Antique Handgun Cartridges

44 Russian?

I have a 45 S&W aka Schofield.

Both of the above you need to hand load. There are some antiques that have been converted to more readily available cartridges like 45acp and 44 special. As long as it's not on the no go list, you are okay.

There's a Colt SAA on the EE now in 44 spl. Some webley's have been converted to 45acp, but I believe they require reduced power loads. The SAA should be able to take a pretty stout load. 44 Russian isn't too feeble a load either.
 
My two favorite are 44 Russian and 45 Schofield. Both shoot 240 to 255 grain bullets at 750 to 850 fps.
 
pres717 said:
I have a .455 S&W revolver... ammo is hard to find and really expensive when I can. I really gotta start reloading that stuff.
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Yup. Anyone who is interetsed in antique guns or cartridges needs to reload. Once you have the initial investment for reloading eqmt, it's easy and inexpensive to buy another set of dies for a new cartridge. Most people could get started reloading antique cartridges for under $200.
 
You may not even need special dies to reload. Another modern cartridge may suffice. With 45 S&W for example, a 45acp die works fine. Pretty much all you are doing after they are initially sized is to deprime, bell the case mouth a little and reseat a bullet. I reloaded some Schofield by simply nocking out the primer with a pin punch, repriming, and pushing another bullet in by hand. Just to see if it could be done without any dies whatsoever.
 
Reloading is so easy i dont get while some guys pay like $1500 and up for and big bore antique then dont want to spend $35 on a set of lee carbide dies and some reloading equipment.
Really $200 would cover it in most cases and its so easy a cave man could do it :p.

my favorites are 455/ 45 schofield i use a set of 455 lee carbide dies.
i have a set of 45 long colt dies as well.
and 44 special / 44 russian.
 
dingus said:
Reloading is so easy i dont get while some guys pay like $1500 and up for and big bore antique then dont want to spend $35 on a set of lee carbide dies and some reloading equipment.
Really $200 would cover it in most cases and its so easy a cave man could do it :p.

my favorites are 455/ 45 schofield i use a set of 455 lee carbide dies.
i have a set of 45 long colt dies as well.
and 44 special / 44 russian.
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I was just being a goof as usual and seeing if it could be done with only a shell base that fit, just for the hell of it. The 45acp dies were already in my possession and use, but I wanted to see if they were really necessary with a straight walled pistol cartridge that doesn't really get altered during the firing cycle, aside from the crimp if any.
 
Grizzlypeg said:
I was just being a goof as usual and seeing if it could be done with only a shell base that fit, just for the hell of it. The 45acp dies were already in my possession and use, but I wanted to see if they were really necessary with a straight walled pistol cartridge that doesn't really get altered during the firing cycle, aside from the crimp if any.
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My Comment wasnt towards your post, i have used a vise to seat primers on some big cases i did not have a shell holder for.
reloading can be a simple thing some guys just use them $30 lee hand kits and a mallet.
I like my Turret press and even it was pretty cheep.
I seem to stick with LEE stuff so far its never let me down.
Some weird cartridges tho you need to make up punchs and tools to get the job done.
 
For the 44 Russian, I used Lee's dies and they worked great. For the 45 Schofield, I use Lyman's die set. Neither are expensive. I've been surprised at some of the dies that Lyman makes for old calibers. I also use Lyman's die set for my 45-60 reloading. Even more surprising was the low price. I shoot a variety of calibers and I shoot my old guns a lot. That is where it gets to be a lot of fun .... to get good with an old gun. 'Getting good' however, is an ongoing project, as I don't claim to be any great shakes ....... on the other hand, I could have an old west handle of 'Shakey'.:D
 
I use a Lee press and RCBS dies for most of the stuff that I load for. Just the way it worked out when I was buying stuff. I also have a Lee powder scale, Lee primer press, Lee auto powder charger for quickly loading multiple cases and some bullet molds for stuff I can't get bullets for. I made a 3 bullet mold by hand for making .30 rimfire bullets because it uses a heeled bullet that cannot be found anywhere. I load mostly .41 long colt, but I load for all my antique revolvers as well.
 
If someone wanted to get into reloading for antique cartridges as painlessly as possible, this setup would get you started very nicely:

-Lee single stage press
-powder scale
-primer pocket cleaner (or brass prep kit)
-caliper (inch)
-a set of dies


Then you would need to buy primers, powder, bullets, and brass. IMO a new reloader should stick to cartridges for which bullets and brass are easily available - reforming brass from a different cartridge and casting your own bullets makes the reloading process more complicated. You can move onto that after you master the basics.
 
Mount Sweetness said:
I am already into reloading, this is not the issue.

I am asking which antique cartridges have components (Brass and bullets) and or factory ammo readily available.
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I don't think any are( readily available) Fiocci makes 455 but only in the MKII shorter length but brass can be had second would be 44 RUSSIAN BUT most you will not find at your local gun shop Fiocci 455 MKII is too hot for alot of the old guns and was intended more for the MKVI revolvers.Most if not all antique revolvers in 455 were chambered for the longer MKI case but you can use the shorter but brass for most will have to be ordered from the US or made . Depends on your definition of readily avalable.
 
1873 French 11mm service revolver.

Order the hand reloading kit and supplies from H&C. contact@hc-collection.com

Brass is aval from H&C although expensive. Some guys say you can trim 44-40 (Track of the Wolf) or 44 mag if you want to save some cash.

I had no problem ordering the stuff online. With shipping in, it was $247.49 for 100 bullets, 24 brass, and the reloading kit.

Bullets are about $40/100 shipped if you do not want to cast your own.
 
I can think of a few off the top of my head that are really easy.

.380Mkllz(.380 revolver) is basically 38 S&W and can use 38spl components and dies,just trim the brass.Not sure if factory ammo would be ok pressure wise in some,but I have a Belgian proofed .380(I believe it is French manufacture) that I wouldn't hesitate to shoot factory ammo in.
I have .380 ammo and brass but 38spl is so plentiful and easy to find.I wouldn't bother with 38S&W ammo simply because of the price and that it's on the no go list.
NP with shortened 38spl tho.
44 Russian and American,same situation with 44spl components.
.450Revolver(Adams,Corto etc)-45Colt components.
44Remington(revolver)-44/40 components and some of the factory CC don't need the case heads modded because they left ample room when they parted the back of the cylinder off.
These are just general references as every iron is different to a degree.Most can use,the odd one can't.
Slugging the barrel and doing a chamber cast tell you what you really need to know before you start building rounds.
Of course that only works if you already own the iron... ;)

No matter how you go at it,building your own if as rewarding as pulling the trigger to some of us.
Anybody can buy ammo! ;)
 
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