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The .45 Colt (11.43×33mmR), often called the .45 Long Colt, is a rimmed straight-walled handgun cartridge dating to 1872. It was originally a black-powder revolver round developed for the Colt Single Action Army revolver.
No, 45 Colt and 45 Long Colt are not the same cartridges. 45 Colt is a straight-walled cartridge with a rim diameter of 0.451 inch and a case length of 1.25 inches. 45 Long Colt is a tapered cartridge with a rim diameter of 0.472 inch and a case length of 1.54 inches.
Both the revolver—the 1873 Colt Single Action Army (SAA) —and its cartridge, the .45 Colt, would become iconic in the annals of firearm development. The .45 Colt retains the bullet diameter of...
Dimensionally, the 45 Colt/45 Long Colt and 45 Auto are very different, making it unlikely that a round for one gun could be used in the other. The main difference is the 45 Colt/45 Long Colt is a rimmed straightwall revolver cartridge, whereas the 45 Auto is a rimless straightwall round.
In this article, we’ll take you through the ins and outs of the .45 Colt (and its siblings). We’ll dive into why you might choose it and even some tips for how to load it, if you’re into that sort of thing. Ultimately you’ll walk away better acquainted with the round.
The .45 Colt, sometimes called the .45 Long Colt to distinguish it from the short .45 cartridge historically required by the S&W Schofield revolver, as well as the .45 ACP (also sometimes, incorrectly, referred to as the .45 Colt), is the oldest service cartridge still in use today.
.45 Colt is the most versatile cartridge ever and if it’s a swing out cylinder revolver, the cylinder can be cut for moon clips and can shot .45 ACP. The .45 Colt has been around 140 years and will be around another 140 so long as Hilary Clinton isn’t elected president.
The .45 Colt—or .45 (Long) Colt as it is irritatingly known—was originally loaded with 40 grains of FFg black powder, under a 255-grain lead bullet, at a muzzle velocity of just over 875 fps, as has been shown by testing original loads over a modern chronograph.
Be sure of this, the .45 Colt and its introductory revolver were developed with one purpose in mind: to be the sidearm of horse-mounted troops. Its big bullet was intended not only to knock down human adversaries but also for putting their horses out of commission.
The .45 Colt cartridge, renowned for its muzzle velocity and muzzle energy, showcases the ingenuity behind early cartridge design. With a case length and overall cartridge length facilitating significant power, the .45 Colt was engineered to develop muzzle velocities, making it a formidable military and civilian cartridge.