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  1. #1
    MGO Member Fuel Fire Desire's Avatar
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    Charter Arms .45 Colt +P?

    Just picked up a new Charter Arms snubby in .45 Colt on impulse. I was surprised to see that there was a card included that said “this firearm is +P rated”. Does anyone have any insight on what kind of pressures these things can reliably tolerate? They’re not exactly built......with superb quality....but they are a big block of stainless.

    I don’t shoot store bought .45 Colt, I only handload for it. I’m just curious how warm I can load without ruining the timing on this little guy. I’m absolutely not about to try and drop some of my 30,000 psi .44 mag equivalents in there, but most of my target loads are in the 20,000 psi range. It would be nice if I could get some 250 grain hard casts out of there around 1000 fps. IIRC that’s about the top end of standard manual loading before dipping into the Ruger only stuff.


    Not much info out there on them, at least not in .45 colt. The same frame and cylinder is offered in .45 ACP too, which runs more pressure than standard Colt. And they claim that one to be “+P rated” too.


  2. #2
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    I won't be much help, but thought I 'd comment. I looked into one of those a few years ago (45acp version) and couldn't find much. From what I did find, most liked them and thought they were pretty reliable/held up well.

    As to loads, going off Ramshots load data, standard 45 acp is around 20K and 45acp +p is around 22-23K. Standard 45 colt is around 14K. Now from what I can see, manufactured ammo from a few different companies seems to be on par with Ramshots load data for 45 colt high pressure which is 30K. If you're looking to load 250gr hard cast to 1000fps, depending on powder, it would probably be around 15-20K. I personally would have no problem running that load.

  3. #3
    MGO Member Ol` Joe's Avatar
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    There is no SAAMI std for a 45 LC plus P load. Anything over 14k psi can be considered as being plus P.
    How much “plus” can the gun handle
    "Saepe errans, numquam dubitans --Frequently in error, never in doubt".

    The trouble with the Internet is that it's replacing masturbation as a leisure activity. ~Patrick Murray

  4. #4
    MGO Member Fuel Fire Desire's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ol` Joe View Post
    There is no SAAMI std for a 45 LC plus P load. Anything over 14k psi can be considered as being plus P.
    How much “plus” can the gun handle

    That’s the thing.....it vague.


    I like it. It’s built on the rough side, and took an evening of dry firing with snap caps to smooth out the action. Edges are sharp, and the action and extractor is a bit stiff. But it’s tiny for a .45 colt (I think it’s the smallest one on the market now that Taurus stopped making the 450). After break in with the snap caps, a deep cleaning, and repacking it with grease it’s not bad. Still no Smith, but it feels solid. I ordered a Pachmayr Compac boot grip for it to get it a little smaller. Should make a great companion gun to my 1894 to just drop in a jacket pocket while walking my property. I have yet to put any live rounds through it yet.


    It reminds me of a J frame that let itself go after a divorce. Sloppier and morbidly obese.



  5. #5
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    Personally I have had some really good luck chatting with manufacturer reps. If it were mine I would not hesitate to, besides asking on our forum, giving Charter Arms a call and seeing what info I could glean there too. I know one thing, I stretched the backstrap on my Smith 29 by over 11 thou by shooting hopped up reloads thinking it was as solid as my Ruger Redhawk (that did not fit me with a hoot - wayyy to tight between the trigger guard and the grip) when I was a kid. If I only knew then what I know now I would have called Smith and Wesson and asked the people who made/designed it what it was and was not capable of before I ruined that awesome piece..

  6. #6
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    From the information the guys here have posted it will probably be fine . The real question is going to be will you actually like shooting very many plus "P" loads .

    Jack

  7. #7
    MGO Member Fuel Fire Desire's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jackstan View Post
    From the information the guys here have posted it will probably be fine . The real question is going to be will you actually like shooting very many plus "P" loads .

    Jack

    We’ll see, lol. I shoot hot .454 loads though my Toklat for “fun”, but the Toklat isn’t getting a boot grip either. It’s been quite a long time since I’ve shot any short grip snub revolver. Honestly this gun is more of a novelty since it’s the smallest .45 Colt out right now, and I’m a big .45 Colt fan, especially in reloading. The only real instance I could really see carrying this as a defensive revolver is in cases where I’m outdoors and don’t feel like slinging on the 5” Toklat. It’s small enough to just toss in a pocket or generic AIWB holster. I did wind up ordering some speed loaders and speed strips for it if I ever feel compelled to seriously carry it. I might even make myself a boot holster for it as a BUG. It’s an awkward size though. It’s profile isn’t far off of a J frame, but the cylinder diameter is like a N frame.


    To start out, I have quite a bit of some 200gr RN I loaded up to about 1050fps at 17,000 psi for the wife to shoot out of the Toklat. I’ll see how those pan out, as they’re the softest I have on hand. My 250gr stuff I currently have pressed out are formulated for my 1894, and are pretty close to 30,000 PSI (data claims about 1650 fps out of a 16”). Prooooobably shouldn’t drop those in this little guy.
    Last edited by Fuel Fire Desire; 12-25-2020 at 12:20 PM.

  8. #8
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    And the Toklat is a bit heavier , I mean unless you like pain . But a neat idea the Charter is just the same . Sound like a fun woods walking type of gun .

    Jack

  9. #9
    MGO Member Fuel Fire Desire's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jackstan View Post
    And the Toklat is a bit heavier , I mean unless you like pain . But a neat idea the Charter is just the same . Sound like a fun woods walking type of gun .

    Jack
    Nah, the Toklat is actually very pleasant to shoot even with full house .454, but that just might be me and my personal tolerance for recoil. But again, I haven’t shot a boot grip snub since the LCR357 came out years ago. I’d imagine recoil force to be similar, with a more blunt/ less sharp impulse. I’ll take it out to shoot it once the Pachmayr boot grip comes in in the next couple days. No sense getting a feel for it with the full size factory grip if I’m not going to keep it on there. I have quite a bit of some 200gr softballs to start out, but I think my woods load is going to be a 255gr Keith around 1000fps by the book. That should keep pressures just under 20,000 psi, but still give some decent penetration and energy to stop critters.

  10. #10
    MGO Member Fuel Fire Desire's Avatar
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    Boot grip came in today. Time to get it out and see how abusive it is.

    I’m surprised that the new Pachmayr Compac is the same size as the factory grip. It is SIGNIFICANTLY more comfortable though, nice soft rubber with big palm swells that fill the hand perfectly. No more rubberized plastic with sharp molding lines that cut into the hand. Amazing what $25 can do to spruce up a bargain basement budget revolver.

    Honestly though, with as comfy and soft as these new grips are, and how they fill the hand, I don’t imagine it will be any more abusive than my sub compact .45 autos with +P, which don’t bother me much at all.



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