Previously, I examined the different bullet grain weights for 9mm and .223 cartridges to outline how different grain weights and bullet designs play a role in terminal performance, recoil, accuracy, and sometimes reliability in your particular firearm. I am now taking a look at perhaps one of the most American calibers of them all, the .45 ACP, .45 Auto, or — in jest — the .45 AARP.
The .45 ACP was developed in 1904 by John Moses Browning for the new prototype Colt semi-automatic pistol. It only grew in success from there. It was the most popular sidearm caliber for decades and is still incredibly popular today.
The .45 ACP is available in a wide variety of loadings with a number of different bullet grain weights. Whether you’re looking for the best accuracy, or simply tailoring your ballistic performance, you should pay attention to bullet grain weight to get the most out of your shot.
78–105 Grains
The lightest .45 ACP loading I could find is just over one-third the standard grain weight for the cartridge. 78-grain Civil Defense +P ammo from Liberty Ammunition was designed to eliminate threats with one round. According to company officials, the ultralight JHP bullet creates the maximum amount of tissue damage and disruption possible. It performs well against barriers, but when the large hollow point cavity fills with fluid, hydraulic pressure builds until the side walls of the projectile explode. With that explosion comes rifle-like temporary cavities and hydrostatic shock, increasing stopping power. Following the explosion, the bullet fragments into a starburst-shaped pattern creating multiple wound channels.
The company also offers the 105-grain Overwatch. The Overwatch was created at the request of special forces groups who tested Civil Defense and were impressed with the way the projectile erupts upon entry into a target. The one issue they found was there was not enough penetration. Overwatch projectiles are designed to function similar to Civil Defense but with deeper penetration due to the increased weight. Capable of penetrating 12–16 inches in gel blocks, Overwatch was designed for maximum organ displacement and features solid copper alloy projectiles.
120–160 Grains
Moving up, there are lightweight .45 ACP options between 120 and 160 grains, offering unique performance. CCI manufactures a 120-grain Shotshell load incorporating #9 shot for quick and convenient pest control. The rigid plastic shot capsules break apart on barrel rifling, releasing the shot pellets for a short-range spread.
Underwood’s Xtreme Defender 135-grain utilizes a CNC-machined, monolithic, solid-copper projectile with radial flutes designed to force hydraulic energy inward, which results in a permanent wound cavity twice that of any expanding bullet according to Underwood. The optimized design of the bullet maximizes penetration up to 18 inches. This defensive ammo is loaded with flash-suppressed powder to help preserve night vision and is designed for reduced recoil.
Additionally, there are a number of 155-grain frangible training and self-defense rounds. Federal’s Ballisticlean provides a lead-free option to limit your exposure while training. The RHT, or “Reduced Hazard Training,” bullet eliminates airborne lead and helps reduce barrel fouling. Frangible bullets also eliminate backsplash and ricochets in training. Speer offers a version of its Lawman line with this same RHT projectile. SinterFire produces Special Duty frangible ammo incorporating its copper/tin hollow point bullet. It is intended to reduce overpenetration for defense in key environments such as schools, courtrooms, and hospitals.
Both CorBon and DoubleTap offer 160-grain hollow point options for personal defense. Both are made with solid-copper, hollow point bullets intended to help ensure that you can defeat hard barriers and auto glass while maintaining bullet integrity.
185–200 Grains
Most standard .45 ACP loadings start at around 185 grains. This retains the heavier bullet weight the big bore .45 is known for but allows you to squeeze more velocity out of the cartridge. Hornady and Winchester both offer excellent high-velocity hollow points with a 185-grain projectile. They excel in the personal defense arena. PMC’s 185-grain JHPs provide good expansion and consistent performance at an affordable price.
Federal’s Gold Medal Match features a 185-grain semi-wadcutter (SWC) projectile design. For precision target shooting and competition, it’s hard to beat. The cartridge is well-known for delivering the utmost accuracy across a range of handguns and pistol-caliber carbines.
The first .45 ACP loading used a 200-grain bullet for the original Colt 1905 pistol. At the time, the cartridge would clock 900 fps and produce 360 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle. Today, both SIG and Speer offer 200-grain hollow point defensive loadings with improved performance. Notably, Speer’s Gold Dot G2 pushes 1,080 fps and 518 ft/lbs.
230-Grains
The 230-grain bullet was the original .45 ACP loading designed for the 1911 pistol. Typically traveling around 850 fps, it delivers 369 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle. Today, this is still the most common bullet grain weight for .45 ACP.
Most of your standard target ammunition will feature the 230-grain projectile. In this configuration, the .45 ACP is naturally subsonic, making it an excellent candidate for suppressor use. Winchester White Box, Remington UMC, Federal American Eagle, Armscor USA, and a whole host of other options provide dependable service across a range of firearms. Standard 230-grain ball ammo is great for training and plinking at the range. Going with reputable manufacturers tends to provide more consistent, accurate, and reliable performance.
