Practice & target
Full-metal-jacket, plated, lead, and wadcutter bullets describe different constructions. Grain weight is projectile mass; it does not state a powder charge or guarantee recoil.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · PISTOL
.45 ACP
Also called .45 Auto, this is a rimless semiautomatic-pistol cartridge. The factory load range includes traditional 230-grain bullets and lighter expanding designs.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 1.190–1.275 in
30.226–32.385 mm - Case length · max
- 0.898 in
22.809 mm - Jacketed max
- 0.452 in
11.481 mm - Lead max
- 0.453 in
11.506 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.480 in
12.192 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Pistol
- Bullet specification
- 0.4520 in / 11.481 mmJacketed max
0.4530 in / 11.506 mmLead max - Factory examples
- 31 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 160–240 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.45 ACP is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 45 Auto. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
.45 Auto Rim, .45 GAP, and .45 Colt are separate cartridges. +P ammunition requires specific firearm approval.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is jacketed max; lead max, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
John Browning developed the .45 ACP during the early twentieth-century evolution of his automatic pistols. Sierra dates the design to 1905; the United States adopted the pistol-and-cartridge combination as the M1911 in 1911. Army requirements also influenced the familiar 230-grain military loading, which differed from Browning’s earlier lighter-bullet concept.
The cartridge remained a standard U.S. service-pistol round until the military’s transition to the 9 mm Beretta system in 1985. That long service life supported a parallel civilian world of target pistols, competition shooting and extensive ammunition development. The M1911 became its best-known platform, but the cartridge later appeared in many other automatic pistols and in shoulder-fired firearms. Its historical influence therefore rests on much more than bullet diameter: it connects Browning’s pistol development, U.S. military procurement and a century of sporting-handgun use.
Historical sources: Sierra: .45 ACP cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Expanding factory bullets
JHP, XTP, FTX, HST, and similar product names refer to particular designs. Muzzle energy alone does not show expansion, penetration, or reliability in a particular firearm.
Specialty load families
Reduced-recoil, subsonic, monolithic, and heavier-bullet offerings are product-specific. A +P marking is a pressure category where standardized, not simply a heavier bullet. Follow the maker’s exact product and firearm guidance.
The expanded factory selection spans 160–240 grains. Exact products and source conditions appear in the table.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
Factory-labeled subsonic additions include Remington, Winchester. The table also distinguishes ordinary factory loads. Published test conditions and product-specific notes accompany each addition; no velocity curve is inferred from one muzzle specification.
From the factory catalog
160 grains
1,110 fps
MonoFlex® · +P
200 grains
900 fps
XTP®
210 grains
980 fps
HYDRA-SHOK DEEP
