Converting a .455 Colt New Service to .45 ACP

burnt_servo said:
when you convert how 455 webley was pressure tested , it comes out to just over 1/2 way between 45 colt and 45 auto , for a standard load , not a proof load .

455 is easily available , unless it has become really expensive the last while ( or hard to get ) , your not saving much money by converting it .

*edit*

a thought just popped into my head , is it possible to get 45auto to properly headspace in the cylinder using the mouth of the case ?
without machining the rear of the cylinder down for moon clips ?

it may be possible to set it up to run both 455 and 45 auto .
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I tested the fit of a couple .45 ACP in mine, with Rem UMC its flush, with Win its slightly recessed. The hammer would probably strike, but I'd prefer to utilize the ejector. With a moon clip the cylinder doesn't quite close (go figure). Neither case is a particularly snug fit to the chamber. Maybe as some have suggested, this isn't worth doing.

I could adapt .45 Colt brass as I have pails of it, I just didn't really want to start loading anything new. Maybe have to reconsider that or just pay the price for .455.
 
My advise would be, if you don't wish to reload for .455, to sell the Colt NS, you have, and buy one in you're desired caliber. . I don't doubt it may work out the same money, aside from shipping cost for your purchase. . Colt NS revolvers come up on EE every now and then. . The Colt NS, in 45 Colt or 44-40, is held in very high regard in the US. . I'd be reluctant to convert your's to 45 Colt or 45 ACP when quite a few Colt NS were chambered for the calibers you prefer. .

Check this out . . . h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-gEqAoeZnw

I have one in 45 Colt. . It was a Northwest Mounted Police sidearm, ordered and shipped in 1919, in 45 Colt. .

 
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deadman said:
I tested the fit of a couple .45 ACP in mine, with Rem UMC its flush, with Win its slightly recessed. The hammer would probably strike, but I'd prefer to utilize the ejector. With a moon clip the cylinder doesn't quite close (go figure). Neither case is a particularly snug fit to the chamber. Maybe as some have suggested, this isn't worth doing.

I could adapt .45 Colt brass as I have pails of it, I just didn't really want to start loading anything new. Maybe have to reconsider that or just pay the price for .455.
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I have a French mas 1873 that I set up to fire 455 and 45 schofield .

the rims are different diameters and thicknesses ( 455 being larger I diameter and thinner ). . I cut the rear of the chamber for a 45 colt rim ( which is a smaller diameter than 45 schofield ) then opened it up just enough that a schofield head would seat .
I did this to preserve as much of the original seat as possible for the 455 brass .
the headspace was unchanged from original ( with the original sized case head / rim ) and easily functions with the other brass with its thicker rim .

you could now just cut the 45 colt brass down to 455 length , or have the other end of the chamber opened up to accept a full sized 45 colt round .



deadman said:
I tested the fit of a couple .45 ACP in mine, with Rem UMC its flush, with Win its slightly recessed. The hammer would probably strike, but I'd prefer to utilize the ejector.
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the chamber is possibly cut too deep for 45 auto to headspace on the case mouth then .
 
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Lee Enfield said:
It's not as simple as shortening the cylinder to clear the moon clip.

Part of the issue is the stud to stop rearward cylinder movement when the cylinder is open.

I've seen several that were ruined by cutting for 45acp.

New Service 455 targets are noted for chamber ing 45acp as their chambers are tight enough to head space on the cartridge mouth.

You just need to pick out the empties from the front of the chamber.
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If they'd chamber 45 acp as is, then 45 autorim brass should work and that can be loaded with 45 acp dies correct?
 
Ve3xti said:
Calgary Shooting Centre had a bunch of .455 in September and far as I know some as close a a month ago. $55 for 50. No reloading required. Just FYI.
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It's now $65 a box. By the time you add tax and shipping the cost can run over $1.60 per round....I know, I've got the Visa bill to prove it! :(
 
CaribooBC said:
Keeping with the Colt New Service. I have one in 38-40, does anyone know where to find 38-40 ammo?
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Loaded ammo would be tough. And I suspect hellishly expensive if you did find it.

If you reload or don't mind getting into reloading in some minimal way to feed your gun Rusty Wood Trading is showing Starline .38-40 brass as being in stock.

In the case of the OP with the Colt he's stated that he isn't interested in reloading. So I doubt that shortening up .45 Auto rim brass is going to be in the cards either.

