A friend of mine told me about a neighbor who has about 15-20
full boxes of factory Peters 45 Colt ammo he wants to sell.
These are the old red,blue,cream boxes. I have a few
revolvers chambered for 45 Long Colt, I know nothing about
45 Colt ammo. Is this caliber ammo suitable for use in my
S&W revolvers.

Even though the price is suppose to be very good I don't want
to take a chance if it's going to damage my revolvers.

They’re perfectly safe to shoot. They’re probably non-jacketed bullets, so clean-up may be a bit more involved. A Lewis Lead Remover will make quick work of it.

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"I also cook."

I shot Remington Klean Bore in old dark green and red boxes. 259g lead.
M25-5 shot them like a rifle. Sounds like Peters from 1960s. The last box of Peters factory in that box I purchased was for a new m58 when they were first out. Some lead cartridges will get white oxidation on bullet. I’ve wiped it off with hard cloth or one of those kitchen sponges to clean pots.

The cartridge designation is .45 Colt. There is no such thing as”long colt”. They are one and the same. Your S&W revolvers should be marked “.45 Colt CTG”. Buy it !!!

I call all mine 45 long Colt..........It really doesn't matter.

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S&W Accumulator

Mike SC - I only posted that in response to the OP who appeared to think it was two different cartridges. I wanted him to be able to take advantage of the opportunity to get the ammo.

Odds are they are 45 Long Colt.

It has probably been 75 or more years since any ammunition company produced the old 45 Short Colt ammunition.

Just like Bob Smith is called Bob Smith until Bob Smith Jr is born, then he becomes Bob Smith Sr. 45 Long Colt originated as 45 Colt. The 45 Long Colt nickname came into play when a 2nd cartridge was released . . . nicknamed the 45 Short Colt. Remington started selling these around WW-I

Both of the cartridges pictured above are head stamped 45 Colt and can be fired in the same revolvers. It is easy to envision someone going into the General Store to buy a box of 45s and being asked if they want Long or Short

Anyone that has read Elmer Keith's books or articles knows that he used to refer to the cartridge as 45 long Colt with the small "L". Somewhere in a Guns and Ammo magazine he told the story of some young shooter trying to correct saying the cartridge was named 45 Colt. I wish I still had that old magazine as I can not recall his response

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"Acta non verba"

It's precisely the ammo your revolver was designed to shoot. Ignore the .45 Colt/.45 Long Colt squabbling. Utterly irrelevant.

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Pisgah

Correctly, there is the .45 Colt and the .45 Schofield/.45 S&W (AKA .45 "Short" Colt). But you can call them whatever you wish. Most true ammo collectors will see red if the .45 Colt is called the .45 "Long" Colt in their presence and aren't bashful about letting you know about it. Regardless of what Elmer thought or said.

I’d buy that ammo in a heartbeat.

I love the Long Colt dustups! This is from Colt’s current listing, but what do they know?

Attached Images

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

They know that it isn't designated "Long Colt", or they wouldn't put it in parenthesis.

I would grab it fast. Glad you are getting a good deal. Expensive ammo brand new.

You can call the .45 Colt anything you want...it is a free country and therefor you are not punished for such errors!

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No good deed goes unpunished.

I stand corrected …. Thanks to those more knowledgeable than myself. I just wanted the OP to grab the good deal !

My 45 Colts identify as 45 ACP XL rimmed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Well, I grabbed the deal. 16 boxes at $22.50 per box. Thanks for all of
the informed responses. Learned a lot I didn't know anything about.

Somewhere, probably on a Ruger-related forum, some (woke?) individual is contemplating the need for an "Other" sub-forum for those who possess revolvers with CONVERTIBLE cylinders in 45 Automatic Colt Pistol & 45 (ACP XL rimmed, a.k.a. LONG) Colt...?

Or, there will be HELL TO PAY!

Cheers!

P.S. If those were 50 round boxes I hope the OP was at least wearing a mask when he robbed the seller...?

I have reloaded 45 Colt for many years.
The only problem is with a M28 converted to 45 Colt I have to use .45 acp 230 gr bullets or the 250 gr KWC will stick out the front of the cylinder.
That's not the problem in the SAA Colt.

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

This is getting complicated.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

OP - Good deal on the ammo. I believe you will find those bullets have a hollow base, which can be very helpful in providing a proper bullet seal on guns with oversized chamber mouths, especially some of the older Colt SA's, who were notorious for oversized throats.

Oh, and just to add to the confusion R/E the .45c / .45lc debate, see the below pictures - Straight from the Government and the Dancing Pony's mouth.....

Larry

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Mine go by 11.43 x 33mmR ......

45 Long Colt is colloquial for 45 Colt. Use with confidence

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213th FBINA

Good buy. But then there’s the .45Even Shorter Colt. aka C45S or .45 Colt Special, the brass is cut down to .45acp length. Brass is available but I’m not sure if it is commercially loaded.

