Gun Digest – August 2019

(^48) | GunDigest the magazine AUGUST 2019 gundigest.com
its day for civilian use, it is historically
and culturally relevant and is in ready
supply today, where other classic
chamberings are not.
The .45 Colt is a powerful cartridge,
but it’s quite mild when other modern
rounds are considered. While many
readers might wonder who would carry
or shoot a .45 Colt with a short barrel,
it should be noted that a couple of the
most popular revolvers from the last
decades have been the Taurus Judge
and Smith & Wesson Governor, both
of which are chambered to fi re .45 Colt
and .410 shotshells out of 2.75-inch
barrels. By comparison, the barrels on
the Cimarron revolvers are long.
When considering .45 Colt loads for
these two revolvers, many people will
look to cast lead, but there are great
jacketed options to consider as well.
LOAD TESTING
For this article, I tested three different
.45 Colt loads that are similar in some
ways but wildly different in others. The
three loads came from Black Hills Am-
munition, Armscor and Sig Sauer. Each
of them represents an era in technologi-
cal development that’s helped the .45
Colt remain relevant in our modern era.
The Black Hills 250-grain RNFP
Cowboy load is a classically modeled
cartridge about as close to the original
black-powder round you can get from
a mainstream manufacturer. The bul-
let design is a typical round-nose fl at-
point; and, it has, over the course of
the thousands I have fi red, proven to
be among the very best available for
any gun chambered in .45 Colt.
The average velocity for the Black
Hills load between the two Cimarron
revolvers was 739 fps, with the velocity
advantage of 5 fps going to the stainless
Thunderstorm Thunderer. This load was
the most pleasant to fi re and the most
accurate in general in both revolvers. It
should be noted that while not quite as
powerful as the original .45 Colt loads
from the late 1800s, it’s extremely com-
parable and will deliver excellent termi-
nal performance and penetration. Bul-
let technology has certainly moved on,
but the good, old lead solid has never
lost its abilities over time.
The next load was the Armscor
255-grain SWC. This ammo performed
very well in both revolvers but
delivered the slowest overall velocity
(at an average of 721 fps), with a small
variance again going to the Thunderstorm Thunderer in velocity. For all purposes,
the two performed identically with this ammo.
This load features a semi-wadcutter profi le. Nevertheless, where the profi le of the
projectile shoulder is concerned, upon further inspection, it resembles a Keith-style
bullet. Keith-style bullets became popular in the mid-20th century as a means to
improve the abilities of hunting revolvers. Elmer Keith has long been considered
the “father of handgun hunting” in America, and the bullet style bears his name.
Armscor does a good job delivering quality ammo at low cost, but I found that
the low speed hindered an otherwise great load that could, if it were a bit faster,
be quite suitable for hunting and general outdoor use. Recoil was very low, and
I had no issues putting lead on steel at any distance the guns were tested at.
Sig Sauer is new to the ammunition scene and has been making tremendous
waves in many arenas. It seems that, to the ire of many legacy companies, Sig
just can’t lose a contract these days; and, with its P320/M17 and P365 designs,
it’s been showing Glock and others all around the world that there’s a “new
sheriff in town.” Recently, Sig released CMP-grade ammunition for the .30-06
Springfi eld that features a 175-grain Sierra MatchKing bullet and is safe for use
in the M1 Garand and 1903 Springfi eld rifl es.
So, why is it that a progressive company such as Sig is taking risks on old news
(the .30-06 and .45 Colt)? The answer lies in what’s at the heart of American
shooting culture and its traditions.
The .45 Colt is as much a part of American culture as apple pie, and Sig was
wise to invest, realizing that future generations will grow up with the company’s
products front and center in military service and in the public mind.
Sig’s 230-grain V-Crown JHP is a jacketed hollow-point that takes advantage
of Sig’s advanced technology and manufacturing abilities. The bullet is designed
to reliably expand in a variety of mediums and will deliver said expansion from
short barrels, such as those popular on .45/.410 carry guns.
The modern construction of the Sig load makes it seem somewhat unnatural
when loaded in a classic SAA, but the performance is stellar, and it makes for
a serious self-defense load if someone decides to carry a gun chambered in
.45 Colt. The velocity generated by the 230-grain V-Crown was 775 fps aver-
age from both revolvers—with a surprise velocity advantage given to the New
Sheriff: 15 fps.
THE RESULTS
Accuracy with the .45 Colt in an SAA revolver is something that might elude
modern shooters. The sights on both these guns are non-adjustable, with the
front sights being fi xed blades and the rear sights being notches machined into
the top of the frames. Point of aim varies for each individual gun and load. The
New Sheriff shot to point of aim at 15 yards but shot low at every range inside
that. Group sizes for the New Sheriff were consistent, with all three loads pro-
ducing identical accuracy averaging 4.5 inches at 25 yards for 10 shots off a rest.
The Thunderstorm Thunderer was a bit different and shot low and left at all rang-
es. Filing the front sight to raise point of impact is something that can be done to
alter this, but it’s best done with a load that you want as a primary for competition
or the outdoors. You wouldn’t be at an advantage to make permanent adjustments
unless you’ve settled on a given load.
Cimarron has paid attention to detail. Little things, such as
the original design patent dates, are stamped on the frames.