Compare all 31 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady90933 | 160 gr 10.37 g | MonoFlex® +P | 1,110 fps 338 m/s | 5 in | Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗ |
| FederalGM45B | 185 gr 11.99 g | FMJ-SWC MATCH | 770 fps 235 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| Hornady90900 | 185 gr 11.99 g | FTX® | 900 fps 274 m/s | 3 in | Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗ |
| Hornady90904 | 185 gr 11.99 g | XTP® | 970 fps 296 m/s | 5 in | Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗ |
| Hornady9112 | 200 gr 12.96 g | XTP® | 900 fps 274 m/s | 5 in | Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗ |
| FederalS45SJT2 | 205 gr 13.28 g | SHP | 970 fps 296 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| FederalP45HSD1 | 210 gr 13.61 g | HYDRA-SHOK DEEP | 980 fps 299 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| FederalAE45SJAP1 | 220 gr 14.26 g | TSJ | 810 fps 247 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| Hornady90926 | 220 gr 14.26 g | FlexLock® +P | 975 fps 297 m/s | 5 in | Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗ |
| FederalAE45A | 230 gr 14.90 g | FMJ | 890 fps 271 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| FederalAE45N1 | 230 gr 14.90 g | TMJ | 850 fps 259 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| FederalAE45SJ1 | 230 gr 14.90 g | TSJ | 830 fps 253 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| FederalAE45SJ2 | 230 gr 14.90 g | TSJ | 890 fps 271 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| FederalAE45USA | 230 gr 14.90 g | FMJ | 890 fps 271 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| FederalGM45A | 230 gr 14.90 g | FMJ MATCH | 860 fps 262 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| FederalP45HS1 | 230 gr 14.90 g | HYDRA-SHOK | 900 fps 274 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| FederalP45HST1S | 230 gr 14.90 g | HST +P | 950 fps 290 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| FederalP45HST2S | 230 gr 14.90 g | HST | 890 fps 271 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| FederalP45HST2TM100 | 230 gr 14.90 g | HST | 890 fps 271 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| FederalPD45P1 | 230 gr 14.90 g | JHP | 890 fps 271 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| FederalTP45VHP1 | 230 gr 14.90 g | JHP | 850 fps 259 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| FederalWM5233 | 230 gr 14.90 g | FMJ | 845 fps 258 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| Hornady9096 | 230 gr 14.90 g | XTP® +P | 950 fps 290 m/s | 5 in | Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗ |
| FederalP45SHC1 | 240 gr 15.55 g | SOLID CORE +P | 1,000 fps 305 m/s | 5 in | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| Fiocchi45B500 | 200 gr 12.96 g | JHPStandard factory load. Its published velocity is not a guarantee of subsonic performance in every firearm or temperature. | 890 fps 271.3 m/s | Not stated | Fiocchi · PDF p. 28 ↗ |
| Fiocchi45T500 | 230 gr 14.90 g | JHPStandard factory load. Its published velocity is not a guarantee of subsonic performance in every firearm or temperature. | 850 fps 259.1 m/s | Not stated | Fiocchi · PDF p. 28 ↗ |
| Fiocchi45A | 230 gr 14.90 g | FMJStandard factory load. Its published velocity is not a guarantee of subsonic performance in every firearm or temperature. | 860 fps 262.1 m/s | Not stated | Fiocchi · PDF p. 31 ↗ |
