ColbyBruce
Member
As far as I can tell, there has never been a .45 Short Colt. I have never seen a handgun chambered for .45 Short Colt. Isn't it just a .45 Colt?
.45 Long Colt, where did this name come from?
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sureshotbob
Member
Yes to be correct it is .45 colt.
nbkky71
Member
... but there is a .38 long Colt and and .38 short Colt!
I always heard that the term originated to distinguish the round from the .45 Schofield
I always heard that the term originated to distinguish the round from the .45 Schofield
J. Galt
US Veteran
There was a .45 Schofield used by the US Army, it was shorter than the .45 Colt used in the SAAs, also used by the Army, so people started calling the SAA round the "Long" Colt to distinguish it from the .45 Schofield round.
+1 J. Galt (I've heard that too).
I believe the term goes back to the 1870's-1880's - a laymans distinction between of the .45 Colt and the .45 Schofield cartridges. The Schofield cartridge (shorter) could be used in a SAA, but the .45 Colt cartridge could not be used in the S&W.
The proper and given name for the cartridge is .45 Colt. When someone says ".45 Long Colt", they've ruled out the .45 ACP cartridge (in my mind) and I know exactly what they're talking about. It's effective communication, it's not technically correct and it doesn't bother me at all.
I believe the term goes back to the 1870's-1880's - a laymans distinction between of the .45 Colt and the .45 Schofield cartridges. The Schofield cartridge (shorter) could be used in a SAA, but the .45 Colt cartridge could not be used in the S&W.
The proper and given name for the cartridge is .45 Colt. When someone says ".45 Long Colt", they've ruled out the .45 ACP cartridge (in my mind) and I know exactly what they're talking about. It's effective communication, it's not technically correct and it doesn't bother me at all.
mkk41
US Veteran
Well , I have some old .45 Colt factory rounds that are shorter than a standard .45 Colt , yet both are headstamped .45 Colt. I have seen old cartridge catalogs and wallboards that show both rounds and list each as .45 Colt(short S&W) and .45 Colt(long)
Keep in mind that the original .45 S&W Schofield rounds had a bigger rim than the Colt round and you could only load 3 in a Peacemaker. 1 every other chamber as the rims interfered. US Ordnance developed a hybrid round with the shorter length of the Schofield and the smaller rim of the Colt round.
Keep in mind that the original .45 S&W Schofield rounds had a bigger rim than the Colt round and you could only load 3 in a Peacemaker. 1 every other chamber as the rims interfered. US Ordnance developed a hybrid round with the shorter length of the Schofield and the smaller rim of the Colt round.
Jack Flash
Member
This is a Colt product, I'm guessing from the '70s, on which they used the designation ".45 Long Colt".
The point being, even Colt has called it that for a, well, long time.
The point being, even Colt has called it that for a, well, long time.
NFrameFred
Member
Another "controversy that's sweeping the nation" as some gun magazines would say on the cover
history of the Colt Family states that Sam Colt had a brother,Paul.Sam was a stocky gentelman,Paul being rather tall and"wormy".folks in town would discuss the "Colt boys" as the pudgy Colt and the long Colt.thru the years the "long Colt"drifted into history as a pistol round instead of it's origional intent,Paul. jwr
claygrazer
Member
Egads! That is a Long tale.
I am no longer troubled by this controversy.short/long
While it is true that in 1872 when the cartridge was first conceived it was named the 45 Colt and I have never seen brass headstampped 45LC. There is however much historical basis for the 45 Long Colt name over the past 80 years now.
We need to go back to just before World War I when Remington introduced the 45 Short Colt aka 45 Government.
If you look in a copy of Cartridges of the World you can learn more than what is in my short post here.
Ammunition boxes were labeled with one of the two names, but both were available. The 45 Colt and 45 Short Colt have exactly the same case dimensions with the exception of length as can be seen in the photo below.
Just as the 45 Long Colt is simply headstamped 45 Colt, as can be seen in the following photograph, 45 Short Colt was also headstamped 45 Colt.
