45 ACP Levergun -- Custom built 30 yrs ago.

[Noah Zark]

A 45 ACP levergun been discussed here before, and I finally found the article in my vast archives documenting what gunsmith Bob Snapp did for then-technical editor of the American Rifleman, C E "Ed" Harris, published 28 yrs ago, April 1983 American Rifleman:






PM me with your e-mail addy for a .PDF copy.

Noah

[adirondakjack]

Been there, done that, except using the rimmed version, C45S. Thanks for the link. ALL good ideas end up recycled, even if one never knew it'd been done before.

[J Miller]

Noah,

PM on the way. Thanks.

Joe

[damienph]

PM sent, thank you!

Damien

[adirondakjack]

And the best news is, today we have the Cowboy ,.45 Special cartridge, so all that hard work redoing the bolt face is no longer needed. I note he did ramp the barrel slightly, ala 1911, which we did not, and yepper, the extractor has to be reworked or it will drive you up a wall. His carrier mods are a little differnet than ours, but both produce similar results. My 16 1/8" octagon bbl CB-L is a lotta fun in C45S...

[FWiedner]

Interesting article. Thanks for posting it.

I'm sure there is the typical interest in having a partner for a favored handgun, but IMO building a levergun to digest the .45ACP seems nothing more than an exercise in whether or not it can be done.

So, there's several issues addressing feeding from a tube magazine, the bolt face, extraction, rechambering, and then unpredictable performance (because the .45ACP can really only use about 12" of barrel).

If you simply must have a shoulder mounted arm in .45ACP, it's been observed tha there are several reliable semi-autos already chambered for the cartridge that could be purchased for less than the conversion/custom build.

Maybe if I just wanted to see it done, but I wouldn't burn an already functional gun to try it.

[TravisM]

Now that is unique. Thanks for sharing.

[adirondakjack]

Because we can

[woods-walker]

PM sent.

Thank you

[AJMD429]

I'm sure there is the typical interest in having a partner for a favored handgun, but IMO building a levergun to digest the .45ACP seems nothing more than an exercise in whether or not it can be done. . // . . If you simply must have a shoulder mounted arm in .45ACP, it's been observed tha there are several reliable semi-autos already chambered for the cartridge that could be purchased for less than the conversion/custom build.

For many of us whose 'disease' is further along, there doesn't have to be anything particularly sensible about a gun project. Even though my little Marlin "Camp Carbine" semiauto in .45 ACP wears a Choate folding stock, uses 1911 magazines, feeds flawlessly, and is just ugly enough to be a good 'knockabout' gun, I'd still like a little Rossi 92 in the .45 ACP.

I guess it's the same reason I keep thinking about those Ruger 77/357 bolt-actions. I really need one, well, because, er, uh, I guess I mean I really want one because, well, it's a bolt-action ("Honey, you have several already" - "But it's in .357 Magnum" - "You have several leverguns in .357" - "But bolt actions are so cool" - "But you're always saying leverguns can do just as well as bolt-actions in any straight-wall cartridge, and are handier and more fun". . . ).

My case must be end-stage at this point, but if Rossi came out with them (or Marlin, or Ruger), I'd get a .45 ACP levergun in a minute. Because, well, er. . . never mind.

[Palmtreee]

Shooting my favorite load of a 200 grain H&G #68 SWC in my lever, 1911's and Smith 625's is joy for me. I love the 45 ACP. It is hard to explain, I guess it like telling someone why I still ride a motorcycle everyday. Thank you for posting the article!!!

[2X22]

Palmtree, THAT is BEAUTIFUL!

[Bob Winchester]

Shooting my favorite load of a 200 grain H&G #68 SWC in my lever, 1911's and Smith 625's is joy for me. I love the 45 ACP. It is hard to explain, I guess it like telling someone why I still ride a motorcycle everyday. Thank you for posting the article!!!

I’m so jealous I could just spit!

[adirondakjack]

Not for nothing, but last time I hunted deer, I carried my 16" Lever in Cowboy .45 Special (acp with a colt rim), stoked with a 230 XTP at 1400 fps. Of course that is far above SAAMI pressures, (maybe 27K) but nothing a Marlin won't handle. The little lever one-handed soo nice through the brush, and since shots where I hunt rarely exceed 50-75 yards, I felt OK with it. My kid carried a 20" Marlin in .44 Manglem....

[FWiedner]

I could be persuaded to change my mind...

(I drool as a result of Palmtree's photo submission)

[Palmtreee]

I could be persuaded to change my mind...

(I drool as a result of Palmtree's photo submission)

Sorry, you have to stick to your word. You can get a copy cat like the C45S. Imitation is the best form of flattery.

[olyinaz]

Love it, just 'cause. I want a lever gun in .40 S&W which is dumb but I don't care - I want one.

Oly

[Griff]

A friend of mine just finished building one. He's currently working the kinks out, then he sez, he'll put some lipstick on the pig.

I'd heard stories of attempts to make the .45ACP work in a levergun for years... and if anyone had showed me a functioning, reliable example, I would already have one. There really isn't anything the .45Colt can do that the .45ACP can't do, except take up space.

I'll be satisfied with the C45S version I'm building... and when I do want to change ammo from mild to wild, I don't have to worry about feeding it thru my 1911.

Palmtree, nice lookin' rifle, WWG do the take-down?

[Palmtreee]

A friend of mine just finished building one. He's currently working the kinks out, then he sez, he'll put some lipstick on the pig.

I'd heard stories of attempts to make the .45ACP work in a levergun for years... and if anyone had showed me a functioning, reliable example, I would already have one. There really isn't anything the .45Colt can do that the .45ACP can't do, except take up space.

I'll be satisfied with the C45S version I'm building... and when I do want to change ammo from mild to wild, I don't have to worry about feeding it thru my 1911.

Palmtree, nice lookin' rifle, WWG do the take-down?

David Clay of DRC did the work. I like the fact of not having to change ammo or gun.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I have people ask me all the time if I can convert a 92 to 45acp. Probably because they have read how some were done down in South America. While I haven't seen an example of any I suspect if they were truly done they probably didn't work that well because the 92 is designed to work off the cart. rims.

My answer to those folks has always been if you truly want one you should look at doing it on the Marlin platform. The way a marlin feeds is much more conducive toward feeding rimless cartridges.

For an auto cartridges I think I would prefer a semi auto carbine. This one is offered in 45acp and uses glock mags.



My everyday carry gun is an M22 glock 40 so i went with the Keltec sub rifle.