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Common uses: Self-Defense, Hunting
| Type | pistol (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 250gr Speer Gold Dot GDHP (23984) |
| Muzzle velocity | 750 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 312 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.165 |
| Case length | 32.6 mm |
| Overall length | 40.6 mm |
| SAAMI max pressure | 14000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:16" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 750 | 312 | -1.5 |
| 50 | 721 | 288 | -2.5 |
| 100 | 693 | 267 | -20.3 |
| 150 | 667 | 247 | -56.2 |
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own firearm.
The .45 Colt is a large-bore revolver cartridge prized for the heavy, wide bullet it delivers at modest velocity and pressure, giving deep penetration and authoritative wound channels without punishing recoil in standard loadings. It is a mainstay of Cowboy Action Shooting, where it feeds original and replica Single Action Army revolvers, and it is widely chambered in lever-action carbines from makers such as Henry, Marlin, and Uberti. Its low SAAMI pressure ceiling limits standard-load performance, though published load manuals have long recognized a separate heavy "Ruger-only" tier for strong modern frames like the Ruger Blackhawk that approaches .44 Magnum energy and makes the cartridge a capable handgun-hunting choice for deer and larger game. In its traditional form it serves as an effective close-range self-defense and trail cartridge, valued as much for its history and shootability as for its terminal effect. Bullet selection ranges from light cowboy loads to hard-cast heavyweights, so the cartridge spans plinking, competition, defense, and hunting depending on the load and the firearm's strength.
Introduced in 1873 as the U.S. Army service cartridge for the Colt Single Action Army revolver, the .45 Colt was a joint development of Colt and the Union Metallic Cartridge Company. Originally a black-powder round throwing a 250-plus-grain lead bullet, it armed cavalry troopers and became one of the defining sidearm cartridges of the American frontier. It served as a U.S. military handgun cartridge until 1892, when it was replaced by the .38 Long Colt, and it has stayed in continuous production ever since, transitioning to smokeless powder while keeping its large-diameter bullet and long, straight-walled case.
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