Speaking of 45 ACP snubnose revolvers...

TinkerDave · Feb 16, 2015

Charter arms is getting ready to release its third Pitbull revolver, this final one in 45 ACP. It will join the 9mm and 40 S&W pitbulls already in their lineup. If Charter Arms can do this, why cannot Ruger release a GP 100 in 45 ACP or even a SP 101 5 shot in this venerable cartridge? Is it a matter of engineering, or is it an issue of profits? Just asking.TD

medicdave · Feb 16, 2015

Both. Engineering, won't fit and maintain their level of safety. Dave clements will convert a gp100 to six shot 10mm or 41 special, or 5 shot 44 special. Not enough meat to go any bigger. Sales wise, none of those calibers are ever big sellers in the grand scheme as well no matter how much I like them.

If you look at the two company's that offer smaller framed 45's (Taurus and you say Charter Arms) and the relative quality and strength of say Smith or Ruger, that should tell you something. Apples to apples, the charter 44 bulldog to a smith 96 series, I bet you can guess which one buffalo bore tells its customers not to use with their ammo. Just saying.

Jim Puke · Feb 16, 2015

medicdave said:
I bet you can guess which one buffalo bore tells its customers not to use with their ammo. Just saying.

And, I'll bet you can tell me which one cost twice what the other costs.

medicdave · Feb 16, 2015

"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten." Benjamin Franklin

Saturday night specials have been around as long as firearms have I'm sure, but that doesn't mean I want to wrap my hand around mediocrity containing quite a few thousand psi. Clint Smith said something along the lines that all a man really needs in a handgun is a fixed sight 4" Smith model 10. I would have to agree, anything else is a want. I'll take quality over quantity in my wanting any day of the week.

Jim Puke · Feb 16, 2015

medicdave said:
"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten." Benjamin Franklin

Saturday night specials have been around as long as firearms have I'm sure, but that doesn't mean I want to wrap my hand around mediocrity containing quite a few thousand psi. Clint Smith said something along the lines that all a man really needs in a handgun is a fixed sight 4" Smith model 10. I would have to agree, anything else is a want. I'll take quality over quantity in my wanting any day of the week.

I am a fan of neither, but for you to insinuate that these guns are Saturday night special's, tells me that you do not even know what a Saturday night special is.

Back to the point of my post...the Smith should handle heavier loads...it carries twice the cost.

whichwatch · Feb 16, 2015

Jim Luke said:
medicdave said:

"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten." Benjamin Franklin

Saturday night specials have been around as long as firearms have I'm sure, but that doesn't mean I want to wrap my hand around mediocrity containing quite a few thousand psi. Clint Smith said something along the lines that all a man really needs in a handgun is a fixed sight 4" Smith model 10. I would have to agree, anything else is a want. I'll take quality over quantity in my wanting any day of the week.

Click to expand...

I am a fan of neither, but for you to insinuate that these guns are Saturday night special's, tells me that you do not even know what a Saturday night special is.

Back to the point of my post...the Smith should handle heavier loads...it carries twice the cost.

Twice the cost guarantees only one thing, that the cost is twice as much!

Smee781 · Feb 16, 2015

Ya it would be nice if Ruger made a GP (45acp) or Redhawk (45Colt and 45acp), it would be a nice shooter. I have been looking for a 45Colt Redhwak 4" locally for a long time and have never seen one, so adding another caliber to the production run........ I have only seen one other 45Redhawk in the wild and its the one I own

medicdave · Feb 16, 2015

Jim, I think we're making the same point just in opposite directions. Your coming from price should equal quality while I'm coming from quality has a price. A Smith or Ruger (enter your favorite brand here) carries the higher cost due to better materials being used, better fit and finish,better engineering, more testing, not to mention maintaining that name in the publics eye, which would drive up the cost vs small compact handguns of perceived low quality at a significantly lower price point.

That said and back to the thread I would love for a company to come out with a quality compact snubby Acp smaller than an n frame. If it was a viable idea engineering wise, with a viable market I'm sure it would have spread to the big name companies as Smiths governor was the answer to Taurus's judge, and the 696 answered the pug.

Terry T · Feb 17, 2015

I have one of the Taurus 455s with a 2" ported barrel and I like it. I qualified for my CCW (OK, not bulls eye target shooting but...) with it. It does have a bit of a stiff double action but manageable. Quality is quite acceptable, if not quite up to Ruger standards.

It is a 'K' frame size 5 shot with a steel frame. I do not believe they made the 2" in the light weight frame.
On the other hand, I've seen the 4" in a light weight frame and the 2" .45LC version in a light weight frame. Love to be able to buy one of those but CA. 'safe gun' rules, etc.

Both the .45 ACP and the .45 LC versions are out of production, I believe.
Terry T

TinkerDave · Feb 17, 2015

So, since I do not have the money for a custom piece, nor afford a S&W, I guess that when the CA 45 ACP Pitbull comes out, that will be my next buy. I had one of their older 44 Bulldogs back inthe 1980s and found it to be a really nice gun for the money. I like Rugers because they generally produce very good guns at a price that a lower middle class guy like me can afford to buy and shoot. Lately, though it seems that collectors are driving to cost of older guns up to the point that I cannot buy them. TD

medicdave · Feb 17, 2015

Prices have drastically gone up lately, but the deals are still there if your patient. I scored a 396ng last year for less than a Gp100 would have cost me. I set a cap of what I'm wiling to pay and wait. Sometimes I wait a while, but eventually I'll find what I'm looking for at a price I'm willing to pay. Took me almost ten years to find a 325pd under my budget cap.

dakota1911 · Feb 17, 2015

I would think nice used examples of the S&W 325PD should be out there. I bought mine new years ago and it is nice.

