.400 Colt Mag

In the late 1960`s Colt produced an experimental handgun round they called the .400 Colt Magnum. It was perfected by a Colt engineer named Bob Roy who was most likely inspired by the .41 Colt
Special of the early 1930`s but was never adopted. Mr. Roy started working on a larger more powerful round for the medium frame Colt revolvers such as the Official Police/Python size revolvers and began development using a modified 30-30 case. Once the load was perfected a small lot of "W-W 400" headstamped cases were procured from Winchester and loaded at Colt as the gun neared production status. Just before Colt management was to give the green light to announcing and producing guns in the new caliber Smith & Wesson announced their S&W .41 Magnum round and revolver, and that killed it for Colt. One can only imagine what would have happened if Colt introduced their .400 before S&W did their .41 ( Colt Single Action/New Frontier- Python- Trooper). Since I have only one round I could not pull the bullet to get some true measurements of the bullet and powder charge but I did measure about 1/8" below the case mouth of the 400 Colt and a 210gr JSP .41 mag cartridge. The Colt was .420" wide while the S&W was .430" wide while the 400 weighed 293grs. and the 41 weighed 335grs.. The top photo shows the "W-W 400" headstamp while the middle photo shows the .400 Colt alongside a .41 Mag. The bottom photo shows the .400 Colt on the left of a .41 Mag cartridge..

Very cool history lesson James.

Interesting! I've never heard of the 400 Colt.

James, You are the encyclopedia of handgun info.

COLT FINDS A GOOD HORSE (SAA, 1911, OFFICIAL POLICE AND ITS DESCENDANTS) AND RIDES IT TO DEATH, BUT IT HAS BEEN YEARS SINCE COLT HAS HAD A NEW GOOD HORSE TO RIDE. S&W AND RUGER ARE ALWAYS DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS AND VARIATIONS OF OLD PRODUCTS, AND AT PRICES MANY PEOPLE CAN AFFORD. MOST OF COLT'S REVOLVERS COME OUT OF THE "CUSTOM SHOP" AND COLT DEPENDS TOO MUCH ON GOVERNMENT AR CONTRACTS. TOO BAD THAT THEY DIDN'T DEVELOP A BEEFED UP PYTHON OR TROOPER IN THE 400 COLT AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE, OR KEEP THE ANACONDA'S GOING (AT AFFORDABLE PRICES).

Rey...Thinking what you just said....Picture a blue Python with a 6" or 8" barrel in .400Colt..... I know Colt chambered at least two Python`s in .41 Mag with no ill effects....bottom photo shows a Colt Single Action chambered in .41 Mag and another in .44 Special.... Who knows how the hunting handgun market would have changed if Colt produced their .400 or even if they chambered their appropriate revolvers in .41 Mag......

James you are the ?Rainman? of handguns...

I've never even heard of the 400 Colt. I'm always impressed by the stuff you find, James.

Very interesting!

thank you

Wasn't there also a .401 Herters PowerMag? Chambered in a single action revolver back in the60s??

http://www.gunblast.com/Fryxell_Herters401.htm

sw...yes that was another early .40 caliber....

I found a Rem -Umc 41 Long cartridge in a shop the other day. Added that and a 455 Webley to the collection.

JB.....

sw282 thank you for the .401 PowerMag article. I have been fascinated with the cartridge since seeing an advertisement in a catalog long ago. It led me to becoming a .41 Magnum owner.

I'm coming into this kind of late but it's a shame Colt didn't carry forward with the 400 Colt. It may not have been a big seller but then again, who knows? The 401 and 41 mags weren't big sellers but are both solid performers.

I have a 401 Powermag and love it. The guns are well made, strong and mine is accurate. I have an LBT mold for a 240 grain WLN, an Arsenal mold for a 200 grain SWC and a Mountain Mold 160 grain SWC. I just got the 160 grain mold and haven't had a chance to work with any bullets in that weight yet. I've also tried several 41 mag cast bullets resized to .403 from 220 to 280 grains. Mine has shot them all well. I've yet to find a bullet it doesn't like.

wheeler45, if you get a chance to pick up a 401, they're a lot of fun. Brass can be made from 41 mag without to much difficulty and brass can be found on GB fairly often.

Mart, We can only imagine what it would have been like if Colt introduced their .400 before S&W brought out their .41..... A Colt Python or Single Action in .400 Colt?????

James,

You are right. At this point it could only be speculation as to how things would have turned for the 40/41 group had Colt carried forward. I imagine it would have been met with a reaction similar to that of the 41 Magnum. Recognized by a few for its performance and value but largely ignored by the mainstream. By now it would be left to us who carry the underdog torch to keep it alive and in play. A Colt Python or SAA in 400 Colt, 401 Powermag or 41 Magnum. Be still my heart. I would swoon.