45-110

[eagles]

I know their was a 45-110 . Many 50-110'a are made and I love mine ,but I never saw a 45-110 ? With all the talk of 45-70 vs 416 0r 458 it seems the answer is just go to the 45-110 . Its the same bore just a longer case , more velocity , eaiser to load heavier bullets in and you could still shoot 45-90 and 45-70 in it I think ? Anyone have one of these. I might have to pick up a 45-70 and get a chamber job to try it . Does anyone load modern loads for it . I saw a post some where where a PH in Africa said he thinks the 45-90 wiould beat the 458 and would be his choice so why nhot just go to the big dog ?

[pokey]

action length?

[kimwcook]

The only way I would personally think of getting a 45 2 7/8 is to shoot blackpowder. Too large a case for easy smokeless reloading in my opinion. Not that it can't be done, anything can be done with enough fortitude and time. Just not for me. 45 2.4 is large enough IMHO.

[JReed]

Quite a few guys are rechambering Handi's in 45-70 to 45-110. Some of the loads they are playing with are real bruisers especially with the 500+ grain bullets.

[Ysabel Kid]

IIRC, you can shoot the .45-70 or .45-90 in a .45-110, if you are shooting cast bullets. Not something one should do on a regular basis, but in a pinch...

I have a .45-120, and it is a massive case. Most smokeless loads barely start to fill the case. Double, triple, even a quadruple charge would be possible. I'm experimenting with it, but very VERY carefully!

[eagles]

a 45-120 in a lever gun ?

[JReed]

a 45-120 in a lever gun ?

He has a Sharps.

[eagles]

I thought so ,to long . Think I will get a 45-70 model 86 Browning and do the reaming for 45-110 . I saw a lightweight model that looked nice but probably should get the fukll weight barrel for heavier loads . I want a Winchester type.

[Don McDowell]

The 45-110 is to long for a winchester action. The case itself is 2 7/8 " long.

[Grizz]

OK, this is from the gray cell, but was the 45/110 an express round that shot lighter bullets in a slower twist barrel? Or is that the 50/110? Can someone straighten me out on this?

Grizz

[JReed]

45-110 that I have read of used really heavy pills.

[Don McDowell]

The 45-110 was the 2 7/8 inch case Sharps. They loaded it with 500 gr bullets with 100-120 grs of powder. They loaded the 550 gr bullets with 110-120 grs of powder.
The 45 winchester express was a necked down 50-140 case and was loaded with a 300 gr bullet, still way to long to work thru a lever action.

[eagles]

Im talking about a 50-110 winchester necked to 45 caliber . Same length as a 50-110

[Don McDowell]

No such critter.

[eagles]

Their is if I make it !!!!!

[Don McDowell]

WEll just knock your socks off. Bet it'll work just as good as the 400 gr 405 deal did.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Im talking about a 50-110 winchester necked to 45 caliber . Same length as a 50-110

You'd have to run extremely short ogive bullets to fit under a 2.8" OAL. The 450 Alaskan is based on the 50-110 case head with a bit of taper and a tight shoulder to .45 caliber. The case is 0.25" shorter than the 50-110 WCF but can run a long ogive bullet like the Speer 2478 or the Swift 400 grain A-frame, etc. Or it can be loaded with a short ogive flat nose like the Hornady #4503 to fit in the Marlin action.

I suppose that if you left the case at 2.4" and moved the neck up by that 0.25" that you'd gain a couple of grains of powder space around the bullet shank. Maybe get a few more from taking out some case taper. The 450 Fuller and 450-348 AI had less taper than the 450 Alaskan and therefore a bit more powder space.

I think Fuller, Ackley, and Johnson worked on the problem and did about the best they could given the action length and the available brass. I'm assuming you're talking about running this in an 1886/71 action.

[eagles]

Yes I am and you could be right about those short slugs , do you think the 45-90 would be better for longer slugs ? would the 45-90 actualy develop higher velocity with heavier slugs ?

[Don McDowell]

The 45-90 will get you all the powder capacity you can get in a 45 on an 86 action. There won't be much room for anything over a 405 gr bullet and it'll need to be seated pretty deep.
Probably in the end staying with 45-70 in an 86 and using some agressive data for 500 gr bullets will get you all your shoulder can handle .
Staying with the original bp ballistics and 500 gr bullets there aren't many animals that will walk away from a well placed shot.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

I like the 45-90 and I think it's pretty optimal in the 1886/71 for shooting the short ogive cast or jacketed (or solid like the Punch). The 450 Alaskan can hold a bit more powder I think because it's fatter, having started at the base from the bigger 50-110 WCF case head. Both can generate some serious power.

That 2.8" OAL is the controlling factor. I can load past that limit if I have a long ogive that comes to a smaller meplat ... makes me nervous though and I mostly single load them when I'm load testing. As the meplat gets wider, I have to load a bit shorter than 2.8" to be able to reliably feed from the tube magazine ... in my gun anyway. I think an 1886 can be "worked" to feed up to 2.88" if all of the stars align.

I know 86'er generates some serious motion from his 1886 in 45-90 with the 26" barrel. I'm limited by a 20" barrel myself so even though I might fit a bit more powder of the same class, that 6" difference costs me some top end.

Do you have a take-down in 50-110 currently?

[eagles]

No its a 28 inch barrel model 71 Browing and 2.85 is about it , and that was after some extra work .

[Rimfire McNutjob]

No its a 28 inch barrel model 71 Browing and 2.85 is about it , and that was after some extra work .

Wow, 28" is a long one. I think if I had even 26" to work in, I would be making about 2250fps with a 400 grain jacketed. If I were using a 450-348 Ackley Improved, I'd probably be able to bump up near 2375fps with that same slug. Those would be at 4500 FtLbs and 5000 FtLbs respectively. I'm not sure my shoulder would approve.

You could probably make more with a 350 grain bullet, but I'm not sure how well it would hold up and/or penetrate at those levels. A JFP is going to open up pretty wide at the top levels available out of a longer barrel. A North Fork would probably hold up as would a few others. I would guesstimate that you could go about 2550fps with a 26" barrel and a 450-348 AI with the 350 grain bullet. I believe the original complaint with the 450-348 AI was that it was not as reliable to feed as the 450 Alaskan because its case walls were more straightened out versus the very slight taper of the Alaskan case.

If you want to cross that magical 0.300 sectional density mark, you've got to use the 450 grain slugs of course.