Author Topic: Regarding the 445 SM  (Read 775 times)

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Offline DWTim

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Regarding the 445 SM
« on: August 08, 2006, 08:00:40 AM »
What are your feelings on the 445 Supermag chambering? The loading data for it is not impressive. I could jam a 300 grain bullet in the 44 Magnum, loose maybe a couple hundred feet-per, and have about the same pressures. What's your take on it?

Offline unspellable

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Re: Regarding the 445 SM
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2006, 07:55:04 AM »
I have three 445 revolvers.  None of them are up for sale.  the 445 will beat the 44 by more than 200 fps.  When you see 445 loading data you are seeing real world numbers.  Factory numbers for the 44 Mag are often inflated.  I'll name no names but I recently chronoed some factory 44 Mag loads that were pushing a 240 grain bullet at less than 1200 fps from a six inch DW with the cylinder gap set at 0.003 inch.

Offline Travis Shuck

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Re: Regarding the 445 SM
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2006, 05:51:53 AM »
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/taffin.asp?Caliber=445%20Supermag&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=

I was looking at the load data here for the 445 SM, and it seems like the 45 colt loads listed on John Linebaughs site are almost exactly the same. (for a 5 shot blackhawk conv) I thought the 445 SM would be faster for the same grain bullet in any 45 colt.  Any comments?  Are these loads on Taffin's site for the 445 a little anemic or not?

Travis
"seeing then that all these things shall be disolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness." 2Peter 3:11

Offline unspellable

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Re: Regarding the 445 SM
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2006, 02:37:08 AM »
A problem with comparing 445 SuperMag loads to 45 Colt loads is that the 45 Colt has three loading levels and you have to clarify which level you are talking about.  Nominally, the 445 has the same maximum operating prssure as the 44 magnum.  (Not that every body and his brother doesn't push it harder.)  44 magnum pressures fall into level III for the 45 Colt.  The Ruger Blackhawk is famous for taking hot 45 Colt loads but it takes only level II loads.  There are very few guns out there that are really suitable for level III 45 Colt loads.  You can run them i na 454 casull but then you have a 454 casull revolver, not a 45 Colt revolver.

Bullet weight for bullet weight and pressure for pressue the 45 Colt will crank up more velocity than a 44 Magnum simply because of the bigger bore providing more bullet base area for the pressure to work on.  But the 445's longer case and flatter pressure curve gives it an edge here.  The bullet weight for bullet weight the 445 should match or exceed level III 45 Colt velocities.

Be aware that a large part of the 445's intended purpose was to push heavier than standard bullets, not simply to achieve hyper velocities.  So you can expect 200 fps over the 44 Magnum but that 200 fps might come with the next heavier bullet as well.  With the same weight bullet I'd expect closer to 300 fps over the 44 Magnum (assuming at least six inches of barrel) if both loads are going over the same chrono and you ignore the numbers in the factory blurb sheet.





Offline Travis Shuck

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Re: Regarding the 445 SM
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2006, 05:06:05 AM »
Thanks Unspellable,

I knew that there were only a few revovlers that can handle the level 3 loads in a 45.  I was mostly curious.  I did not think that they would  reach the velocity  of the 445 though.  you learn something new every day :)
"seeing then that all these things shall be disolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness." 2Peter 3:11

Offline unspellable

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44, 445, & 45 compared
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2006, 07:50:55 AM »
Lyman manual,
10 inch DW 445 SuperMag
240 gr  1618 fps
265 gr  1627 fps
300 gr  1454 fpr
4 inch 44 Mag vented test barrel
240 gr  1195 fps
265 gr  1113 fps
300 gr  1045 fps

Speer manual
10 inch DW 44
240 gr  1452 fps
7.5 inch Blackhawk 45 Colt Level II
225 gr  1274 fps
260 gr  1183 fps

Lee manual
44 Mag, gun not specified
240 gr  1413 fps
265 gr  1204 fps
300 gr  1176 fps
45 Colt level II, gun not specified
240 gr  1489 fps
300 gr  1176 fps

It should be noted that bullet weight for bullet weight and velocity for velocity a 44 will retain velocity at long range better than a 45.  Also note that the gap between a 44 Mag and the 445 Supermag gets wider as the bullet weight increases.  For this and other reasons I never use a bullet lighter than 240 grains in the 445 SuperMag.






Offline Travis Shuck

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Re: Regarding the 445 SM
« Reply #6 on: August 18, 2006, 01:16:47 PM »


. Also note that the gap between a 44 Mag and the 445 Supermag gets wider as the bullet weight increases. For this and other reasons I never use a bullet lighter than 240 grains in the 445 SuperMag.

Quote

That was the first thing I noticed when I read this post.  I guess it makes sense. since that was the intention of the caliber
"seeing then that all these things shall be disolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness." 2Peter 3:11