BC 45 Carbine

[Roger_Dailey]

It looks like my home state may allow some form of "pistol" cartridge rifles for deer hunting.  Nothing has been scratched in stone yet, but it appears that amongst others, the 45 Colt and 454 would be allowed.  Can the 45 Colt handi be "stretched" to a 454 or even 460 S&W? 
Thanks in advance,
Roger D.   

[quickdtoo]

Some are considering the .454 Casull, in fact one person is having a .308Win barrel rechambered and rebored to it, but the 460 works at too much pressure for the SB2 frame at 65kpsi.

Tim

[Roger_Dailey]

quickdtoo,
Thanks for the rapid response.   Would a 445 Supermag be OK in the SB2?  I'm just looking for the best overall round.  The prelim. specifications are: .357 caliber min, max case length of 1.6", maybe restricted to straight wall cases. 

[knight0334]

Theres a number of guys here that rechambered their 44mags to 445supermag.   ....so thats not a problem.   The only problem with the 44cal barrels is the horrible 1:38" or so rifling.

[quickdtoo]

Yes, lots of members have hand reamed their 44mag Handis to .445SM, great shooters they are!! The .357Maximum would be another choice, .357mag barrels are available in the accessory barrel program. The Handi is available in .500S&W with an operation pressure of over well over 50kpsii, the 445SM runs at a max of about 43kpsi.

As knight said, the 1:38" twist of the 44mag isn't great, but an even bigger problem is they're notoriusly overbored at .432"!!

Tim


445SM

[JPH45]

Not to argue or stir up crap, but I find it hard to believe the Handi won't handle the 460 SW at 60,000+ when the rifle is chambered for hot numbers like the 270 and 25-06 that operate in the same pressure window. There is only .008" difference in the case body diameter between the '06 family cases and the 45 Colt family cases. At the same time, the 500 SW is rated to the same 65,000 psi by SAAMI and NEF chambers for it, not to mention the many 45-70's that are run with Ruger #1 loads that make as much as 50,000 psi. I see no good reason not to chamber to 460 SW, run it on a diet of 45 Colt/454 Casuell loads and on hunting excursions load it with the 460.

In external ballistics the 45-70 will always be superior to the 460, but because of case volume, the Colt/Casuell/SW case will always be more effiecient and make for a far friendllier plinker.

Were I not so dead set against ever owning another NEF, I'd get one of these 45 barrels and do exactly this with it. As it is, a 460 barrel for my TC is on my "gonna get one" list.

[Mac11700]

Not to argue or stir up crap, but I find it hard to believe the Handi won't handle the 460 SW at 60,000+ when the rifle is chambered for hot numbers like the 270 and 25-06 that operate in the same pressure window.

Well.....here's why they don't..http://www.gunsandammomag.com/ga_handguns/sw460_072905/

The .460's straight-wall 1.80-inch case employs a Large Rifle primer to deal with the heftier charge. The maximum average pressure of the .460 is 65,000 psi--5,000 psi more than the .500 S&W's pressure limit and equalling several .300 magnum-class rifle cartridges.

And here...http://www.chuckhawks.com/460_SW_Mag.htm

The basic dimensions of the new .460 Magnum are as follows: bullet diameter .454", rim diameter .520", case diameter .478", overall case length 1.800", cartridge overall length (COL) 2.300". The official SAAMI maximum average pressure (MAP) is 65,000 psi!

Now...if the NEF SB-2 frame and barrels cannot stand up to the 300 WSM without becoming stretched completely out in 100 rounds...Why would you think it can stand up to the 460?....Call Vihtavuori and speak with Johann and ask him what the pressures should remain at to equal the MAP of the 270's...He calculated it out..and stated that the ceiling would be 50,000KPSI...anything over it and you'll be doing more harm than good to the frame-lug for the short mags
Mac