Author Topic: Lever gun 45acp  (Read 12998 times)

Offline Galen

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Lever gun 45acp
« on: January 13, 2017, 04:24:09 PM »
Just a thought. How difficult to convert a 45 Colt lever gun to 45 acp? Sure would make wild bunch competition easier .

Offline Silver Creek Slim

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2017, 06:33:00 PM »
Very difficult.

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Offline Sir Charles deMouton-Black

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2017, 09:27:07 PM »
Just a thought. How difficult to convert a 45 Colt lever gun to 45 acp? Sure would make wild bunch competition easier .

Back in the archives for THE RIFLEMAN there was an article about converting a Marlin m94 to .45acp - takedown. I have seen an original Win '92 converted in South America for police duty.
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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #3 on: Today at 02:02:07 AM »

Offline Coffinmaker

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2017, 09:30:37 PM »
I could shoot Wild Bunch for several years for what it costs to convert to 45 ACP.  Tell ya what.  You write me the check and one of us will be happy.   ;D  ::)

Coffinmaker

Offline Dusty Boddams

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2017, 09:59:35 PM »
Galen, actually very easy! I was the original builder of the first 73 converted to 45acp. Super reliable. I won the OK state and Louisiana state match using this rifle. Most critical thing is barrel set back to headspace proper for 45 acp. Next thing is a c45s carrier. Only other thing is enlarging the rim shelf tab and a slight rework of the extractor. I only shoot wild bunch and having the same cartridge was my desire. Funny thing is I asked several gunsmiths about doing this and they all said impossible. I'm not a gunsmith, just a person that can read a caliper. Now there are gunsmiths that build this rifle. I also built a Marlin and that was a lot more work. Dusty Boddams

Offline Coffinmaker

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #5 on: January 14, 2017, 06:27:54 PM »
Dusty,

Never said it was hard.  It is some costly.

Coffinmaker

Plus, you also have to cutdown the Mag Tube.

Offline Dusty Boddams

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #6 on: January 14, 2017, 07:13:02 PM »
 ;D coffin maker, so cutting the mag tube is the deal breaker?

Offline Coffinmaker

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #7 on: January 14, 2017, 08:50:27 PM »
Dusty,

Nah.  You know by the time you've pulled the barrel, chased threads, cut a shoulder, rechambered, cut the reliefs,  head spaced, re-worked the Breach Block, cutting down the mag tube is chump change.  I just wanted to include another step, just for grins.  However, the total job isn't cheap.  If the ONLY game you play is Wild Bunch, it might even make some sense.  A lot of money for a little convenience.

Coffinmaker
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Offline Dusty Boddams

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #8 on: January 14, 2017, 10:20:17 PM »
Coffinmaker,spell check is sometimes to clever......it does cost a few dollars. I think the gunsmiths charge around 600. Doing the 2 I did was well under that because I had the barrel set back and the chamber cleaned up bought the carrier and the rest I did myself or had a friend help me. I only shoot WB these days and it's well worth it to me. One other odd thing it did was increase accuracy and on my Marlin it cured the Marlin blow by. The 73's are the gun to build to acp. Talking about cost of things it's funny, I'm paying more for leather than my colt saa's cost when I started shooting cowboy in 90/91! Crazy?! But has been a lot of fun. Dusty Boddams

Offline Coffinmaker

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #9 on: January 15, 2017, 11:33:05 AM »
Hey Dusty ..... I'm of two minds (don't bring me int this sucka).  One that thinks SpellCheck is like a Pop Top onna beer can.  The other one thinks it's like a Pop Top onna beer can too.  Only after you've stepped on it at the beach and yer bleeding out.  I hate spell check sometimes.

Yep.  An ACP conversion running right around 600 bucks.  It is some time consuming and labor intense.  Most shops change right at 75 Bucks and hour shop fees.  Before I retired, my shop fee was $63.50.  It can add up real quick.

Just an observation.  If the chamber is question is/was well cut, after you cut the square shoulder for the case to head space on, and then hold your head space fairly tight (001 - 002), there will be no blow-by (Marlin).  For a Uberti ...... I'm surprised an ACP case doesn't just rattle all the way thru the bore  ::)

Cost.  Wow.  Cost is crazy.  There was a time in my sordid past, when Cap Guns were around a hundred bucks and brandy new SAs were d $300.  Tops.  Yep, a nice new gun belt and pair of holsters is some more than that today.  There ain't no free lunch.

Coffinmaker

Offline Galen

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #10 on: January 15, 2017, 05:37:37 PM »
Gentlemen please! Didn't want to start a ruukas here. Just expressed an interest in a practical solution for a rifle in my favorite pistol round.
Thank you

Offline Dusty Boddams

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #11 on: January 15, 2017, 08:12:58 PM »
 ;D Galen, no ruckus here,just conversation! Dusty

Coffinmaker, I well remember being with my dad in the late 70's at a big gun show. I wanted a Colt saa and found the one I wanted mint no box, my dad tried talking me out of it because it was way overpriced but I bought it anyway 275.00 out the door.......yes I do still have it!

