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 · REVOLVER & LEVER-ACTION RIFLE
.45 Colt
A rimmed .45-caliber revolver cartridge associated with both historical revolvers and modern sporting firearms. Factory labels and firearm limitations are especially important within this broad market.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 1.515–1.600 in
38.481–40.640 mm - Case length · max
- 1.285 in
32.639 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.456 in
11.582 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.512 in
13.005 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Revolver & lever-action rifle
- Bullet specification
- 0.4560 in / 11.582 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 9 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 185–255 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.45 Colt is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 45 Colt. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
Some specialty factory ammunition is restricted to specifically named modern firearms. A .45 Colt chamber marking alone does not authorize every commercial loading.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
The .45 Colt was introduced in 1873 with Colt’s Single Action Army revolver. It began as a black-powder military and sporting cartridge and became one of the defining ammunition names of the American frontier period. Its original service history is also connected with the shorter .45 S&W cartridge used in the Schofield revolver.
That coexistence helps explain the familiar expression “.45 Long Colt,” used to distinguish the Colt round from the shorter Smith & Wesson cartridge. The official cartridge name remains .45 Colt. Its later development extended well beyond nineteenth-century service: modern revolvers, cowboy-action competition and lever-action rifles gave it additional audiences. Those later uses do not make every firearm bearing the name equivalent to a modern heavy-frame revolver. The .45 Colt spans an unusually long range of firearm generations, which is why its frontier reputation, original specifications and later ammunition offerings belong to different parts of the same history.
Historical sources: Sierra: .45 Colt 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 185–255 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.
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
185 grains
920 fps
FTX®
210 grains
913 fps
HYDRA-SHOK DEEP
225 grains
860 fps
JSP
Compare all 9 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady92790 | 185 gr 11.99 g | FTX® | 920 fps 280 m/s | 3 V in | Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗ |
| FederalP45CHSD1 | 210 gr 13.61 g | HYDRA-SHOK DEEP | 913 fps 278 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| FederalAE45LC | 225 gr 14.58 g | JSP | 860 fps 262 m/s | 4 in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| FederalC45LCA | 225 gr 14.58 g | SWCHP | 830 fps 253 m/s | 4-V in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| Hornady92792 | 225 gr 14.58 g | FTX® | 960 fps 293 m/s | 4¾ V in | Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗ |
| FederalC45LCB | 235 gr 15.23 g | JHP | 850 fps 259 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| Hornady9115 | 255 gr 16.52 g | Cowboy™ | 725 fps 221 m/s | 4¾ V in | Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗ |
| Fiocchi45LCCMJ | 255 gr 16.52 g | CMJStandard factory load. Its published velocity is not a guarantee of subsonic performance in every firearm or temperature. | 750 fps 228.6 m/s | Not stated | Fiocchi · PDF p. 31 ↗ |
| Fiocchi45LCCA | 250 gr 16.20 g | LRNFPStandard factory load. Its published velocity is not a guarantee of subsonic performance in every firearm or temperature. | 750 fps 228.6 m/s | Not stated | Fiocchi · PDF p. 32 ↗ |
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 Colt: velocity by barrel length
| Exact load | Source / publisher | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| Cor Bon 200 gr. JHP +P | BBTI | 2: 675; 3: 775; 4: 875; 5: 957; 6: 1,043; 7: 1,090; 8: 1,140; 9: 1,154; 10: 1,180; 11: 1,198; 12: 1,179; 13: 1,244; 14: 1,238; 15: 1,239; 16: 1,245; 17: 1,254; 18: 1,275 |
| Cor Bon 225 gr. DPX +P | BBTI | 2: 778; 3: 936; 4: 1,093; 5: 1,157; 6: 1,210; 7: 1,278; 8: 1,340; 9: 1,356; 10: 1,387; 11: 1,406; 12: 1,420; 13: 1,431; 14: 1,454; 15: 1,494; 16: 1,483; 17: 1,464; 18: 1,482 |
| Federal 225 gr. semi- wadcutter Lead HP | BBTI | 2: 609; 3: 684; 4: 757; 5: 847; 6: 891; 7: 925; 8: 947; 9: 965; 10: 1,000; 11: 1,000; 12: 1,005; 13: 1,031; 14: 1,034; 15: 1,045; 16: 1,060; 17: 1,050; 18: 1,042 |
.45 Colt: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source / publisher | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 185 gr Hornady FTX® | Hornady | 0: 920; 50: 870; 100: 826 |
| 210 gr Federal HYDRA-SHOK DEEP | Federal | 0: 913; 25: 886; 50: 860; 75: 837; 100: 815 |
| 225 gr Federal JSP | Federal | 0: 860; 25: 844; 50: 828; 75: 813; 100: 799 |
| 235 gr Federal JHP | Federal | 0: 850; 25: 834; 50: 819; 75: 804; 100: 790 |
| 255 gr Hornady Cowboy™ | Hornady | 0: 725; 50: 687; 100: 651 |
| 225 gr Federal SWCHP | Federal | 0: 830; 25: 811; 50: 793; 75: 776; 100: 759 |
| 225 gr Hornady FTX® | Hornady | 0: 960; 50: 903; 100: 855 |
| 255 gr Fiocchi CMJ | Fiocchi | 0: 750 |
| 250 gr Fiocchi LRNFP | Fiocchi | 0: 750 |
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 Colt?
A rimmed .45-caliber revolver cartridge associated with both historical revolvers and modern sporting firearms. Factory labels and firearm limitations are especially important within this broad market.
What diameter does .45 Colt use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.4560 inches (11.582 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
Some specialty factory ammunition is restricted to specifically named modern firearms. A .45 Colt chamber marking alone does not authorize every commercial loading.
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. 59 ↗
- Sierra: .45 Colt 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 ↗
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.