Trim 454 cases for 45 colt?

[LDJ]

I just had an idea of what to do with my 454 cases. I am not going to reload 454, and I am not going to bother to try and sell them. Instead of letting them set around, why not trim them and load them for 45 colt. Any input ?
Thanks

[hunter29180]

you can do so by trimming to 45lc deminsons, but be aware the wall thickness in the 454 shells are thicker to stand up to the higher pressures of the 454, this will affect the way the powder looks in these shells,

course if you wish to get rid of them. 3 options..sell them here, give them away in our monthly drawings, or scrap them. option 1 & 2 are suggested!

[LDJ]

Hunter, I really don't have any interest in selling them. I would have no problem giving them away. I only have a box and 1/2 so far. I shoot +P 45's mostly for practice. Hardly worth messing with so far. I like your suggestion though.

[Alpo]

I've never dimensioned one, so don't know if this is true or not. But I've read -

When Mr. Casull dreamed up his round, he knew he would have to make it longer, so people could not load them into 45 Colt guns and blow them up.

But the 45 Colt powder capacity was already so large that making the case longer, and therefore the capacity greater, was not a great idea.

So where the length was added was the web. Let's say the thickness of a standard 45 Colt web is (I'm making up numbers, now) .125", the thickness of a Casull web is .225". That's where the extra tenth of an inch went. That's why they use a rifle primer - the thicker web means a longer flash hole, and the hotter rifle primer flame makes it through to the powder better.

If this is true, and the internal capacity is the same for both Colt and Casull, then trimming a Casull to Colt case length will mean less case capacity, and if you use your normal load it will be over-pressure. You would have to come up with different loads for these cases. On top of that, all these are small rifle primed, while all your other 45 Colt brass is Large Pistol primed.

Just seems like a mess, to me, for what - 35 cases (you said "box and a half" and they come in either 20 or 25 boxes, depending on the maker)?

I'd agree that little isn't worth messing with for selling. I'd either give 'em away or throw 'em away, before I went to the hassle of trimming them down.

[LDJ]

I agree Alpo. Not worth messing with. Just a passing thought. I'll get a few more, then give them away.

[JLA]

Youll wear out your trimmers doing that. Best bet is to trade it here. Im fairly sure someone will have a pile of .45 colts to swap you for your casulls.