.45 colt vs .44 mag muzzle blast

[jk3006]

Just wondering, for those of you have have both and regularly shoot both, if there is less muzzle blast (noise, percussion) from the .45 when both guns are loaded with heavy weights and at the top of their respective pressure curves (.44=40,000-44,000 vs .45=30,000-32,000)?  I'm really curious about this, and I know there's some guys on this forum with that type of experience.  Thanks in advance.

[jk3006]

I'd like to add one more question to that.  Does either show an advantage over the other in the accuracy department when the above-type loads are utilized?  Thanks.

[jk3006]

Oh, I remembered one more thing.  I assume that this comparison would be in strong guns (ruger blackhawk, etc) of equal barrel length.

[Mikey]

jk3006 - whenever I have been on the range with folks who are shooting both it seems the 44 'cracks' more than the 45 which sort of 'booms'.  I have heard both 44 Spls loaded heavy and 45s loaded heavy to sound about the same.  The magnum 'cracks', though.  JMHO.  Mikey.

[Redhawk1]

I don't notice any difference, I load them both almost the same. 

[jk3006]

Thanks, guys.  Does one show any better accuracy over the other when full loads are utilized?  I'm thinking about getting a blackhawk, probably in the .45.

[Redhawk1]

I just picked up a 45 Colt Blackhawk a few months ago, it is a tack driver. Shoots every bit as good as any of my 44 Mags I had.

[Lone Star]

The gun will make the difference, not the cartridge it is chambered for.  It is usually easier to get the average .44 to shoot well because of the guns' dimensions - many .45LCs are chambered with 140-year-old tolerences which do nothing for good accuracy.   I've had .45LCs with cylinder throats that would pass up to a .458" bullet.   The .44 is not handicapped by that legacy.

My 35-year-old BH in .45LC shoots mediocre at best.  2" groups at 25 yards is about it with very good handloads.   OTOH my M45 Dan Wesson shoots about that well at 100 meters and won a lot of BB silhouette matches for me.  The difference was in the dimensional tolerences the two makers chose to use.

Muzzle blast is a function of volume and pressure.  Since the two cartridges burn about the same amount of powder, the one with the highest muzzle pressure will bark the loudest.

.

[jk3006]

Lonestar,  thanks for that explanation.  I've been reading quite a bit that the new blackhawks have ridiculously small cylinder throats.  So, I'll just have to get them enlarged ($40, or do it myself).  I've also read that the cylinder holes are on the big side, causing the brass to have to stretch quite a bit. 

Redhawk1, what barrel length did you get?  Did you leave the grip frame as stock, or did you switch to the Bisley frame?  What did your cylinder throats measure to, and what bullets (weight and diameter) are working for you?  Did you firelap it?  Just curious.     

[Redhawk1]

jk3006, I use the stock blackhawk  grip frame. I have not changed anything at all. It is the 4 5/8 inch barrel. I am using 300 and 325 gr. hard case bullets with gas checks from Montana Bullet Works. I have not measured the cylinder throats and I do not fire lap.

325 gr.,  dia. .451 - .452 Wide Long Nose Gas checked (Metplat) 0.390
300 gr.,  dia. .451 - .452 Semi-Wadcutter-Gas Checked  (Metplat) 0.350
 

[Cheesehead]

I have both calibers in revolvers. A 44 mag in a Model 29 with a 5" barrel and a 45 Long Colt in a Blackhawk with the 4 5/8 barrel. With similar loadings I can not tell the difference. A large difference in barrel length could change this. I prefer the Blackhawk for hunting.

Cheese