Offline Coffinmaker

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #12 on: January 15, 2017, 11:16:40 PM »
 :D Galen, Nope.  No Ruckus.  Just a good exchange of conversation.  Strictly FUN  ;D

Dusty,
Would that we could still find those kinds of prices today.  Back when I/we were starting out in SASS, I shot IDPA.  We were shooting box stock guns and nice 1911 was an affordable 275 - 300 bucks.  Then the "race" guns drove the little guys out.  Last I checked, latest match competitive 1911 runs around an "affordable" 4 grand.  Sheesh.

When I shoot suppositories (not often), I do a similar thing to your ACP '73.  My handguns are set up for Cowboy 45 Special cases (I like 45 ACP cylinders and my rifles (4 Henrys) are all set up for Cowboy 45 Special.  I haven't shot cartridge handguns for several years though.  I've switched to Cap Guns.  Snubbies to be exact.  Been building some really fun Snubbies.  Lots of smoke and boom.  Gotta be FUN.  FIRST RULE of anything CAS is it has to be FUN.

Coffinmaker

Offline Will Ketchum

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2017, 10:49:06 AM »
:D Galen, Nope.  No Ruckus.  Just a good exchange of conversation.  Strictly FUN  ;D

Dusty,
Would that we could still find those kinds of prices today.  Back when I/we were starting out in SASS, I shot IDPA.  We were shooting box stock guns and nice 1911 was an affordable 275 - 300 bucks.  Then the "race" guns drove the little guys out.  Last I checked, latest match competitive 1911 runs around an "affordable" 4 grand.  Sheesh.

When I shoot suppositories (not often), I do a similar thing to your ACP '73.  My handguns are set up for Cowboy 45 Special cases (I like 45 ACP cylinders and my rifles (4 Henrys) are all set up for Cowboy 45 Special.  I haven't shot cartridge handguns for several years though.  I've switched to Cap Guns.  Snubbies to be exact.  Been building some really fun Snubbies.  Lots of smoke and boom.  Gotta be FUN.  FIRST RULE of anything CAS is it has to be FUN.

Coffinmaker
I remember those early days of IDPA & IPSC. I too shot stock guns. Mine was a WW1 1922 with the tiny sights. I won my fair share, Then it became an equipment race so I quit. I thought it might happen to SASS as much as the Wild Bunch tried to stop it it did.
The reason I'm so happy with NCOWS is that they have rules in place to preclude it from happening.

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Offline Joe Lafives

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2017, 11:03:38 PM »
Cody Conagher does the conversion for $560 . 
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Offline Baltimore Ed

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #15 on: March 04, 2017, 03:10:01 PM »
I think that I would go with the.45 cowboy spcl if I had to use a shorter case. Just a matter of changing the shell plate on my Dillon 550 as it stays set up for .45 acp or.45 AR( just a shell plate change). For what the acp conversion would cost you could get a .45cs lifter, brass and get your rifle slicked up.
"Give'em hell, Pike"
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Offline Dusty Boddams

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #16 on: March 04, 2017, 04:47:11 PM »
I think that I would go with the.45 cowboy spcl if I had to use a shorter case. Just a matter of changing the shell plate on my Dillon 550 as it stays set up for .45 acp or.45 AR( just a shell plate change). For what the acp conversion would cost you could get a .45cs lifter, brass and get your rifle slicked up.

B.E. Did you get my email from a few days ago?  If not shooting wild bunch then and no specific need for the acp it would be hard to beat the cowboy special. One more great thing about the 45 special in pistols is a big increase in consistency with small powder charges. Dusty

Offline Baltimore Ed

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #17 on: March 04, 2017, 07:58:07 PM »
Dusty, Yes sir I did, thanks for the info. I found the lifter at Tha Cowboy Shop but haven't found brass. The lifter is very ingenious. I already have Schofield brass that I could trim down. I would think that the Schofield brass would be thinner after cutting than .45 lc. I would only need enough to shoot a match or two before I reloaded them again. I've always liked .45 lc and all of my cowboy guns are long Colt, only the Spanish Contract SRC will use the short cowboy special load. Years ago I had experimented with cut down cases but I don't remember why now. Will post photos when I'm done.
"Give'em hell, Pike"
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Offline Abilene

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #18 on: March 04, 2017, 07:59:06 PM »
WHile a 45acp rifle does make some sense for Wild Bunch, nothing says you can't use it for CAS as well if you shoot both.  Legal in every category except Classic and B-Western.

Offline Dusty Boddams

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Re: Lever gun 45acp
« Reply #19 on: March 04, 2017, 09:41:44 PM »
True

 

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