| WinchesterSUP45 | 230 gr 14.90 g | Super Suppressed · FMJWinchester February 4, 2026 product table. Different package variants are retained where published specifications differ; SUP300BLK and SUP300BLK2 share one ballistic record. | 850 fps 259.1 m/s | Not stated | Winchester · source ↗ |
| Magtech45A | 230 gr 14.90 g | Standard · FMJ | 837 fps 255.1 m/s | 5 in | Magtech · PDF p. 6 ↗ |
| Magtech45B | 230 gr 14.90 g | Standard · FMJ-SWC | 780 fps 237.7 m/s | 5 in | Magtech · PDF p. 6 ↗ |
| Remington28428 | 230 gr 14.90 g | Subsonic · flat nose enclosed base | 830 fps 253 m/s | 5 in | Remington · PDF p. 40 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.45 ACP: velocity by barrel length
| Exact load | Source / publisher | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| Cor Bon 165 gr. JHP +P | BBTI | 2: 1,001; 3: 1,050; 4: 1,163; 5: 1,238; 6: 1,283; 7: 1,313; 8: 1,367; 9: 1,379; 10: 1,373; 11: 1,396; 12: 1,402; 13: 1,423; 14: 1,413; 15: 1,430; 16: 1,443; 17: 1,419; 18: 1,450 |
| Cor Bon 185 gr. JHP +P | BBTI | 2: 937; 3: 999; 4: 1,109; 5: 1,149; 6: 1,183; 7: 1,228; 8: 1,236; 9: 1,262; 10: 1,266; 11: 1,279; 12: 1,281; 13: 1,289; 14: 1,301; 15: 1,319; 16: 1,362; 17: 1,316; 18: 1,309 |
| Cor Bon 200 gr. JHP +P | BBTI | 2: 846; 3: 934; 4: 1,042; 5: 1,067; 6: 1,102; 7: 1,145; 8: 1,150; 9: 1,172; 10: 1,171; 11: 1,212; 12: 1,179; 13: 1,184; 14: 1,268; 15: 1,212; 16: 1,237; 17: 1,201; 18: 1,189 |
| Cor Bon 230 gr. JHP +P | BBTI | 2: 844; 3: 893; 4: 983; 5: 1,015; 6: 1,043; 7: 1,069; 8: 1,069; 9: 1,077; 10: 1,098; 11: 1,074; 12: 1,090; 13: 1,093; 14: 1,098; 15: 1,095; 16: 1,117; 17: 1,080; 18: 1,065 |
| Cor Bon 185 gr. DPX +P | BBTI | 2: 894; 3: 967; 4: 1,060; 5: 1,102; 6: 1,117; 7: 1,142; 8: 1,148; 9: 1,179; 10: 1,204; 11: 1,200; 12: 1,184; 13: 1,199; 14: 1,213; 15: 1,214; 16: 1,229; 17: 1,195; 18: 1,220 |
| Federal 165 gr. FJ Expand'g low recoil | BBTI | 2: 942; 3: 991; 4: 1,087; 5: 1,131; 6: 1,138; 7: 1,174; 8: 1,174; 9: 1,235; 10: 1,246; 11: 1,260; 12: 1,235; 13: 1,188; 14: 1,267; 15: 1,284; 16: 1,304; 17: 1,200; 18: 1,251 |
| Federal 165 gr. Hydra- Shok JHP low recoil | BBTI | 2: 825; 3: 870; 4: 964; 5: 1,033; 6: 1,061; 7: 1,105; 8: 1,136; 9: 1,154; 10: 1,172; 11: 1,185; 12: 1,169; 13: 1,186; 14: 1,191; 15: 1,226; 16: 1,225; 17: 1,229; 18: 1,195 |
| Federal 185 gr. Hi-Shok JHP | BBTI | 2: 827; 3: 867; 4: 946; 5: 1,002; 6: 1,012; 7: 1,063; 8: 1,080; 9: 1,081; 10: 1,077; 11: 1,116; 12: 1,077; 13: 1,076; 14: 1,072; 15: 1,070; 16: 1,116; 17: 1,038; 18: 1,062 |
| Federal 230 gr. Hi-Shok JHP | BBTI | 2: 709; 3: 758; 4: 814; 5: 843; 6: 874; 7: 906; 8: 903; 9: 934; 10: 924; 11: 948; 12: 926; 13: 917; 14: 915; 15: 932; 16: 919; 17: 866; 18: 888 |
| Federal 230 gr. Hydra- Shok JHP | BBTI | 2: 754; 3: 787; 4: 865; 5: 895; 6: 897; 7: 931; 8: 951; 9: 967; 10: 976; 11: 980; 12: 953; 13: 971; 14: 973; 15: 972; 16: 994; 17: 955; 18: 937 |
.45 ACP: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source / publisher | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 160 gr Hornady MonoFlex® +P | Hornady | 0: 1,110; 50: 1,006; 100: 934 |
| 185 gr Federal FMJ-SWC MATCH | Federal | 0: 770; 25: 740; 50: 700; 75: 670; 100: 640 |
| 200 gr Hornady XTP® | Hornady | 0: 900; 50: 856; 100: 817 |
| 205 gr Federal SHP | Federal | 0: 970; 25: 926; 50: 887; 75: 853; 100: 821 |
| 210 gr Federal HYDRA-SHOK DEEP | Federal | 0: 980; 25: 952; 50: 927; 75: 903; 100: 882 |
| 220 gr Federal TSJ | Federal | 0: 810; 25: 795; 50: 780; 75: 766; 100: 752 |
| 230 gr Federal FMJ | Federal | 0: 890; 25: 872; 50: 856; 75: 840; 100: 824 |
