The 1911 is not the only one who uses.45 Auto. There are many reasons to keep using a.45 ACP revolver.
I have been to dozens of gun shops over the course of my lifetime. These routines rarely yield more than passing curiosities or the occasional sporterized atrocity. Gun shows are more useful for buying and selling silver or gold than they are for guns. Gun stores have become sterile retail spaces and hubs of information and opinions. Rarely do I find something valuable and interesting. On one such foray, I found a very rare.45 ACP revolver: The Smith & Wesson Model of 1990. The 45 ACP revolver looks great in a compact chest rig. The M1989 is ready for adventure. It comes with a TOPS Brush Wolf knife, and a GunfightersINC Kenai chest holster.
I spent a lot of money on this gun because it held a lot of personal significance for me. One, it’s a.45 ACP, which is my favorite round, and two, it bore my birth year. It was my only choice and I paid a lot of money to get it. Although the hard rubber grips were not very good, they were still quite usable inside. It was a Model of 1989, which I immediately noticed was from the “good” years. It was unlocked by the frame and had a firing pin mounted on a hammer. I knew a lot about S&W, and I realized that I had something that was quite unique. It was so unique that even S&W couldn’t tell me much other than that it was their product and that it was made between 1989-1990. They could not provide any additional information, or even a production number. They explained that their archives were primarily about older guns. I was left with no other information or a number to work with so I began to talk to the best S&W historians I could find. I let them see the M1989. Again, I was silenced. Three serious collectors offered me more than I paid for the revolver, apparently because it was an enigma. I realized that I had something special here. I received another call offering me twice the purchase price, confirming my suspicions. I then looked into auction records and researched published sales prices. The most sought-after variant was the 3-inch 625-3. I discovered that this version was selling for anywhere between $1,200 and $2,500 depending on the features. My version didn’t come in an original box but it did come with the original grips. Although the grips were in poor condition, I believe they were the original Pachmayrs S&W that came with the gun. You can see in the photos that I have two sets of VZ grips. These grips are great and very clean. It all made sense. Two collectors believe that between 1989 and 1990, approximately 800 to 1,000 copies of this model were produced. This is a very short time span. There are many variants of this model, but the original production was discontinued sometime between 1994 and 1995. Collectors loved them for their rarity and ability to compete. Although there were some design changes made in 1989, these were only to the cylinder geometry, and not the gun’s overall features. One collector wanted to measure it. I declined to give him my revolver and a wad cash back. I finally agreed to let him know, but he couldn’t determine which variations mine had. I found his sources to be from internet forums and folk knowledge. S&W could not provide me with the information so I have to believe the word of the street.History of.45 ACP.
The.45 ACP was historically a revolver gun. It might seem absurd until you realize that the 1911 was the direct replacement of two revolver rounds (.45 Colt &.38 Long Colt). The 1911 was not able to see peace and was soon thrust into war. It was used against Pancho Villa in Mexico just a few years after its introduction. The 1911 was sent into World War I and was soon surrounded by enemy troops. The 1911 was a reliable gun, but it wasn’t made in large numbers. Colt had made less than 70,000 of the 1911 at the time and needed to make more. Smith & Wesson produced two variations with the same basic features, each called the M1917. Collectors are arguing over minor details and variations. Collectors thought the Colt version was better. Although I haven’t shot either, I can say that the Colt version is superior. Ergonomics and handling were comparable. It was a M1909, an existing Colt product at that time with a cylinder for.45 ACP. Smith & Wesson modified their 44 Hand Ejector to fit the.45 ACP round. Many collectors and shooters consider this an afterthought. The Colt was more reliable and accurate than the Colt. Although it is difficult to prove that this is true, I have not been able to find any serious complaints. These guns were made at a perfect 50/50 ratio Colt to S&W. Over 300,000. Many saw service in WWII. The M1917 was issued again in the same way as the first. This was primarily