has a tendency to hang under the ejector star. Most of all the Army did not wish to have two handgun cartridges in the inventory, anyway. A solution was developed to allow the revolvers to chamber the .45 ACP cartridge.

Chambering a revolver for the .45 ACP cartridge isn’t a problem. Ejecting the rimless .45 ACP cartridge presented more difficulty. The now-famous moon clip solved this difficulty. The thin sheet metal clip was originally issued in pairs, with two three-round clips needed to fully load the revolver. After the gun load was fired, a rap on the ejector rod threw all six cases out at once. Naturally, fired and unfired cases would be ejected simultaneously. This system created the most efficient loading and ejecting system ever used in a revolver. No matter what the angle of the muzzle, there was no possibility of the spent cases jamming under the ejector star. All were ejected at once.

Also, a moon-clipped revolver is the fastest revolver of all to reload. Whether the muzzle is pointed up or down, it is possible to quickly load the .45 ACP revolver with moon clips and remain in business. It seems doubtful this system would have been developed outside the crucible or war, but it worked well. How much use the 1917 revolvers saw is another matter. Used they were, by military police, drivers, and tank personnel, while front line troops received the lion’s share of 1911 self loaders. If I could not have gotten my hands on a 1911, I would not have felt naked with a good 1917. I am sure a few doughboys preferred the familiar revolver.

The author often totes this 1917 Smith and Wesson when hiking or simply spelunking.

This photograph illustrates the three types of .45 ACP/AR headspacing. The cartridges at the top are .45 ACP rounds, held by a two-round moon clip. On the bottom left are two .45 ACP cartridges simply loaded in the chamber, and finally two .45 AR cartridges. The author feels the .45 AR solution makes the most sense.

This Smith and Wesson 1917 is fast handling and powerful. The revolver has been Meta Life plated and fitted with Ajax stag grips. Carried in a Tucker belt slide, this is as good as it gets in a defensive revolver.

After the war, many 1917s were sold as surplus. Some went to bank guards, others went to the fledging US Border Patrol, and quite a few were used by outdoorsmen. After all, here was a good double action big bore revolver at a modest price.

Most of the shooting public, however, did not care for moon clips. They were seen as a nuisance at best. Since the .45 ACP cartridge headpaced on the case mouth and not on the rim, the 1917-pattern revolvers could be fired without the clips, but the cases had to be picked out one at a time, a tedious process. Remington introduced a solution in 1920: the .45 Auto Rim. The .45 Auto Rim is basically a rimmed .45 ACP, with a rather thick head in relation to the short case. It is not interchangeable with the dimensionally similar .45 Schofield. Enterprising handloaders (is there any other type?) learned the .45 AR offered a couple of advantages over the .45 ACP, other than the obvious simplicity of chambering without the aid of moon clips: the case head is stronger and offers more support, allowing heavier loads, and the .45 AR is well-suited to lead bullet loads, something that could not always be said of the .45 ACP round as fired from the 1911. The original .45 AR factory loading produced 830 fps with a 230-grain round nose lead bullet. Today, to the best of my knowledge, the .45 Auto Rim is loaded by Georgia Arms on a standard basis and is available from custom maker Quality Cartridge as well. (Note that as of this writing, most ammunition makers are experiencing heavy delays and backorders.) The tried-and-true Remington loading has, regrettably, disappeared from Big Green’s catalog, and it is doubtful whether it will ever reappear.

The best news to come along in some time is the availability of .45 Auto Rim brass from at least one manufacturer: Starline. With these high quality cartridge cases, the .45 Auto Rim fan has a reliable resource and may reasonably stretch his .45 AR to accommodate heavy loads.

The Star Bullets 185-gr. SWC HP performed beyond expectation. This is excellent expansion at low velocity.

Left to right, the 185-gr. Star bullet with experiments in seating depth, the 200-gr. Speer Gold Dot in .45 AR brass, the 240-gr. Sierra JHP and the 230-gr. XTP, all good loadings for specific uses.

The Sierra bullet at left has been deep seated; no need to worry about feed reliability in the revolver. But be certain to reduce powder charge when experimenting with deeper seating of heavy bullets.

At maximum velocities, the Speer Gold Dot, left, gave good results and the Sierra 240-gr. JHP shows uneven expansion. The 230-gr. weights are best suited to standard .45 ACP velocity.

.45 AUTO RIM LOAD DATA

Note: All loads loaded on RCBS equipment, all primers standard Winchester Large Pistol primers. All brass is Starline. All handloads listed were fired for testing in the Smith & Wesson 1955 target revolver.

JACKETED BULLETS

* This is a good load, very accurate, but the bullet is designed for the .45 Colt. I don’t believe you will see any expansion on game at this velocity. But just the same it is among the most accurate .451-inch bullets, not only in the .45 AR but in my .45 ACP and .460 Rowland pistols as well. It certainly has enough penetration for most purposes.

