45LC and 45 ACP compare

[gman51]

I haven't ever shot a 45 LC and I was wondering how does it compare to shooting a 45 ACP? Which one is the hotter more powerful round? Are they basically in the same fruit basket?
I figured I could get the answer here quicker than checking Google for the answer.

 

[Karnac12]

Hi, The ballistics of a .45 Long Colt (or .45 Colt) versus the .45 ACP is basically a wash. I hand load both with 200-240 grain jacketed bullets and both around 700-800 fps muzzle velocity; hence, the muzzle energy is about the same. In my .45 ACP revolvers, I usually shoot .45 Auto Rim loaded just like .45 ACP, but usually with a lighter 185 grain bullet for less recoil and it beats have to load moon clips.

 

[Pisgah]

In standard velocity loads, they are essentially the same. Having much greater case capacity, and being chambered in some mighty strong revolvers (like the Ruger and Freedom Arms) and long guns, the .45 Colt can be loaded much hotter.

 

[Westie1]

All depends. Most 45LC and 45ACP will be roughly equal. However, if you have a Ruger, Freedom Arms, or T/C, there are +P loads that are safe to use. Example-Buffalo Bore has a +P load with a 325gr bullet at a published 1325fps.

 

[Oil Field Trash]

My "plinking" rounds are loaded about the same as my .45ACP rounds as I run them through clone SSA's and want to keep them mild. For my lever 92, I load them pretty warm with a hog bullet. If I wound one, I can finish them off with light load to the brain housing group

 

[Mack]

You can safely load 270-280 grain 625 loads up to the 950-1000 fps range. Brian Pearce is a good resource on doing this, he had articles in Handloading in 2002 and 2007 if you can find them. This post covers this pretty well.

Heavy Bullet .45 Colt loads for 625-6

 

[fredj338]

In factory form, basically the same. In handloads, you can go way beyond the 45acp even in a Colt SAA. A 300gr LFP @ 950fps is doable in a modern Colt w/o bending anything, more in the Ruger BH.

 

[rockquarry]

Having shot both for many years in a variety of guns, I find the .45 ACP to be more useful overall than the .45 Colt. Both work very well with cast bullets, in fact, jacketed bullets offer no advantage in either cartridge.

From a purely practical perspective, few would shoot very heavy (270-300 grain bullets) in the ACP. However, as a trick, it's probably possible. While one can shoot very heavy bullets in the .45 Colt, the benefit of such bullets over a 255-260 Lyman #454424 or something similar would certainly be of dubious worth unless there was a significant accuracy advantage.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Back somewhere around 1905 Mr. John Browning designed the 45 ACP to mimic the 45 Colt in a semi-auto at normal pressures and it does. The 45 Colt however can be loaded with heavier bullets so that could be an advantage. Felt recoil is similar depending on the gun you are shooting.

Is there a particular reason why you are asking or just curious?

 

[S&WIowegan]

The question is hard to answer definitively because of the range of ammo available at retail. The 45ACP was intended to mimic the ballistics of 45 Colt ammo loaded in government armories or contract production.

Both cartridges are loaded to very mild levels for SASS shooters(for example) and can be loaded to very hot velocities in guns strong enough to handle the pressure(for shooting steel knockdown targets).

Lots of fun exploring the possibilities.

 

[gman51]

I was just curious about how they compare. Thanks for the responses.

 

[rockquarry]

I can't say positively as I've never done a comparison , but I suspect you'll find the .45 ACP autos somewhat more accurate than .45 Colt revolvers. That's not because of the cartridges, but because of the guns each cartridge is available in. That's a general statement; there are always exceptions.