Just another log on the fire.......The first 45C's/LC's were loaded in a copperish colored case with an INTERNAL primer.

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S&W Accumulator

DWalt,

Right, wrong or indifferent, people have been referring to the cartridge as .45 Long Colt since it was first introduced in 1873! Don't you think it is about time to put this petty argument to rest and just let people call it what nearly everyone refers to it as, or at least stop trying to argue the point when the vast majority either don't care nor will pay any attention whatsoever. Everyone will know what is being discussed, no matter which term is used. To further complicate things don't forget the 1909 cartridge that differs only in a slightly larger rim diameter.

And while we are at it, how about the .38 Super/Super .38 Automatic that everyone gets wrong and will argue whenever someone refers to the cartridge correctly as Super .38 Automatic? Which side of that argument are you on???

"A rose is a rose..."? As long as it chambers?

I have seen very old boxes labeled 45 long Colt.
Probably to distinguish them from 45 Schofield ammo.

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Merle, retired
western PA

DWalt,


Go back and re-read your own post, and mine! You will see that you are making a strong argument for .45 Colt. You obviously do care what it is called, if you didn't you would have never made that post! Read my first line, "Right, Wrong or Indifferent". My point was only that historically the cartridge was the Long Colt. and to perpetuate the argument, that this is incorrect, is a silly argument in the face of what millions have called it over the last 150 +/- years. It is the argument I was talking about, not the name of the cartridge.
My point was that this is a silly argument, so let it go already!

I will point out that the "Official" name of the cartridge is .45 Colt. That is, and always has been, the standard nomenclature used by every ammunition manufacturer and also by SAAMI, which is the ultimate authority. I don't particularly care if anyone wants to call it the .45 Long Colt, but it should be recognized that it is incorrect to do so on several levels. You can call a dog a cat, but that does not turn a dog into a cat. The .45 M1909 cartridge was not known by any other name because it was never sold on the civilian market.

I do not believe that I have heard anyone call the .38 Super cartridge the Super .38 cartridge. However, M1911-style Colt .38 pistols were originally named and marked as "Super .38s" from 1929 until 1971. Regarding the .38 Super cartridge, the earliest made were differentiated from the .38 ACP only by their use of a nickeled case (indicating their higher chamber pressure). Early headstamps used for both (.38 ACP) were the same, but the boxes were labeled differently. Later on, .38 Super headstamps were used, and also some manufacturers produced un-nickeled .38 Super cases. The earliest print description in the 1930 Remington ammunition price list called them ".38 Super Automatic Colt Pistol." If there is any nomenclature confusion, it is only because .38 Super cartridges are intended for use in Colt Super .38 pistols.

It's a compelling and historical debate. Knowledge is power and hearing all sides of the argument might make one more informed.

If the discussion infuriates you, you are probably one of those guys that cries about what he sees on TV also. There's no reason to subject yourself to TV shows or commercials that enrage you -- much like a gun forum discussion that maddens you.

You should change the channel or click to another discussion or another site.

Language is dynamic, and definitions can change to reflect common usage. A good example is that over my lifetime "Pistol" has come to mean any handgun. Previously, there were "pistols" and "revolvers". Both were handguns. Now "pistol" has become just a synonym for handgun.

"Magazine" and "clip" is much the same story. Look it up. The definition has changed to reflect common usage. It's exactly the same reason we all don't speak Old English.

Or if you prefer..

The definition hast hath changed to reflecteth ingraft usage. T's jump the same reasoneth we all speaketh not fusty english.


OK that's a crude translation from English to Shakespearean Translator ― LingoJam but you get the point.

To further make your point — this part of your argument pre-dates your experience for all handguns were referred to as pistols in the decades before you were born. (I don’t know your birth year but it’s true just the same)

There is great value in these discussions.

Sam Colt's earlier print advertising referred to his products as "pistols."

I hunt with a scoped Ruger Super Blackhawk in .45 long colt.

I have a lot of pistols, most are semi-autos but a few are revolvers.

Ya know those things that hold the bullets in semi-autos? Yup, I call them clips.

And I have a few of those things that screw on the end of the barrel to make it quiet...ya know, silencers.

My guns don't much care what I call the cartridge....as long as it fits properly we are good to go!!

Randy

geez..... next thing ya know y'all will be fussing over what to call the Colt Super .38 Automatic.

As long as people know what your talking about, does it really matter?

That was a great price. Before the ammo shortage a box of 45 Colt ammo was going for $45 to $50 so you did extremely well.

Now for the problem. As happens so many times in these thread is getting out of hand and there is no reason for it. Why do so many people have to argue small points that mean nothing?

Since the OP got his answer, the deal is already done and the thread is turning bad I'm closing it.

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