| 240 gr Federal SOLID CORE +P | Federal | 0: 1,000; 25: 973; 50: 949; 75: 926; 100: 906 |
| 185 gr Hornady FTX® | Hornady | 0: 900; 50: 853; 100: 811 |
| 185 gr Hornady XTP® | Hornady | 0: 970; 50: 911; 100: 862 |
| 220 gr Hornady FlexLock® +P | Hornady | 0: 975; 50: 927; 100: 887 |
| 230 gr Federal TMJ | Federal | 0: 850; 25: 834; 50: 819; 75: 804; 100: 790 |
| 230 gr Federal TSJ | Federal | 0: 830; 25: 821; 50: 812; 75: 803; 100: 795 |
| 230 gr Federal TSJ | Federal | 0: 890; 25: 855; 50: 824; 75: 794; 100: 767 |
| 230 gr Federal FMJ | Federal | 0: 890; 25: 872; 50: 856; 75: 840; 100: 824 |
| 230 gr Federal FMJ MATCH | Federal | 0: 860; 25: 840; 50: 830; 75: 810; 100: 800 |
| 230 gr Federal HYDRA-SHOK | Federal | 0: 900; 25: 882; 50: 865; 75: 848; 100: 832 |
| 230 gr Federal HST +P | Federal | 0: 950; 25: 929; 50: 909; 75: 890; 100: 873 |
| 230 gr Federal HST | Federal | 0: 890; 25: 872; 50: 856; 75: 840; 100: 824 |
| 230 gr Federal HST | Federal | 0: 890; 25: 872; 50: 856; 75: 840; 100: 824 |
| 230 gr Federal JHP | Federal | 0: 890; 25: 872; 50: 856; 75: 840; 100: 824 |
| 230 gr Federal JHP | Federal | 0: 850; 25: 830; 50: 820; 75: 800; 100: 790 |
| 230 gr Federal FMJ | Federal | 0: 845; 25: 829; 50: 814; 75: 800; 100: 786 |
| 230 gr Hornady XTP® +P | Hornady | 0: 950; 50: 908; 100: 871 |
| 200 gr Fiocchi JHP | Fiocchi | 0: 890 |
| 230 gr Fiocchi JHP | Fiocchi | 0: 850 |
| 230 gr Fiocchi FMJ | Fiocchi | 0: 860 |
| 230 gr Winchester Super Suppressed · FMJ | Winchester | 0: 850 |
| 230 gr Magtech Standard · FMJ | Magtech | 0: 837 |
| 230 gr Magtech Standard · FMJ-SWC | Magtech | 0: 780 |
| 230 gr Remington Subsonic · flat nose enclosed base | Remington | 0: 830; 50: 812; 100: 795 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .45 ACP?
Also called .45 Auto, this is a rimless semiautomatic-pistol cartridge. The factory load range includes traditional 230-grain bullets and lighter expanding designs.
What diameter does .45 ACP use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.4520 inches (11.481 mm), jacketed max; 0.4530 inches (11.506 mm), lead max. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
.45 Auto Rim, .45 GAP, and .45 Colt are separate cartridges. +P ammunition requires specific firearm approval.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
Factory datasets show manufacturer specifications and any published downrange projections. Chronograph and barrel-study datasets identify recorded measurements and the original test source. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values are labeled linear estimates; single source points are not extended into invented curves. Energy is calculated from bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Skives & petals: read the jacket construction →
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 57 ↗
- Sierra: .45 ACP cartridge background ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗
- Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗
- Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗
- Ballistics by the Inch: archived measured barrel data (2020 archive) ↗
- BBTI: study index and source records ↗
- Additional factory specification / original test ↗
- Additional factory specification / original test ↗
- Additional factory specification / original test ↗
- Additional factory specification / original test ↗
- Additional factory specification / original test ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.