45 ACP Ammo

The .45 Automatic Colt Pistol also known as the .45 Auto cartridge was developed by John Browning for use in his Colt semiautomatic .45 pistol, the .45 ACP or the Automatic Colt Pistol. It is considered by many shooters to be the most effective pistol cartridges on the market. The .45 ACP pistol cartridge combines optimum accuracy, incredible stopping power and controlled penetration with moderate recoil and low muzzle blast and flash. The .45 ACP and its Colt Government Model pistol hold the distinction of serving longer military careers than any cartridge/firearm combination ever introduced in the United States. Adopted in 1911, both were retired from military duty in 1985 when its foe in many battles, the 9mm Parabellum, became Uncle Sam's "new" cartridge. After serving faithfully for three quarters of a century, the old soldier was put out to pasture as an older and less powerful cartridge took its place.

This cartridge was officially adopted by the US military as the “Cartridge, .45 caliber Ball, M1911”, along with the famous Colt M1911 pistol. Since its introduction this cartridge has been used in many semi-automatic pistols, as well as in a few revolvers and in several sub-machine guns, starting with famous Thompson. This cartridge was never popular in Europe, and was adopted only by Norway, in their M/1912 and M/1914 pistols, which were licensed Colt designs. On the other hand, this cartridge was and still is extremely popular in USA, as well as in South and Central Americas; for many years this round was a standard military issue in countries like Argentine and Brazil. Although the US Army replaced the .45 ACP as its standard issue pistol ammunition in 1985, this cartridge still fares quite well, thanks to its large bullet, which offers significant terminal effects even in military “ball” configuration. What is even more interesting is that the US Army is again looking for a military pistol firing the same old .45 caliber round.

The .45 ACP, also known as the .45 Automatic, has a rimless, straight case, usually made of brass, although it also may be encountered with aluminum which is made in US and lacquered steel case which is made in Russia. The standard military bullet is of jacketed type, weighting 230 grain or 14.9 gram. Self-defense and police ammunition can be loaded with great variety of bullets, including frangible, expanding and other types of bullets. Most common police or defensive loadings used jacketed hollowpoint bullets of various makes, weighting from 185 to 230 grains or 11.99 to 14.9 gram.

The .45 ACP round was developed in response to the Army's previous sidearm, the .38's, inability to stop determined Moro warriors during the Philippine Insurrection of the 1890's. During that time, Army officers armed with a .38 would often empty their revolvers into charging Moro warriors armed with machetes, and still not be able to kill them, because the Moros would tie off their extremities to limit bleeding, and would smoke opium before heading into battle, to deaden pain. The .45 ACP, with its larger, heavier bullet, was able to dump more of its energy into the target, and knock the adversary down. Muzzle velocity for .45 ACP is 830 to 1,060 ft / sec, and impact energy is 352 to 412 ft lbs. The .45 ACP is a proven, hard-hitting round that served our country well for decades. The 45 ACP round is also the most popular round in home defense, and due to the low velocity and high stopping power, this hasn’t changed in over a hundred years.

Even though the .45 ACP is no longer our official military cartridge, it is more popular today among civilian shooters than it ever has been. And its popularity, along with that of the Colt 1911, keeps growing in leaps and bounds despite the introduction of new autoloaders and new cartridges such as the 10mm Auto, .41 Action Express and the .40 S&W. According to "Front Sight", the official publication of the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA), over 70 percent of its members still use the .45 ACP in competition. Most of those guns are the old faithful Colt Government model.

Despite what armchair theorists have to say, the 1911 Colt pistol and the .45 ACP cartridge will always be one of the premier teams for use in personal defense situations. That combination is also the single best choice for the majority of USPSA/IPSC competitors. The .45 ACP is an extremely accurate cartridge. Recent accuracy tests with three custom Colt comp guns built by Wilson, Jarrett and Warner produced numerous 10 shot groups of less than three inches at 50 yards.

Today, 45ACP ammo is used by Special Forces, the FBI's elite HRT (Hostage Rescue Team), police tactical teams (SWAT) and people who want an edge in self defense scenarios.

Usage scenarios for 45ACP ammo: 1. Home defense: think home invasion with imminent danger to family members.
2. Carry self defense: you are out and about in a city and are attacked by one or more people.
3. Outdoor hiking: you are in the middle of nowhere when you are attacked by an animal or human.


Several manufacturers market preloaded .45 ACP rounds in sizes ranging from 117 to 250 grains or 8 to 16 gram, with the most popular commercial load being the standard military loading of a 230-grain or 15 gram FMJ bullet at around 850& ft/s (260 m/s). Specialty rounds are available in weights under 100 grains/6.5 g and over 260 grains/16.8 g; popular rounds among reloaders and target shooters include 185-and 230-grain or 12 gram and 15 gram bullets. Hollow-point rounds intended for maximum effectiveness against live targets are designed to expand upon impact with soft tissue, increasing the size of the permanent cavity left by the bullet as it passes through the target. Most ammunition manufacturers also market what are termed "+P", pronounced as "plus P", loadings in pistol ammunition, including the .45 ACP. This means the cartridge is loaded to a higher maximum pressure level than the original SAAMI cartridge standard, generating higher velocity and more muzzle energy. In the case of the 45 ACP, the standard cartridge pressure is 21,000 PSI and the SAAMI 45 ACP +P standard is 23,000 PSI. This is a common practice for updating older cartridges to match the better quality of materials and workmanship in modern firearms.

The .45 ACP is an excellent cartridge for self defense. Because of its blast and recoil, and the fact that most of the autoloaders chambered for this cartridge are single action, the .45 ACP is a round that is best handled by the experienced shooter. Examine the following brands/types of 45ACP ammo: Federal HST, Winchester Ranger, Cor-bon DPX, Speer Gold Dot and Black Hills ammunition.