.45 Colt vs .45 Long Colt

[countertop]

This may be a really dumb question . . . . but whats the difference between 45 Colt and .45 Long Colt. I only see 45 Colt listed in my Speer Manual (I haven't reloaded yet) and am negotiating to get myself a Ruger in 45 Long Colt.
Can I just load up a 45 Colt round? Or is it something different?

 

[joab]

whats the difference between 45 Colt and .45 Long Colt

The word long, other than that it's the same round

The .45 Long Colt name was used in the late 1800's to differentiate between the .45 Colt and the shorter .45 Schofield.

 

[Mal H]

They are one and the same. Some will contend (and I am one) that the true name of the caliber is .45 Colt, and others are just as sure that the true name should be .45 Long Colt. One camp is not going to convince the other group to change their minds so the 2 names will be in an eternal struggle against each other.

 

[countertop]

Thanks!

 

[bakert]

What joab said. Let others argue and nitpick while you're shooting. Either one is correct for me.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Ditto Mal H, Joab and Bakert. I vote for .45 Long Colt though.

 

[Ky Ghost]

45 colt

I have to agree that what I have found seems to agree with the other replies about the 45 colt and the 45 goverment cartridges and LONG being used to define the two when purchasing ammo. However there is another fly in the ointment. In his book Sixguns Keith makes 3 references to another 45 cal cartridge that he calls a squib load from Remington. He says that it is smokeless, that the power was such that the bullet would go about flush into a wood floor, and that he never used the short squib case for reloading. I can find no other references to it but have seen some references to some 45 cal british cartridges that would fit into and fire in Colts revolvers. Since the canadian frontier was open and as wild as ours at that time there may be some connection there. This also omits the M1909 us goverment cartridge as it is a modified 45 (long) colt case.

I hope that this helps some and that someone may have other info to share on this.

 

[joab]

some references to some 45 cal british cartridges

.45 Webley?

 

[Old Fuff]

An identification problem also came up after 1905 when the .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) cartridge was introduced. In the southwest and probably other places a customer would ask for the "long" .45 if he had a 1873 model Single Action or New Service model.

 

[Bob41081]

I remember reading an article by Mike Venterino (sp?) in I believe G&A or Shooting Times that showed a picture of a round stamped 45 Short Colt. I do not remember what issue.

Bob

 

[joab]

The .45 for the Colt was longer than the .45 for the Schofield, so a "short Colt" cartridge utilizing a 230 grain bullet over 28 grains of blackpowder was standardized as it would fit both sixguns. This short Colt was much less powerful than the long Colt which used a full 40 grains of blackpowder and a 255 grain bullet.

Cartridge collectors have found many of the shorter rounds marked .45 Colt instead of .45 S&W, hence perhaps there a valid reason exists for ".45 Long Colt" being used by old time pistoleros and modern sixgunners when referring to the original Colt cartridge.

JOHN TAFFIN

 

[BluesBear]

So although there is no known cartridges or cases headstamped .45 Short Colt there is indeed ammunition headstamped .45 Colt made in two different case lengths.

A nice article by Mike Venturino about this in the April 2005 Handloader magazine.

 

[mete]

It gets complicated ! 45Colt =45 Long Colt, the shorter version was made for the S&W Schofield, 45S&W = 45Schofield = 45 Colt Gov't. This last designation was used because the cartridge would fit both the Colt and S&W revolvers and therefore was stocked by the military.

 

[BigG]

Logic doesn't apply in the naming of cartridges or the various manufacturer's designations.

Haven't you ever seen 45 ACP cases marked 45 Auto? Would an archaeologist 3,000 years from now assume that they were for different chamberings if the casings were the only evidence? Similarly, 9mm Parabellum is marked 9mm Luger, 9mm Nato, 9x19. There is often no "right" answer when it comes to things subject to human perversity.

 

[BluesBear]

But .45 ACP and .45 Auto ammo has the same dimensions.

However there are factory produced cartridges, for commercial use, in existence headstamped .45 Colt that have different dimensions than either .45 S&W or .45 "Long" Colt.

 

[Smoke Rizen]

I believe there was a slight difference in the .45 ACP and the .45 Auto Rim cartridge. The Auto Rim had a slightly larger base at .516 requireing the use of half moon clips in revolvers.They were popular rounds in the early 20s when the market was flooded with surplus WWI revolvers. I believe Remington Peters may still offer them. If you're looking at a Ruger Revolver you will find a different set of loads for use in them,than you will for .45 LC loads in Colt SAA or their clones.

 

[The Bushmaster]

.45 Auto Rim is a rimmed case and does not requiring Half moon clips...It's the .45 Auto or ACP that needs the half moon clips for revolver use.

Reference: Lyman #48 Reloading Handbook Page 358