Alright Yahoo Gun + Ammo fiends, What is the difference between .45 ACP and 45 Colt?

Question

I realize that these are two different rounds, but I don't really know anything about the .45 colt. I have a Glock model 21 that uses .45 ACP. How does .45 ACP and .45 Colt compare ballistically?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Here's some info off the Sierra Ballistics page.

A .45 Long Colt, 250 gr. Gold Dot Hollow Point has a velocity of 900 fps.

A .45 ACP, 230 gr. Gold Dot Hollow Point has a velocity of 890 fps.

A .45 ACP 200 gr. +P, Gold Dot Hollow Point has a velocity of 1080 fps.

I have hand-loaded a 250 gr. lead .45 Long Colt to 1114 fps, using black powder. Recoil was very heavy, noise was incredible (couple fellows at the range thought I blew my gun up), impressive cloud of smoke. I was using the old style Ruger (with the heavier frame), not sure I'd try this in the newer ones. I backed off to about 1000 fps for heavy loads in the .45 long colt using black powder.

The biggest advantage of the .45 ACP is the short case uses smokeless powder more efficiently. Filling up a .45 Long Colt case with smokeless powder is a recipe for disaster. The shorter case means a shorter grip for the semi auto. If you wanted a .45 Long Colt semi auto, you would wind up with a gun about the size of the Desert Eagle .44 mag.

Answer 2

The .45 Colt was introduced in 1873 as the first chambering for the Colt SAA.
The .45 Colt is rimmed and has a longer case length than rimless ACP.
The .45 Colt is a lower pressure cartridge than the ACP.
The standard factory loads for the ACP are more pwerful than those for the .45 Colt.
You can shoot standard pressure loads of .45 Colt through any replica or original Peacemaker made after 1900 (if it's in good condition, of course).

However, Buffalo Bore ammunition offers loads for the .45 Colt that slightly surpass those of the standard .44 Rem. Mag.
But those can only be used in T/C, Winchester 94, and Ruger firearms (read the warnings on the box).

Answer 3

The old military blackpowder loading for the "long Colt" is only slightly superior to standard 45 ACP loads. This is by design, the ACP having been developed as a response to the Army's experience in the Philippines over a century ago, when they had to re-issue the SAA revolvers. Of course, with modern propellants and strong actions like the Ruger Blackhawk, it can be loaded with bullets of 300 grains' weight and more at about the same velocity as the 230 grainers in your Glock.

Answer 4

.45Colt was the first metallic cased .45 caliber round and came out in 1873. Back then black powder was the propellant used so casings had to be larger to accommodate the charge. In 1905 Colt, Thompson (the man), and Browning (who needs no introduction) all helped to create the 45ACP for the Colt Model 1905 automatic pistol (Browning's first .45ACP). The shell would eventually be used in the military in the 1911 series and the rest is history. Out of the same barrel Lengths, the two shells are very similar in ballistics. The 45Colt has the circumstantial advantage due to many revolvers (chambered in .45Colt) having 7" barrels. Also, modern .45Colt has been loaded with smokeless propellant since the early part of the twentieth century and reloaders have often taken advantage (safely and unsafely) of the extra casing space to add "oomph" to ballistics.

Answer 5

They are worlds apart sharing only the wideth or bore diameter of the bullet itself.

The .45 Long Colt is a revolver cartridge around since the Eighteen hundreds. It is rimmed and considerably longer than the .45 acp. The two don't interchange (except in some single-action revolvers that will fire either one by physically changing out the cylinders).

The .45 Long Colt is ballistically superior (more powerful) since it has a much larger case capacity. It is available in black powder or smokeless since it was originally loaded with black powder and it usually fires a 250 grain lead bullet.

The .45 acp has been around since the early 1900s and was based on a cut-off .30-06 Springfield casing. It usually fires a 185 to 230 bullet and is rimless and designed to be fired out of an auto-loading pistol. This one is a good stopper but the L/C is better by virtue of holding more gunpowder.

Best.

H

Answer 6

The .45 ACP is a rimless round designed for the magazine fed .45 semi auto pistol.The .45 Colt is a rimmed revolver round.

Answer 7

The .45 Colt cartridge (known commonly as the .45 Long Colt) was developed to replace the standard issue Smith and Wesson .44 round in the famous Colt Peacemaker revolver. The US Army adopted the cartridge in 1873 and it remained in use until 1877 when the army went to the M1877 ball revolver load. All Colt army revolvers were still chambered to fit the longer .45 cartridge case. In 1892 it was replaced by the .38 Long Colt. The US Army briefly reintroduced the .45 Colt in 1902 for use in the Philippines, but it was made obsolete by new automatic pistols firing .45 ACP.



The .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) is a rimless pistol cartridge designed by firearms designer John Browning in 1905, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol—a design which evolved into the M1911 pistol adopted by the U.S. Army in 1911.

Answer 8

The .45 Colt was originally a black powder cartridge, while the .45 ACP was one of the earliest smokeless cartridges. Because the .45 Colt was a black power round it has a much larger case than the .45 ACP it can be loaded to much higher pressures with smokeless powder, therefore the .45 Colt is a more powerful round when loaded with the smokeless powder, when the .45 Colt is loaded with black powder the .45 ACP is more powerful.

Answer 9

h is right, but if you compare balistics of factory loads the .45 acp is superior.

in order to get the true advantages of the .45 colt you have to load the rounds yourselfe with modern gunpowder. (it then has the balistic properties close to the .44 winchester mag)

the .45 colt you buy are loaded with black powder or smokeless powder which is much less powerful and slower burning.

you cant shoot the 45 colt out of a colt saa or replica if you use modern powder either (if you increase the power). you can only shoot them out of a large frame revolver chambered for .454 casual(which is based off the .45 colt. but it is then obsolete to the more powerful .454 casual. a gun chambered for .460 magnum will also fire both the .454 casual and .45 colt.


i notice a few people giving me thumbs down. this information is 100% accurate.

Answer 10

The casing is different.