Random Thoughts About The .45 Colt

The original factory loads were pretty powerful. With an advertised bullet weight of 250 gr. at a velocity of 910 fps, it created over 460 foot pounds of muzzle energy. I once re-created those loadings using original REM-UMC balloon-head cases and 40 gr. of Dupont 3Fg blackpowder. I used the Lyman bullet #454190 which is a faithful reproduction of the original factory bullet except it is not hollow-based like the originals were. In my 7 1/2" Ruger .45 these loads averaged 962 fps and produced a muzzle energy of 532 ft. lbs.! No wimps by any means.

L-balloon-head R-solid head (modern)

In the 1980s some ammo companies tried to heat up the .45 a bit by going to a light bullet at what used to be normal velocities for this cartridge. Their use of a light bullet defeated the whole purpose of the .45 and my use of them has been less than satisfactory. Most are advertised at 1000 fps or so but in actual use do not exceed or sometimes even equal what you can get with a heavier bullet and a full load of black powder. I shot some dogs and a few coyotes with various loads and was never satisfied with the performance I got. On a coyote some loads would not penetrate completely on a crossways shot. And a coyote is not very thick.

When handloaders started pushing heavy bullets from the .45 Colt in the big Ruger single actions there were all kinds of warnings about weak .45 Colt brass. It wasn't true and a few of us proved it to our own satisfaction. When the 454 Casull appeared the 454 brass was hard to get. A lot of us who were shooting them used regular old .45 Colt brass and loaded them to 454 pressures and velocities without any problems. If you compare sectioned cartridges there is no difference other than overall length. If you have a .45 Colt sixgn with tight chambers, the Colt brass will last many reloads. I have recorded more than 20 reloads with R-P cartridges (which at the time were rumored to be the weakest) fired through my tight Linebaugh .45 Colt.

L- 454 Casull R- .45 Colt

Introduced so many years ago, the .45 Colt still lives. It outlasted those who tried to replace it. The light Smith & Wesson Schofield load has been re-introduced as a "game" cartridge due to its low noise and light recoil. Until then it had been as dead as the man who designed it. Poor Major Schofield, depressed about the poor sales performance of his design, used one to kill himself down at old Ft Bowie in the Arizona Territory. The Colt Single Action and the .45 Colt ammo outlasted them all.

I am no back to shooting yet, but I am healing and moving in that direction!