It finaly happened to me!

[Booger Bill]

After close to 60 years of handeling guns I think I made my biggest boo boo yesterday. I went to the range with two colt single actions. One in .45 colt and the other in .44 special. I shot a clyinder full of .44 special in the 45 colt. No harm done, actualy they didnt shoot real bad. They key holed and the cases swelled up. I load both to the same levels 850-900 fps, 240-250 grain and they look just alike. I was going to keep this to myself but thinking about it, I thought I would share for possibly someones benifit.
Its easy to do. If by some weird unlikely circumstance I was put in a situation to fight for my life and had a .45 and only .44 special ammo it would be feaseable!
I sure aint recomending it though.

[Blaine]

"Stuff" happens. Thanks for falling on your sword and reminding us to be careful BTW, .444 shoots in a 45-70

[.45colt]

I am glad that Your O.K. mistakes happen and We are only Human. Last week after nearly fourty years of running an electric pallet jack,while turning a new one around in a tight cooler I backed over My left big toe. . this is going to take along time to heal.

[samb]

Bill,
Thank you for the reminder.

[jnyork]

Three rounds of .30-30 fired in .303 Brit.

[Chas.]

I have 4 .44mag firearms, and for that reason I will NOT have a .45 Colt(or Long Colt) being the klutz that I am. I have shot a bunch of .22LR in my single-six before realizing that the .22mag cylinder was in it - no harm, no foul, but I wouldn't want to take a chance with .44/.45.

[Doc Hudson]

Elmer Keith told a story of one of his friends who was basically held captive at forced labor by a fellow.

For some odd reason the captor allowed the the young man to keep his Colt SAA, in either .45 LC or .44 WCF he had no ammo for it.

Somehow or another, Elmer's friend managed to acquire single .38-40 WCF cartridge. After some weeks of forced labor, the young man managed to wrap something around the cartridge that permitted him to chamber the cartridge with the primer centered under the firing pin.

Using this single cartridge he managed to wound his captor and freed himself and two or three fellow captives.

Additionally, I've known of Jim Taylor putting a .45 LC cylinder in a .44 RemMag Super Blackhawk and shooting .45 caliber bullets down a .429" barrel with no ill effects. Jim did this on purpose to demonstrate the strength of the Super Blackhaw, not as an accident.

Other than brass loss, I see no ill effects from shooting .44 S&W Spl cartridges in a .45 LC cylinder. It is not something I'd do as a regular basis, but if a serious need for a firearm arose and that was the only gun ammo combination available, I'd not hesitate to make use of it.

[brno602]

The closest I got was shooting lr in a mag Cyl in my pistol just to see for myself about 50 % split the case, all went bang. All hit the target too.

[41 Redhawk]

"Stuff" happens. Thanks for falling on your sword and reminding us to be careful BTW, .444 shoots in a 45-70

Sometimes you have to work at it but Blaine is right....they will

[86er]

I appreciate the honest first hand report. Every once in a while I hear of something like this and it sharpens my edge to razor status once again. I'm glad there was no damage to you or your equipment!

[kimwcook]

I appreciate the honest first hand report. Every once in a while I hear of something like this and it sharpens my edge to razor status once again. I'm glad there was no damage to you or your equipment!

Here, here!

[Mac in Mo]

I've posted here before about firing a .44 mag round in my .45 Colt Blackhawk. I noticed the much louder report and opened the cylinder to find a swelled .44 m empty. It sits on a shelf at my loading bench, front and center at eye level to remind me that I am not infallible. Mac

[shooter]

I got back from the range a few days ago and threw all my .44 brass in the tumbler when I got home. The next day or so I set up to reload those spend .44's, and there were about 5, a Freedom Arms cylinder full, that were expanded to .45 Colt diameter. I was shooting .44 Mag, and my cousin was shooting .45's, so he must have grabbed a handful of my ammo by accident. No harm no foul, but I will keep a closer eye on the ammo next time. Like the OP said, they look very similar.

[adirondakjack]

When I first shot CAS I ran .45 colt revolvers, and a .44 mag rifle. When I loaded .44s, I boxed em up and gave the case heads a swipe with a fat red marker. But I was always worried about it.....

After a year or two I bought a .45 rifle and left the .44 manglem in the safe.

[El Chivo]

one guy at our silhouette club did it twice. He put a .357 magnum cartridge in his 30-30 (his guns are both Marlins and look alike). It sounded funny and split the case but both times he did hit the target.