Does Taurus even make the 5 shots in 45 ACP anymore? I have a couple with the longer barrel. One is a SS Tracker with the ported barrel and the other a Total Titanium. I didn't think they were making either anymore and I have never seen used ones for sale, at least in the places I look for guns.

Terry T · Feb 17, 2015

The Taurus 455 is no longer on their web site.
There is a Total Titanium 4" currently listed on Gunbroker.com:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=467555817

They DO show up from time to time on GB. Just can't be imported into Ca.

Terry T

Tenbore · Feb 17, 2015

Terry T said:
I have one of the Taurus 455s with a 2" ported barrel and I like it. I qualified for my CCW (OK, not bulls eye target shooting but...) with it. It does have a bit of a stiff double action but manageable. Quality is quite acceptable, if not quite up to Ruger standards.

It is a 'K' frame size 5 shot with a steel frame. I do not believe they made the 2" in the light weight frame.
On the other hand, I've seen the 4" in a light weight frame and the 2" .45LC version in a light weight frame. Love to be able to buy one of those but CA. 'safe gun' rules, etc.
Both the .45 ACP and the .45 LC versions are out of production, I believe.
Terry T

I have one in .45 Colt. Nice little revolver but tends to buck quite a bit even with standard loads. I just can't find a concealment holster for it.

Terry T · Feb 17, 2015

Tenbore,
I'd guess most any holster sized for a S&W 'K' frame (which is also the Ruger Six Series double action's size) should fit.
I find a lot of good, barely used, brand name holsters on E-bay for not too much. You might have to look for a while depending on the style you want.
Terry T

Tenbore · Feb 17, 2015

Terry T said:
Tenbore,
I'd guess most any holster sized for a S&W 'K' frame (which is also the Ruger Six Series double action's size) should fit.
I find a lot of good, barely used, brand name holsters on E-bay for not too much. You might have to look for a while depending on the style you want.
Terry T

I have tried it in most of my K-frame holsters. There is just enough difference that it won't fit properly.
I suppose I could soak the leather and remold it.

GetGunz · Feb 17, 2015

I went from why in the hell would you want a 45 ACP revolver...two owning two...Love 45 ACP Revolver F/A 454 w 45 ACP and S&W 625

TinkerDave · Feb 17, 2015

GetGunz said:
I went from why in the hell would you want a 45 ACP revolver...two owning two...Love 45 ACP Revolver F/A 454 w 45 ACP and S&W 625

Those are really nice, but a little hard to conceal. I like the 44 Special, but am trying to consolidate calibers, so I am wanting something to back up my Glock M21 when I cannot hide the bigger gun. I recently bought a Ruger Police Service Six w/ a 3" barrel and I really like it, but being a medium bore cartridge, I do not have the same confidence in it as I do in the bigger, slower moving bullets. Say what you want about lighter, faster moving bullets, I still would rather have a bullet that starts off big and expends all of its energy inside the target. Maybe is I can find a way to reload the 357 with a 200 gr. bullet, that might help some, though the wound channel will still be smaller that desired. TD

GetGunz · Feb 19, 2015

TinkerDave said:
GetGunz said:

I went from why in the hell would you want a 45 ACP revolver...two owning two...Love 45 ACP Revolver F/A 454 w 45 ACP and S&W 625

Those are really nice, but a little hard to conceal. I like the 44 Special, but am trying to consolidate calibers, so I am wanting something to back up my Glock M21 when I cannot hide the bigger gun. I recently bought a Ruger Police Service Six w/ a 3" barrel and I really like it, but being a medium bore cartridge, I do not have the same confidence in it as I do in the bigger, slower moving bullets. Say what you want about lighter, faster moving bullets, I still would rather have a bullet that starts off big and expends all of its energy inside the target. Maybe is I can find a way to reload the 357 with a 200 gr. bullet, that might help some, though the wound channel will still be smaller that desired. TD

Click to expand...

Agreed. These fit target shooting and open carry. The .357 with 200 grain bullet would be an interesting combination.

TinkerDave · Feb 20, 2015

GetGunz said:
TinkerDave said:

GetGunz said:

I went from why in the hell would you want a 45 ACP revolver...two owning two...Love 45 ACP Revolver F/A 454 w 45 ACP and S&W 625

Those are really nice, but a little hard to conceal. I like the 44 Special, but am trying to consolidate calibers, so I am wanting something to back up my Glock M21 when I cannot hide the bigger gun. I recently bought a Ruger Police Service Six w/ a 3" barrel and I really like it, but being a medium bore cartridge, I do not have the same confidence in it as I do in the bigger, slower moving bullets. Say what you want about lighter, faster moving bullets, I still would rather have a bullet that starts off big and expends all of its energy inside the target. Maybe is I can find a way to reload the 357 with a 200 gr. bullet, that might help some, though the wound channel will still be smaller that desired. TD

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Agreed. These fit target shooting and open carry. The .357 with 200 grain bullet would be an interesting combination.

My thinking is that most confrontations involving social disagreements are going to take place at the 10'-30' range and that terminal velocities that might be needed to kill a deer at 50 yards or so are not required. What I think is needed is heavy bullet moving at a speed which will provide a max of 15" of penetration, but with massive shock value. I do not know what that bullet would look like, but I envision it having a wide meplat-not quite like a wadcutter, but full diameter ahead of the front gas ring with a slight radius forward to allow easy chambering. I want it to hit like a fist and drive deep expending all its energy inside the target. Just my idea. TD

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