Personally I'm not really interested in shooting a gun if it's not going to be at least reasonably accurate. And a .452 bullet wobbling down a .455 size hole doesn't fill me with good vibes. And from doing an admittedly small amount of searching it sounds like the BORE size in a .455 is right at the bullet size for .45Auto. So the grip on the barrel rifling is going to be minimal at best. Again this isn't something that suggests good accuracy. Some tighter examples might be OK with .45 Auto but it sure sounds like you'd have to load special reloads with oversize bullets to get decent accuracy. And that means getting into reloading which you say you don't have any interest in doing. Or it means ponying up around $1 a shot for factory ammo when you can find any.

Shaving the cylinder for moon clips won't be hard or all that costly. But if you want a new barrel to get a reasonable degree of accuracy that WILL cost. And it throws the whole project out of the "simple and cheap" category.

If it were me I'd just sell it as is to someone that does reload and will feed it a diet of proper .455 reloads. Use the money to find a nice S&W 1917 in .45ACP and don't look back.
 
BCRider said:
...from doing an admittedly small amount of searching it sounds like the BORE size in a .455 is right at the bullet size for .45Auto....
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FWIW I just miked a fired 265 gr. bullet (from Jethunter) from my .455 Webley and the base measured .447-.448. Here is the official spec from Ian Skennerton's book on the .455 Pistol

View attachment 44703

Looks like mine's just barely within spec. "Minute of Bosche" accuracy in any case.

:) Stuart
 
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BCRider said:
In the case of the OP with the Colt he's stated that he isn't interested in reloading. So I doubt that shortening up .45 Auto rim brass is going to be in the cards either.

Personally I'm not really interested in shooting a gun if it's not going to be at least reasonably accurate. And a .452 bullet wobbling down a .455 size hole doesn't fill me with good vibes. And from doing an admittedly small amount of searching it sounds like the BORE size in a .455 is right at the bullet size for .45Auto. So the grip on the barrel rifling is going to be minimal at best. Again this isn't something that suggests good accuracy. Some tighter examples might be OK with .45 Auto but it sure sounds like you'd have to load special reloads with oversize bullets to get decent accuracy. And that means getting into reloading which you say you don't have any interest in doing. Or it means ponying up around $1 a shot for factory ammo when you can find any.
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I actually do some loading, I'm just lazy and don't really like doing it so I wasn't crazy about doing yet another. Tinkering with/modifying a pistol is a lot more enjoyable to me. The fact that loss of accuracy may (probably) result is a definite downside, and is the only thing that has kept me on the fence since I started looking into it.


If it were me I'd just sell it as is to someone that does reload and will feed it a diet of proper .455 reloads. Use the money to find a nice S&W 1917 in .45ACP and don't look back.
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Yes, I had one and it was a great pistol, I wish I still owned it. Maybe as you and others have suggested I just need to get one again.
 
Darkwater said:
Converting calibers on a Colt Is insanity, sell it and buy one in 45 Colt or 45 acp. The money you spend converting it will equal only in the amount you devalue the gun by doing so... The only exception would be if this gun is already perminantly butchered by some other gunsmith renovation, therefore already devalued.
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This!!!
 
I do believe that original spec Colt Peacekeeper barrels have the same thread pattern so rebarreling is an option, especially if you can find a used take off.

Personally I say go for it. It sounds like it's a shooter and doesn't really have any collector value. How do you devalue a piece that's not valuable? It would likely appeal to a larger market after the conversion.

Trade it? Really? Because there are tons of people out there tripping over themselves to do this. 95% of the guns I see on the EE are .455. Even when .45s do show up they are often expensive collector pieces.

I'm thinking of doing the same thing with a S&W 2nd model. Tradeex has .45 barrels and cylinders in .45 ACP are available. Chop it down to 4.2" and pretend you're Indy.
 
Some inspiration for when you pull out the hacksaw. 4.2" would be awesome. Heck, 4.5" would be correct as it was an option.

Colt_New_Service_45_Custom.jpg
 
deadman said:
Not crazy about the dovetailed front sights he uses, but definitely first rate work from what I've seen.
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Yes, agreed about the front sight. Would have been nice to have it blended into the barrel. OTOH, if that revolver somehow fell into my lap I'd be unlikley to refuse it. :)
 
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