LEAD BULLETS

The bulk of .45 Auto Rim ammunition was fired in the 1917 revolvers. Elmer Keith designed a semi-wadcutter bullet just for the short chambers of this revolver (238-grain Lyman #452423 – now sadly out of production but occasionally available on the used market). Short chambers are the one real failing of the .45 AR. The 1917s and even some modern 625s will not accept the longer 250-grain bullets, so the 200- to 240-grain SWCs are used. The 1955 Targets usually accept heavier bullets. Also, some of the modern runs of 625s will not function properly without moon clips when firing the .45 ACP. They simply will not headspace correctly unless .45 AR or clipped .45 ACP cartridges are used.

When the heavy barrel 1955 models came along, handloaders worked up combinations that gained a new respect for the .45 AR. With its heavy barrel, target stocks and full length ejector rod housing, the new revolver was heavier and more pleasant to use than any 1917. The .45 AR’s stronger head and the fact that the cartridge case is better supported in the revolver than the .45 ACP in the 1911 autoloader allowed the cartridge to considerably outperform the .45 ACP. The .45 AR is about as strong as a safe load in the Colt SAA in .45 Colt. For medium game and as a defense load, this is an outstanding caliber.

I appreciate the combat advantages of a .45 ACP revolver with moon clips, and have used this combination successfully in bowling pin shoots. But with top accuracy and hunting more my focus these days, I use the .45 AR for the most part. For informal shooting I sometimes use the more common .45 ACP brass without clips, although some revolvers lose accuracy potential when fired in this manner due to inconsistent headspacing. I have read comments from writers in the popular press who have stated that it is good to have a 1917 revolver on hand to shoot up your off-spec .45 ACP handloads. This is one short step up from lunacy. First, who wants to make up poor handloads? The revolver is more tolerant of light loads and a less than perfect crimp, true, but a high primer or less than perfect headspace is detrimental to revolver function. Pull those bad handloads and try again!

A fine set of adjustable sights goes a long way in achieving consistent accuracy. Smith and Wesson micro sights offer a good sight picture and excellent adjustment.

These cartridges are clipped into two-round moon clips from Ranch Products. When loading a 50-round box for use in the .45 ACP revolver, these moon clips allow easy loading for immediate use – a good idea!

Some of the 625s are accurate but I maintain the 1955s (marked 25-5 in modern production) are the most accurate .45 AR revolvers. Remember, some revolvers will not use heavy bullets such as the 250-grain XTP or some 255-grain SWCs, so make up a dummy round or two before beginning your loading program.

I have used a large number of cast bullets in my revolvers. A handgun that is going to live with me must digest lead bullets. This proletarian diet offers good economy and accuracy. I have made use of the .45 AR’s great versatility in producing a number of gallery loads. Hornady’s .457-inch lead ball, intended for black powder revolvers, works just fine over 3.0 gr. of Bullseye or 5.0 gr. of Unique, for 550 to 650 fps, respectively. The round nose bullet doesn’t have much range but its power is respectable. At 15 yards, this load will cut one ragged hole. Be careful in ensuring that you crimp the round ball properly or you will sacrifice bullet pull and ignition will be erratic as a result. The neat 160-grain SWC offered by Hunter’s Trail performs well, too. For teaching a novice to shoot, this is a fine bullet with good accuracy but little recoil. 4.0 gr. of Bullseye is all that is needed. This is a hard-cast bullet that will not lead if loaded a bit hotter, but I have not done so. It is a good light bullet for target use at moderate range and really does the business.

These light bullets are really trick bullets but that’s fine – they serve a real purpose. The more appropriate weights begin at 185 grains. I have to say that a special bullet that has impressed me is the Star 185-grain SWC HP. I have used quite a few in the .45 Auto. It’s a swaged bullet, and its accuracy is outstanding with leading not too bad if velocity is kept below 900 fps. I wondered if the hollowpoint was for balance or if the bullet would expand in ballistic media. Only when I began to load these bullets in the .45 AR did I test expansion. I was surprised! Beginning at 750 fps the bullets expanded, and at 850 fps expansion was impressive. This would be a fine small game bullet, even a defense bullet for home use. As a bonus, accuracy is excellent and recoil light. Unlike jacketed bullets, you do not have to push this bullet hard to achieve expansion.

200-grain SWCs are nearly always accurate, and if driven fast enough they can be good hunting bullets. Ejected from my BallistiCast mold at 205 grains, the 200-grain SWC is especially accurate. When I go the store-bought route, Oregon Trail and Leadhead have given fine results.

