Colt 1917

[Paul B]

I still have one of the 20 round boxes of Frankford Arsenal .45 ACP ammo. I also had a partial box with about 12 rounds some of which I shot and a couple I broke down to check the powder charge. The original .45 ACP ammo was loaded with a full metal jacket 230 gr. round nose bullet over 5.0 gr. of Bullseye powder. FWIW, it sez Bullseye powder right on the ammo box. Charge weight not given. Guess that was classified. Anyway, that's what was in the rounds I broke down and what I sometimes shoot today with a 230 gr. fairly hard cast bullet. The load is perfectly safe in the Colt and S&W 1917 revolvers. I never owned one of the Colt's. That gun is way too big for my somewhat small hands. The 1917 S&W however was a comfortable gun for me and I'm still kicking myself for selling the one I had. Did some weird experimentation with that one. I used the 5.0 gr. Bullseye load/w230 gr. cast but preferred the 200 gr. H&G SWC over 5.0 gr. of Unique. I don't know how many thousands of that round I ran through that gun but it was a bunch. Many jackrabbits met their fate from it. I even trimmed once fired .410 shotgun shells, stuck 5.0 gr. of Unique, an over powder wad some 7 1/2 shot and a .44 caliber gas check to hold everything in place. aIt made a good snake load but wasn't good for reloading more than two times. I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT! Just mentioned it in passing. You can do so AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Cast bullets should be a bit on the hard side as the 1917s, both models have quite shallow rifling and a too soft bullet will strip and lead the bore.
Paul B.

 

[BearBiologist]

I have a couple of boxes of old steel cased 45 acp ammo.

 

[Watertender]

Many years ago post offices were issued revolvers which were primarily the 1917 US 45ACP. They were kept in the safe and used when large amounts of cash were being handled. I am not sure when they were removed from the post offices but do know that my uncle purchased a 1917 revolver in the 1960's for less than $20. It was in decent shape and I think he sold or traded it for something else. At the local GM plant there was a large safe that contained a bunch of guns that were issued to them in WW2 for plant security. In the 1990's they had an antigun plant manager that ordered all plant firearms destroyed. Several 1917 revolvers were part of the destroyed guns. The list would make you sick....

 

[tx_44m]

I'm still kicking myself in the pants for not buying a few of the Brazilian re-imported S&W 1917s that were available for $100 back in the 90s.

I had one in 2008, I was excited but, soon disappointed as I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with it... I added the larger grips on it.

 

[Jeepnik]

Regarding accuracy of the 1917’s, both Colt and S&W. They were designed for the FMJ 230 gr round. Not a round for great accuracy but great reliability. I’ve found that both my Colt & Smith benefited from hard cast bullets.
The Colt likes HBWC’s loaded backwards. Not a round noted for accuracy but for terminal effect. This isn’t a great long range bullet but the the pistol wasn’t designed for long range shooting. Results on a sitting jack were impressive.

The Smith prefers a Keith semi wadcutter. It’s more accurate at somewhat longer distances but as expected broadside on a running coon resulted in full penetration with much less expansion even though it took out ribs in and out. The coon was pretty much DRT, but there wasn’t much of the heart left. Visually not as impressive as the HBWC but still effective.

Oh, I slugged both and sized accordingly. Off the top of my head I don’t recall the sizing and I’m to lazy to go out to the garage and look. But the Colt sized a scosh larger.

 

[BearBiologist]

Many years ago post offices were issued revolvers which were primarily the 1917 US 45ACP. They were kept in the safe and used when large amounts of cash were being handled. I am not sure when they were removed from the post offices but do know that my uncle purchased a 1917 revolver in the 1960's for less than $20. It was in decent shape and I think he sold or traded it for something else. At the local GM plant there was a large safe that contained a bunch of guns that were issued to them in WW2 for plant security. In the 1990's they had an antigun plant manager that ordered all plant firearms destroyed. Several 1917 revolvers were part of the destroyed guns. The list would make you sick....

I once owned a Colt Detective Special that was marked "L.A.C." (Lockheed Air Corp.) that came from the "Skunk Works" in Burbank, as well as a "Bavarian Rural Police" Victory model (in 38 S & W ), a 1902 (R.A.C. inspection marks) Colt in 45 lc, and several other marked revolvers as well as the two 1917s I mentioned earlier.

 

[budroe]

I've shot a variety of modern .45acp loads in my Colt with no problems. I've had it cleaned up, but left the heavy trigger pull as is. Its a fun gun to have at the range.