to provide a backguard measure and fill in manufacturing gaps in 1911 production which was at its peak by 1943. The 1911 would eventually replace the M1917, and the M1917 variants were either sold to other countries or distributed to military units in the USA. The majority ended up on the surplus market, and were sold to civilians. This is a much better option than the frame-mounted versions. My grandfather was said to have carried a.45 ACP revolver in 25 combat missions in Europe. He was the ball turret gunner aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress. The gun has been lost due to time and circumstances; my great uncle claims he also owned a 1911, but I am unable to verify this as my grandfather is dead for many years. However, photos of his contemporaries show that they had a variety of sidearms. It is possible that he also had a 1911. My great uncle claims that he also used a 1911 in Vietnam in 1967. This was when a mentor of mine who I shot CMP with used the M1917 to clear tunnels in search of Charlie. He gave a detailed account of his experiences using it and how it performed in tunnels. He used the revolver for tight spaces because he was concerned that the slide might jam if he fired it. Many of his fellow workers carried revolvers. However, it is not widely known what the caliber of these revolvers were. The.45 ACP revolver had a long and successful military career that spanned seven decades. The.45 ACP revolver round has been used in combat since 1916. It was then used in fighting revolvers just one year later. This makes it as useful in wheelguns as in semi-autos. The .45 ACP revolver isn’t a novelty, rather it has been a quiet mainstay of .45-caliber history, often riding shotgun to its more modern counterparts.Ejecting the moon clip with 45 rounds is easy. The 45 case is shorter than the full travel of magnum revolver rounds. You can tap the 45 case and it will pop out easily. This allows for a quick reload.
The best thing about the.45 ACP revolver is the fact that it can be paired with moon clips. This makes it a fast and accurate package that’s easy for shooters to reload quickly. With practice, a semi-auto reload can be done in the same time as a semi-auto because of its large chambers. The downside is that you get only six shots. A reload for a 1911 may take a lot longer depending on which magazine type you use. The gun is made of heavy all-steel and makes even heavy +P loads feel like a breeze. The barrel is only 3 inches in length, but the.45 ACP does not require a lot of tube to get started. The average velocity is 50 fps lower than the 5-inch 1911. The only notable exception is the Black Hills (BHA), 135-grain HoneyBadger which left the 3-inch barrel 120 FPS slower than the Colt M45… at 1,130 FPS! BHA 230-grain FMJ was 740 fps, BHA JHP+P was 880 fps, and BHA-185-grain JHP was 933 fps. It’s a 3-inch gun, which I like because it’s small enough to be a good chest-rig gun and not sacrifice velocity as much as a 1911. The Buffalo Bore Hardcast Outdoorsman +P shoots at.45 Colt levels for power and penetration. However, the M1989 can fire the.45 ACP without moon clips. The ejector cannot remove them. If you want to remove the clip completely, you will need a pencil or fingernail.
Moon clips are one such practical little thing that is easy to make, but can be easily ruined. These thin metal pieces are not a magazine, but a “clip”. They can be reused, but retain the fired brass rather than ejecting it like semi-autos.Moon clips are available in different brands and thicknesses. The blued version is the right thickness. However, the plated Wilson Combat to its left is thick enough to cause binding with certain brass types. Moon clips can vary in thickness and brand. Your revolver may not work with all moon clips. They grip the case and hold it in place. However, problems can arise if the clip is too thick or thin relative to the primer or case head. They can be picky but once you have the right thickness you will be able to roll with the best.
As I mentioned, the revolver I have is no longer available. It is difficult to find information or a way to locate one. S&W does not currently list a.45 ACP revolver, although several models were made up until recently. You will pay more for one than the original list price if you are lucky. Although they are not practical in 1911, the.45 ACP revolver has a special place within the American consciousness. Download your Storm Tactical printable target pack62 printable MOA targets with DOT drills – Rifle range in YARDS. This impressive target pack is from Storm Tactical and contains62 printable targets for rifle and handgun range usage. Target grids and bullseye sizes can be found in MOA. Get Free Targets
