Rifle question

[Coyote Kincaid]

I'm shooting a Marlin with a 24" barrel in 45 Colt right now. I have an opportunity to purchase a Marlin with a 16" barrel that has been converted to 45 cowboy special. Now my mind is racing with questions.

 

First, would/does a shorter barrel equate to faster target transitions?

 

Second question would be power factor but I know those running the 73's converted to 45 acp have to be making it so 45CS should.

 

The thing that bothers me is the brass, it's expensive. I could cut 45 colt brass down. It wouldn't bother me but I hardly ever get most of my brass back from stages. One of the downfalls of owning a Marlin. It's not like I can go buy 1000 once fired for $60, these run $350 for 1000.

 

I'm just trying to get some insight because this gun will be used for WB only if I decide this. Heck, it might be cheaper to convert a Marlin to 45 acp.

[DUSTY BODDAMS]

CK, if the targets were in close it might be faster but it could be slower at distant targets trying to steady the short gun. Boils down to which one you like best. PF no problem there you can use your same load data out of your 45 acp. Before I ever built the first 73 45 acp I built a Marlin 45 acp. If the 45 cs is feeding well then it should feed acp as well. Extractor would have to be modified as well as the barrel set back to headspace proper. I would think that the 45cs would just pile the brass up and would be an easy retrieval. Dusty Boddams

[Goody]

I tried shooting a 16 inch 73 carbine for a while. I found myself swinging past the targets due to the lightweight of the gun. If you continue to shoot a 20 or 24 inch heavy barrel in CAS I think your timing would be all off on both. If it were me I would treasure the 24 inch Marlin you have and save your money for another 1911. ;D

[Lone Dog]

seems i remember something about a problem cutting 45 Colt brass down to 45 CS length. A cut down Colt brass may be the same length but the inside dimensions are all way different from the CS case?

[Coyote Kincaid]

Yeah I remember something like that as well. The case would not be as thick and it would start splitting the mouth. I think I will stick with my 24's and spend the money on another 1911 and a model 12.

[Garrison Joe]

I'm using lots of cut down Colts. Not a problem, really. Work fine.

 

(As large as the SAAMI specs are for .45 Colt chambers, even when the .45 Colt cut down cases end up with a thicker wall at the mouth than the factory made C45Specials, there's plenty of room for the rounds in the chamber of a rifle or pistol.  Now, why you need the C45S in a rifle, I really don't know, especially in WB where a more realistic PF minimum is required). I still use .45 Colt loads there.

 

 

[DUSTY BODDAMS]

GJ, good point and to add to that c45s mixed in with acp will stop the presses! I actually had this happen (sorry Griff ) had a c45s mixed in and it dropped and indexed to the plate and of course stopped right there. Pre inspection of brass did not catch that piece of brass. Had to be Griff cause he has a Marlin 16" that he converted and built works well but needs lipstick, the rifle NOT Griff !

[Texas Bart]

Now, why you need the C45S in a rifle, I really don't know, especially in WB where a more realistic PF minimum is required). I still use .45 Colt loads there.

Possible reason:

45 Colt can't be loaded from the top in my '73 due to COL.

One of these days I'll get around to trying with 45 Schofield and/or C45S

[Griff]

As Dusty said, no problem making PF with the C45S.  My Marlin has a 17" barrel, cut back from the factory 20", but... being an octagon, it swings nice & smooth.  The C45S Marlin conversion is easy, just build up the bottom of the carrier so it rises sooner... but, that timing is critical, I probably took the rifle apart and put it back together a few hundred times before it was "almost perfect"!  Perfect would have been if I could get it to still feed 45Colts!

 

I tend not to use the rifle much since the brass became so expensive... even tho' I currently have lots... it still dwindles pretty rapidly.  Depending on where you're shooting, you might lose more or less, but I just shot a 6 stage match using one of my 45Colt rifles, and out of a possible 60 rounds, I think I came home with 52. 

 

No worries Dusty, because I came home with some extra 45ACPs!!!  And, the opposite is true of those in the 45Colt shellplate... it pushes 'em up in the sizer just fine... but lacks some of the needed "grip" to pull them back out!!!  ::)

 

BTW, did you save me that piece of brass?  ;)

[DUSTY BODDAMS]

Griff, yes I did save it.  ;D Put it in a clean mason jar and screwed the lid down real tight to hermeticly seal it. Punched some holes in the top so it wouldn't suffocate. Do you feel that was the best course of action? Do you think sailing the case across my pond with my genuine whamo sling shot would hide it better? ;D Dusty

[DUSTY BODDAMS]

Now, why you need the C45S in a rifle, I really don't know, especially in WB where a more realistic PF minimum is required). I still use .45 Colt loads there.

Possible reason:

45 Colt can't be loaded from the top in my '73 due to COL.

One of these days I'll get around to trying with 45 Schofield and/or C45S

[DUSTY BODDAMS]

Now, why you need the C45S in a rifle, I really don't know, especially in WB where a more realistic PF minimum is required). I still use .45 Colt loads there.

Possible reason:

45 Colt can't be loaded from the top in my '73 due to COL.

One of these days I'll get around to trying with 45 Schofield and/or C45S

Have you tried a slightly shorter OAL?

[Kid Rich]

Now, why you need the C45S in a rifle, I really don't know, especially in WB where a more realistic PF minimum is required). I still use .45 Colt loads there.

Possible reason:

45 Colt can't be loaded from the top in my '73 due to COL.

One of these days I'll get around to trying with 45 Schofield and/or C45S

Both of these work for reloads in a 73 just fine. kR

[Garrison Joe]

45 Colt can't be loaded from the top in my '73 due to COL.

 

NEVER say can't, better to say "I don't know how." 

 

Because my 1.580" OAL cartridges load fine and fast over the top.  Some carriers need a little proper shaping to get the round to settle properly on top of them to get a clean run into the chamber, however. 

 

[Griff]

Aye, both my '73s and 1860 feed from the top with my 1.575" 225gr TC bullets.