.45 Colt Leverevolution gel test 

The name Leverevolution means its supposed to be fired from a rifle, that could explain the poor result.

I kind of suspected that this would happen. I've always had the feeling that the bullet design was optimized for a rifle length barrel, so performance out of a handgun would be iffy at best. So mote it be.

I’m jealous of your Model 25. I keep my eye out for a four inch, but no dice yet. Saw a Model 24 the other day though. I have a 4 inch 629 from the first or second year of production. Had it since the early 80’s. I’ll keep that till the day I die! The 4 inch N frame’s just feel and point so good for me. If I were a rich man I’d have one in every caliber ever made! S&W needs to bring out a 625 in 45 Colt.

I recommend you try the Barnes VOR-TX 45 (Long) Colt 200gr XPB Handgun Ammo - it is a 200 grain copper hollowpoint rated at 1025 ft./s. That will surely be the best load that you will test by far (for standard factory pressure 45 colt ammo).

Even with zero expansion that wound cavity is still nothing to scoff at.

Every test I've seen of that ammo has similar disappointing results, at least from a handgun. On the plus side, it's a .452" bullet that isn't getting any smaller or lighter, so it beats smaller stuff. But still, yeah, if I just want a .45 Colt round that's gonna go through two badguys, I'd just stick with the original load or LSWC ammo and save a few bucks. Great video though with good info.

The leverevolution ammunition from Hornady was intended for use in lever action rifles with barrel lengths at least 16 inches long with 18-24 inches being the norm . Without sustantial barrel length to provide velocity you will not have expansion. .the .45 colt cartridge can be loaded to equate to .44 magnum provided the handgun is of modern manufacture ie: Ruger redhawk or the smith and wesson 25 .

Personally bud, i just suggest you look into another caliber. Ive watched several of your videos on 45 colt and you just dont seem happy with it. 45 colt is made to be big and slow, normally means more penetration no matter what. From what ive seen over the years, goin from a 4 and 3/4 barrel to a 20 inch normally only gives you 180 to 250 fos more at most. Even then most are goin under 1050 fps. You just need to look into high velocity cartridges that are lighter if you want to keep it in that block.i run a lot of 45 colt ammo in alot of different barrel lengths for home defense and out in the woods. I fell in love with it do to the fact its lower report, good at beatin through brush and punches through 20 plus inches of soft tissue. I live in the rural south east and it works perfect for me for what i do and where i live.

A few additional notes: I got light primer strikes from both my S&W and my Uberti SAA. It was so bad with the SAA that I was unable to get a 5 shot average for velocity testing. I could only get three. Despite the fact that the SAA's barrel is 3.5 inches longer than the Smith's, velocities were 767 fps, 751, and 802. This has been a consistent pattern with this gun, either the velocity is no better than the Smith's or it's actually lower, longer barrel notwithstanding.

Ice cream trucks with their digital music always make me think of homicidal clowns....

The lead is a different alloy than the pistol rounds, that's why you got no expansion.

Good Video. Im still impressed. I feel it would expand more when hitting hide, mucsle, cartlidge, bone, clothing, etc.

I shot that same bullet in 460 magnum at 2000 fps and it disintegrated.

I run this out of my Henry. Can confirm it absolutely fucks with zero recoil and massive expansion out of a long barrel.

Was hoping you were going to try the denim just to see if that could cause it to upset. I know it seems counterintuitive but maybe?

i think youll find that most companies are bad at making 45 colt ammo especially hp ammo, and it's a shame that the charge a dollar a round, when I can buy a lbs of black powder and brass and bullets and out perform most factory smokeless.

That round is meant for a rifle or carbine length barrel

Why are you testing "leverevolution " ammo out of a pistol ? Hornady made it easy to understand with the name of the ammo.

Man you can think whatever you want but that first one path is caused from tumbling without a doubt what else could it be man

I mean, what do you expect you? You don’t have any barrel you need a good 6 1/2 inch barrel can’t do that with a nose far as expansion, but look at that wound track. They nothing wrong with that.

You should try that round on a 10% ordinance gelatin block- you'll likely get much better results. While Clear Ballistics synthetic gel sure is pretty, it's not an accurate representation of how bullets perform in actual flesh (10% ordinance gelatin does properly equate flesh). Also, bullets will travel approximately 20% more in synthetic gel.

Wound track impressive

Fires a cartridge designed for long gun use from a 4" revolver and then is surprised and disappointed it doesnt perform as advertised...sounds like a skill issue.

A 200 grain slug at 850 fps is a great defense load . And look at that wound channel without expansion ! The round will not get you into trouble with attorneys that imply that you are some gun fanatic .

A handgun won't generate the velocity the LeverEvolution needs to drive that polymer plug into what is basict a dense XTP hollow point that's really quite shallow. As an aside. I tried some of these in a Charter Arms .45 Colt Bulldog. While they did make larger holes in very dense material? They weren't Earth shattering.

Now that appears to be a hunting round.

So a bullet made for rifles and made to take game. Does not work well out of short barrel and bear gel?

can we put this model of cartridges in a colt model 1873 revoler, manufactured in 1894, now reconditioned. I normally shoot the magtech cowboy action 45 colt and I have no problems. would it be the same according to you with the hornady leverevolution ?

my comment will be a little long but beneficial a few weeks ago I bought a rossi brawler 45colt/410single shot with a 9 in barrel.while waiting for new brass for the 45colt I shot 45acp lower volicty/ pressure 230 gr lrn bullets with metric size o-rings 8.8x1.9 and 8x2mm it worked and shot great. but back to 45colt keeping at or under the 14,000psi limit I'll test probably 452dia.200gr xtp with w 244 powder, 8.5gr, 12,900psi ,250 gr rnfp with 7.4 gr of 244, 13,400 psi.,972 fps, 525ft/ lb.. 260gr gold dot with cfe pistol8.8 gr, 916fps,484 ft/lb. 255gr swc h-4227. 19.0 gr., 994 fps and 560 ft/lb. none of these loads are weak but not overloads. I believe this single shot pisto l could handle med range 45colt+ p pressures but I'm not stupid enough to try it and no one else should either or they might shortly be in the presence of God. papa from the foothills of the blue ridge mountains in NC wishing you well 😊

Yeah man, you need a rifle for that ammo.

Disappointing results from a pistol on a bullet designed for rifle velocities.

Need a .50, sabot 777 to throw that jell tohell? Lol

Uh.... look at the stretch cavity of that first shot - what are you complaining about?

Please beg, borrow or buy a '92 and repeat this.

I have never been impressed with that ammo.

What is the distance from the muzzle to the gelatin target???