45 CAL RIFLES and PISTOLS ain't no more???

[Bullmoose]

I was checking the rifle makers out there and noticed that nobody is in the business of making or selling 45CAL rifles and or pistols. Is it a non selling item and they are deleting that CAL altogether? This is what I shoot and was wondering if anyone sees this size used very much?

 

[Rebel]

Cabela'S sells the Pedersoli Blue Ridge rifle in either cap or flint lock in .32, .36, .45, .50 and .54 cal. Not a lot of .45 pistols being made though other than the Traditions pistol that looks like their Crockett. Not sure what they call it.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

If ya want it, make it!

You can make a match pair, of much better quality than any store bought.

http://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/

 

Track of the Wolf, TV Manufacturing and TV Muzzleloading and Dixie all still offer 45 cal.

Vic

 

Back in the late 70's when I got started the .45 was by far the most popular caliber. Paris then Getz were offering swamped barrels by this time but they wre difficult to inlet. Most barrels were straight. Though you can certainly use a .45 for deer and even a .40 where it's legal, people soon discovered a .50 in general knocks them down a lot easier and a .54 is even better. And the .54 is usefull on tough or larger game, black bear, boars, mulies, even elk. Even a .54 in matches is not bad provided you have a well fitted rifle with a flat farly wide buttplate. The .54 is usually an advantage in primitive matches. I've plinged many a steel sillouette target with my .45 and left it standing.

Ergo, at least from what I'm seeing, the small calibers, .32 or even smaller for small game and plinking, the .40 for close offhand, and the .54 are the hot calibers right now. If you check out my website, www.billshipman.com, you'll see most of my spec guns are .54.

I still shoot my old Getz.45 of course. All the barrel makers still produce them. Just not as popular as they once were.

 

Thought you might enjot seeing the old girl. A few dents but a nice honest patina. 22 years old ,15 years of hard use. In the 80's and early 90's we, buddy Frank and myself shot at least 1 long match each weekend. Drove hours to find them sometimes. Shot in many live turkey shoots. Illegal of course. We got in with the locals because we had flintlocks. The trick is to take a bead on the top of the log and let off as the turkey head pops up. The soft lead ball and the splinters create a shotgun effect. It didn't work with the modern guns they were using and they never caught on. If there wre five turkeys, we got 4 between us. Frank 3, me 1. Getting off subject.