The .45-45 cartridge and a .45-70 Mare's Leg

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

The following post is for informational/fun purposes only.
 

Recently, I acquired a Uberti replica of the Winchester 76 in .45-60.  Unlike the original .45-60 that was slightly bottlenecked, the replica .45-60 is dimensionally identical to the .45-70, just a little shorter.  So, I trimmed some .45-70 brass to make some .45-60 brass to use in the gun, no problem.

But, as I was loading up the ammo, I discovered that I had somehow trimmed a couple of cases to about the same length as a .45 Colt Cartridge.   Just out out curiosity, I checked to see if they would cycle though the 76 without a bullet.  They did, one at a time, but if I tried to load two, I'd get a double feed.   But, they cycle through my vintage Winchester 1886.   

The wheels began to churn...

I trimmed 5 cases to the exact same length as a .45 Colt case.  With the help of some custom made dies from Lee, I seated some 300 grain .45-60/.45-70 bullets in the cases.   They cycle just fine in the 86!  You gotta be a bit slow, but they work through the action with no problem, and feed into the chamber.  They will not work in the 76, getting a double feed, and they function almost flawlessly in my Large Frame Lighting.  Anyway, seeing the dummy cartridges work in my 86, I found a new replica 86 with a factory 16" barrel.  The cartridges do cycle in the replica 86, but not as well as with the real Winchester.   I chalk that up to the fact that the replica's action is not as "smooth" as the real Winchester.  If you are not careful, some of the "catches" in the action will cause the cartridge to jump around on the carrier.  An action job will soon take place.

Anyway, I call this wildcat cartridge that I am developing, the .45-45.  (Original, no?)  

Now, why did I get this 16" barrel 86?  (A Chiappa sold by Taylors.)  Well, I'm gonna make myself what the Mare's Leg SHOULD have been.  As it is, the rifle has the pistol grip stock, and if I cut it just beyond the pistol grip, there is more than enough room to spare to be over the minimum length to not become an SBR.   Under normal conditions, I'll run the .45-45 in this gun, but it'll still be capable of running full size .45-70's!

Other applications for the cartridge would be for use as a "sub" round in single shot rifles, or in those giant revolvers for .45-70.    (If I could find someone who would do it, I'd have a one off custom revolver made for the .45-45, but there are "reasons" why I'll prolly never do it.)

Anyway, no, having this new cartridge would not make the 86 (Or I suppose the Large Frame Lightning) suddenly legal for main match use.  (I asked.)  And of course, the Mare's Leg is not SASS legal, so all of this is purely for fun and personal novelty.   Making the cartridge is easy.   Getting an (oversized) revolver for it is possible.    Getting it work in a rifle is doable.  

All in all, a lot of fun, and a solution to a problem that does not exist!

So, in conclusion, this is an ongoing project.  We'll see what happens as it progresses.