A heavier bullet is the 225-grain flat-point so popular in the .45 ACP. This bullet is murder on bowling pins, far more effective than the 230-grain RNL. That little flat on the nose simply does the business. The 225-grain FP is a compromise, as a true SWC often is a bit harder to stuff in the cylinders quickly when using moon-clipped .45 ACP ammunition in competition. When shooting IDPA I use RNL bullets, but for pins you have got to have a flat point or SWC for effect. Simply because they are available and inexpensive, I have used many 230-grain RNL bullets in the .45 AR, always with good results. The last batch was from Magnus bullets. Heavier are the 250-grain bullets from Oregon Trail. Designed for the .45 Colt, I have enjoyed these bullets to no end. They hit hard even at moderate velocity and give a resounding WHACK! on meeting steel plates. I like that. The 255-grain Dry Creek Bullet Works SWC is efficiency in lead at its best, an accurate bullet that gives good accuracy. While all of these bullets have good points and some are more fun than others to use, if I were limited to only one or two, the 200-grain SWC and the 225-grain FP would get the nod.

If you are using one of the 1917 revolvers, sight regulation is an issue and the lighter and heavier bullets may not be viable, even if the heavy bullets will work in the short 1917 cylinder. The 230-grain bullets will generally strike an inch or two high at 25 yards while the 200-grain bullet will strike to the point of aim. Lighter bullets can be really low, on the order of four inches, with no easy way to adjust the sights, unless you wish to permanently sight the gun by file work for the lighter bullets. There are none of these problems with the 1955 target models. You may be able to raise bullet impact in a fixed-sight revolver by increasing barrel time, i.e., by lowering velocity, but in doing so you necessarily degrade performance a bit. Conversely, you can usually lower point of impact by increasing the velocity, provided you don’t exceed published load data and don’t mind the possibility of increased leading.

In jacketed bullets, the 185-grain bullets may offer excellent accuracy and good expansion. I have enjoyed excellent results with the 185-grain Sierra in both regards. I admit to less experience with the Nosler but it too has given good results. The original bullet weight Browning envisioned when working with the fledging .45 ACP was 200-gr. s, but the Army demanded a 230-grain bullet. The 200-grain bullet often offers good balance betweeen the two. The 200-grain Hornady XTP, at 1000 fps, will penetrate 16 inches or more of ballistic media and open to .68 caliber. Bill Wilson of Wilson Combat prefers this bullet to any other and offers a special load from his shop using this bullet. Accuracy is good. The standard 230-grain weight bullets are still the best choice in jacketed hollowpoints for all around use. The XTP offers the most penetration, the Sierra opens the quickest, and the Gold Dot offers a good balance of expansion and penetration. A largely overlooked choice is the Winchester 230-grain JHP, offered in bulk quantities. This bullet expands like a heavy Silvertip, with excellent repeatability – it works from 800 fps with best results about 860 fps. I would feel very comfortable with this bullet in a personal defense load. For a general defense and hunting load, the 230s offer a fertile field. I think the hunter will probably prefer the XTP but the others offer considerable utility.

The Montana Gold bullets in both FMJ and hollowpoint form are designed for match grade accuracy. I am working my way through several thousand at this point. While I originally intended to use most in my GI .45s, the bullets have proven accurate in my .45 AR loads. I prefer a bullet that can be crimped for heavy AR loads, in case the bullet would jump the crimp and tie the cylinder up, but so far nothing I have used in the .45 AR has generated this type of recoil. So, the RNL bullets have performed fine.

Moving to the heavy weights we find the Sierra 240-grain JHP as the heaviest jacketed bullet we can feasibly use in the .45 AR. Designed for the .45 Colt, the Sierra bullet features a crimping groove. At the velocities we obtained with this bullet, expansion is simply not there. Still, accuracy is excellent and there is some expansion of the nose, along with deep penetration. For hunting thin-skinned game I prefer a heavy SWC but the Sierra could serve at moderate range.

When all is said and none, I could easily get by with a handful of standard loads. A good 200-grain SWC load for the 1917s, a 225-grain FP for bowling pins, a 230-grain JHP for defense and a heavy SWC for game would do the business. But I enjoy an experiment and also enjoy my light gallery or plinking loads – if you call a load and handgun combination that’s accurate well past 50 yards plinking!

The .45 AR has a lot going for it. Accuracy, economy, comfort and real power are just a start. If you have a .45 ACP revolver that has been languishing for lack of proper loads, break it out and give it an honest appraisal. You just may find my favorite revolver cartridge has much merit.

SOURCES FOR MOON CLIPS

A note on moon clips: These devices are readily available, along with tools to unload the clips that make life a lot easier for the .45 ACP revolver fan. If you shoot in competition that requires a revolver speed load, these are the way to go.

TK Custom offers a demooning tool that removes spent cases from the clips, making a nasty chore much easier. Beckham produces a polymer clip for less serious use that works just fine in my revolvers.

Ranch Products offers a bewildering array of clips, including a neat two-round clip that allows the .45 ACP revolver shooter to have a box at ready in standard form but all mooned up.

Ranch Products PO 145, Malinta Ohio 43535 www.ranchproducts.com

RMZ Beckham Design 866-726-2658

Quality Cartridge www.qualitycartridge.com 888-643-8023

TK Customs 404 Fox Ridge Road, Rantour Illinois 61866 www.moonclips.com