This cartridge was produced in large quantities until sometime after World War I. It would not have been unusual for a man to walk into the General Store back then and wanting to buy box of 45s and have the store clerk ask "Long or Short?"
While the 45 Short Colt is no longer on the shelves of our local emporiums and it is no longer necessary to use the word Long when asking for 45 Colt ammunition some of us just like the sound of it. You know nostalgic.
We need to go back to just before World War I when Remington introduced the 45 Short Colt aka 45 Government.
If you look in a copy of Cartridges of the World you can learn more than what is in my short post here.
Ammunition boxes were labeled with one of the two names, but both were available. The 45 Colt and 45 Short Colt have exactly the same case dimensions with the exception of length as can be seen in the photo below.
Just as the 45 Long Colt is simply headstamped 45 Colt, as can be seen in the following photograph, 45 Short Colt was also headstamped 45 Colt.
This cartridge was produced in large quantities until sometime after World War I. It would not have been unusual for a man to walk into the General Store back then and wanting to buy box of 45s and have the store clerk ask "Long or Short?"
While the 45 Short Colt is no longer on the shelves of our local emporiums and it is no longer necessary to use the word Long when asking for 45 Colt ammunition some of us just like the sound of it. You know nostalgic.
44wheelman
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Would this be the same case length as the 45ar (Auto Rim)?
I agree adding "Long" does help differentiate the 2 common 45's today - I won't ever correct anybody for using it. Stocks/grips, crane/yolk....
I like to call the cartridge the name that was originally given and is more concise, 45 Colt.
There are listings in history of Long Colt ammo, and there are boxes shown that say it too. Elmer Keith sometimes used this reference and so does Colt today. There is a simple explanation for this. They are all wrong.
The existence of Short Colt ammo does not verify the name Long Colt. All it does is verify that the 45 Short Colt exists. It doesn't mean the name Long Colt was needed. There is Short Colt and regular or normal 45 Colt.
You don't have to rename everything just because a shorter version comes along later. Is a 30-06 a .308 Winchester Long?
45 Long Colt would be a better and more proper name for 454 Casull. If the name Long Colt hadn't already been bastardized.
If you aren't sure if someone is talking about 45 ACP or 45 Colt when they use the term 45 Colt, you should immediately send all of your 1911's to me. You might be in danger of using a dangerous ammunition mismatch.
There are listings in history of Long Colt ammo, and there are boxes shown that say it too. Elmer Keith sometimes used this reference and so does Colt today. There is a simple explanation for this. They are all wrong.
The existence of Short Colt ammo does not verify the name Long Colt. All it does is verify that the 45 Short Colt exists. It doesn't mean the name Long Colt was needed. There is Short Colt and regular or normal 45 Colt.
You don't have to rename everything just because a shorter version comes along later. Is a 30-06 a .308 Winchester Long?
45 Long Colt would be a better and more proper name for 454 Casull. If the name Long Colt hadn't already been bastardized.
If you aren't sure if someone is talking about 45 ACP or 45 Colt when they use the term 45 Colt, you should immediately send all of your 1911's to me. You might be in danger of using a dangerous ammunition mismatch.
Since the name 45 Long Colt is already used can we then call the 454 Casull 45 Longer Colt?
Jack Flash
Member
How 'bout ".45 Colt Maximum" or even ".45 Colt Magnum"?
rburg
Member
You guys get so tied up in semantics that you get lost. After you settle this one, come back to the board and explain why we have a thing called a Triple Lock. Who even knows what a New Century is?
I submit that manufacturers designations aren't conclusive.
Want a Coke or a Kleenex? Those makers violently go after folks that don't fully honor their brand names. And most of us just don't care.
I submit that manufacturers designations aren't conclusive.
Want a Coke or a Kleenex? Those makers violently go after folks that don't fully honor their brand names. And most of us just don't care.
Originally posted by Nygma:
That would be the 460.
That is the 45 LONGEST Colt
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