 

[arjay]

45 acp,45 colt and 44 special in standard loads are basically all the same

 

[steelslaver]

I load my 45 colts with 255 gr slugs to about 1000 fps in a 4" barrel. Factory 45 colt ammo is kept to lower power levels because there are still lots of older 45 colts around. You not going to get that kind of velocity out of a heavy slug with an acp. You may not be able to load a S&W to the levels of one built on a super Blackhawk frame, but, they will easily handle more than factory rounds deliver. I will also dispute the accuracy of a regular 1911 vs a stock S7W revolver. Unless it is a high end or tightened up 1911 the revolver will be more accurate as well as be a lot less fussy about bullet shape and power level needed to function reliability,

 

[robvious]

the "easy answer" is to get a 625 chambered in 45 Colt and have it cut for moonclips so you can find out for yourself... I did not realize this so I ended up with a 625 in each caliber... oh well, not so bad... and like so many have stated... off the shelf ammo "feels" about the same in each...

 

[chief38]

Most loadings of the .45 Colt are on the conservative side because they will fit in guns more than 100 years old! There are loads that can be assembled that will replicate the .44 Magnum but can only be shot in modern strong long guns.

The average .45 acp is loaded with a 230 grain bullet at 850 - 890 fps. A .45 Colt is usually loaded with 250 - 255 grain bullets and can easily be loaded to 1,000 fps. So IMHO the .45 Colt is a more powerful cartridge but to make it hot you need to make sure the gun can handle it.

The .45 Colts sold commercially in the big box stores are fairly watered down for use in old tired guns. What they call a "Cowboy Loads" will do just over 650 fps out of a 4.75 - 5 1/2" " SAA. So really is matters quite a bit which load you are talking about.

 

[riversalmon]

The significant comparison I have found is when I strap on my cartridge belt. "WARNING" DO NOT SWIM THE CREEK WITH A BELT FULL OF COLTS. Weight in the field is a major consideration. Generally a full cylinder and an ammo wallet are all that is necessary.

 

[mscampbell2734]

Back somewhere around 1905 Mr. John Browning designed the 45 ACP to mimic the 45 Colt in a semi-auto at normal pressures and it does. The 45 Colt however can be loaded with heavier bullets so that could be an advantage. Felt recoil is similar depending on the gun you are shooting.

Is there a particular reason why you are asking or just curious?

From what I've heard and read the truth is the 45 ACP load was developed to mimic the 45 revolver load, NOT the 45 Colt load.

Remember the Army had 2 45 revolvers in service at the same time, the SAA and the S&W Schofield. Ammo for the Schofield, 45 Schofield, was similar but shorter then 45 Colt, something like 38 Special and 357 Mag, the main difference being length.

Because 45 Schofield ammo could be used in SAA but not the other way around after the late 1880s the Army went to just one cartridge, the Schofield, as their standard issue handgun ammo.

Yes this handicapped the Colt but it also made it much easier to supply ammo in the pre-computer age.

.45 Schofield - Wikipedia

 

[BC38]

the "easy answer" is to get a 625 chambered in 45 Colt and have it cut for moonclips so you can find out for yourself... I did not realize this so I ended up with a 625 in each caliber... oh well, not so bad... and like so many have stated... off the shelf ammo "feels" about the same in each...

WOW! Talk about a timely thread!

I have an old 1917 commercial I picked up recently that has been reamed to accept 45 Colt. I've shot it with 45acp & moon clips, but I haven't tried it with 45 Colt rounds yet. I just picked up some 45 Colt brass at the gun show yesterday so I can give it a go.

I'm going to load them using my 45acp dies. I think they can be adjusted to load 45 Colt - at least I hope so. I've already set them up and resized, de-primed, flared and a couple cases and it all looks good to go.

The only thing I'm a little uncertain of is the crimping, but I'm pretty sure my Lee FCD taper-crimp die can be adjusted to work. I'd rather apply a roll crimp, but I think the taper should get the job done just fine.

 

[HKSmith]

Although your reamed out cylinder may accept .45 Colt cartridges, you will have excessive headspace. Headspace for a rimmed revolver cartridge is the distance from the rear of the cylinder to the recoil shield. The correct rimmed cartridge for your revolver is the thick-rimmed .45 Auto Rim cartridge. The much thinner rimmed .45 Colt cartridge may not fire properly because the firing pin may not reach the primer. Worse, the excessive headspace could lead to bulged or blown out cases.