Posted: 5/29/2004 5:06:53 AM EDT
| Is all .45 handgun ammo ACP or is there also just plain old .45? If so whats the difference? |
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For auto pistols .45 ACP is what you need, however, there is a new round out, the .45 GAP. For Glock pistols, a short ACP is what is really is. Then there is the .45 Win. MAG, the .45 Super, the .451 Detonics Mag, and the .460 Rolland. These will have longer cases that the ACP. These last one will be kind of hard to find. Now when you get to revolver ammo then things get even more involved.  Lastly your gun should have it's specific cartridge on it either on the barrel or the slide. |
Others know much more than I on this subject, but there are a variety of cartridges about. Today, in the US, you will see .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol), or .45LC (Long Colt; used in revolvers). Glock just introduced a proprietary cartridge in .45 Glock or GAP. Glock 37s and one of the Springfield imports from Croatia are chambered for this cartridge. There is also the .45 AutoMag. I believe among the older cartridges was a S&W .45. Any others? |
While the .45 Super is the same over all case size and length as the .45 ACP, before you try to shoot one in a Glock please call for an ambulance and have your local emergency room on standby. Just to be extra carefull, you may also want to contact your attorney and make sure all your personal affairs are in order with your will, family trusts, etc and then call your mortician.   On the other hand, you CAN feed your H&k USP .45 a steady diet of .45 Super with no ill effects.  All pistols are NOT created equal! |
There's an excellent article/explanation in this month's American Rifleman. Bottom line--the .45 GAP (Glock Auto Pistol) has a bit shorter case, in order to fit in a smaller-framed pistol--9mm/.40 S&W size. Ballistically it is almost identical to the .45 ACP, even with 230 gr. bullets, due to advances in powder technology, and slight dimensional differences in the case. Edit: "This month's" meaning most recent, which is June, 2004. 
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Wow, I stand corrected. You piqued my curiosity, so I went and checked. Various brass that I have has a headstamp of "45 Colt" and when I looked in the Lyman 47th Reloading Handbook under 45 Colt, the first sentence is: "This cartridge is often mistakenly called the 45 Long Colt." Geez, you can't get away with anything here! LOL! Thanks for the correction.
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That'd be because "ACP" stands for "Automatic Colt Pistol," and surprise! ACP rounds are shorter than ".45 Colt." I have heard people refer to both Peacemakers and 1911s as "Colt .45s." There is a long .45 Colt round, and a short one. Certainly, the proper thing to do is go into the gunshop, ask for a box of .45 Colt, and stuff whatever you get into your gun. Wouldn't want to look dumb by specifying the "nonexistent" long Colt round. |
The 44 Russian was a lengthen 44 American(used in the S&W Model 3). That's what the Russians wanted and that's what S&W gave em'. 
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I think the main reason the "Long" Colt name got started was because they had the 45 Colt and the shorter 45 Schofield in service at the same time. Since the Colt ctg. was longer and they didn't want to get ammo mixed up they'd ask for the "Long 45 Colt", this got turned around into the 45 Long Colt to differentiate it from the 45 "Short" Schofield. But like has been said, there really is No 45 "Long" Colt. 
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There isn't any "Long Colt" (LC) but that is what everyone except SouthernShark calls it and that will be what it says on the box in many cases. And a lot of people refer to .45acp as .45 auto. This box of Federal +P 200 gr. ammo is labeled .45 AUTO So the ammo you want will be .45 ACP or .45 AUTO. |
| FWIW, Winchester is successfully loading its 230-grain Ranger bullet in the 45 GAP to the exact same velocity as the standard-pressure .45 ACP Ranger load. We fired some over a chrono several weeks ago out of the same length barrel, velocities and bullet performance were identical. |
  
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I wouldn't shoot led in a gun that has polyganol (sp...long night) rifling... So if you have a Glock 21 for instance you should get an aftermarket bbl. with conventional rifling to shoot led. Kevin |
That seems like the best option for me, thanks for all the info guys. 
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Just jokin', mon! We're glad to help! We can do just about anything here, except answer a direct question.  Might help a bit to hear a little more detail... what do you have and what do you need? |