There are a ton of defensive loads utilizing the 230-grain projectile. Federal Punch is available in a 230-grain loading that provides exceptional results. Its jacketed hollow point (JHP) design provides a good balance between expansion and penetration. Additionally, Hornady offers a Subsonic loading featuring its trusted XTP projectile. Long grooves in its gilding metal jacket combine with the bullet’s flat profile and the Flex Tip insert within its hollow point cavity to help it expand reliably at low velocities. Winchester’s WinClean incorporates a jacketed soft point bullet with a brass enclosed base to eliminate lead vaporization and reduce barrel leading.
240–255 Grains
A heavier .45 ACP loading can provide the extra mass required for bringing down larger game.
Federal Syntech Solid Core features a 240-grain, flat-nose bullet that has been formed from extremely hard, high-antimony lead to hold together while blowing through bone and penetrating deep, making it an ideal choice for both hunting and dangerous animal defense. Unlike hard-cast bullets, Solid Core uses a Syntech polymer jacket to reduce friction and leading without features such as wax rings and gas checks.
Underwood offers a 255-grain round with a “Hi-Tek” coated, hard cast projectile. This flat-point round will work great on deer and other game you meet in the woods and is produced with flash-suppressed powder perfect for low-light hog engagements.
Final Thoughts
When deciding on which bullet grain weight to use in your .45 ACP, it is important to first determine your intended use. Do you need a high-velocity round for increased penetration? Do you need something subsonic for suppressor use? Fortunately, there’s no shortage of options in bullet weights and designs for the .45, but be sure to go with a quality manufacturer and test your ammo in your firearm.
I like the 185 grain as it shoots flatter and is accurate out to 50 yards.
I would like to give those Liberty 105-grain jobs a try. Does anyone know where they can be purchased and how they cycle? They sound devastating?
We have them in stock. https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/search.php?search_query=liberty%20.45%20acp ~Dave
I love the .45acp. Fact is, though, it is notorious for mediocre penetration with the standard military load. On the .45 range at Fort Polk (North Fort) the berm is littered with 230gr hardball projectiles that did not penetrate the sand. I know that that is not a perfect measure of penetration but it sure tells us something about it. I would be perfectly happy with a plus-P 200gr load of FMJ or hard cast round-nose leaving at 950 to 1,000 fps. THAT would be a real man-stopper. Stay safe. j
there are several loads here that i didn’t know existed,but i will be looking into. i am 72 years old and have never,and never will be,an aarp member. i had never heard about the .45aarp(i guess i don’t get out much)and got a chuckle out of it. thanks for the info.
I run 230 grn xtps in my house gun. They clock about 940 fps for 450 ft lbs. I feel it’s a solid balance keeping the round subsonic for effective suppression, but enough V for reliable expansion.
Now, once, I did get 1500 fps from a 200 grn loading. That was a surprise! Though the weapon handled the double charge with no visible issues, I changed my routine to ensure no doubles moving forward.
When going to semiauto ARs researched ballistics & Pilgrim had the 78gr 1900fps same as Liberty. Compared to 38s, 357 & 9mm it offered the same results as 303B which is like a 308 magnum. Wanted to simplify to PCC & the 45ACP+P won out bigtime. Traded in the Enfields, Henry & Colt for Hi-Points, then 17″ JRC AR45, G30cc & 8″FM AR45+P. The JRC hits pocket sized groups to 400yds w 3-9×32 on the carryhandle. Tacticon WL/LAZ are great Front sights that adjust for distances past 80yds angling down & raising the barrel angle to autocorrect are the only batteries and easily recharged. Got a 2-6×32 for the FM AR Pistol & Duplex focus gives the distance. Just need to remember the pistol lasers are under the barrel & the angle doesn’t help track. Great to have all the mags fit the ARs & Pistols even the
40RDrum. Also just have AR12GA 20″BP, 18″AR & RIAVFR14″ do 300gr 2000fps Hornys & Wolfhill APIs. Getting into AR22s w/21gr 1850fps
for M’Gal with POF PSA 8″ & K-T CP33. She still likes her 38 snubby w/Liberty 38S+P~ twice as fast w/ 1/2 the kick~
The 45 ACP – 230 gr hardball round and pistol was picked by the Army because in 1911 they were still concerned with killing horses. Likewise, stopping MOROs on drugs. That 230-gr slug was superior to the 38 S&W (not 38 spl.) round in use by the Army up until the adaption of the 1911 pistol. Modern bullet technology has only made the 45 ACP a more effective round. When used by someone who understands that any handgun pound is not an “One Shot Stopper”, the current crop of 45 ACP ammo and handguns are still superior to any 9mm combo currently available. In my youth, (1973) met a Life Master shooter, who was practicing at 50 yards with her 1911. Think she might hit 100 pounds with two full 45 mags in her pockets. That same year shot a feral hog with a 1911, and thankfully found that the 230-gr hardball lived up to its reputation for penetration. Did flatten that bullet, but i did get to eat feral hog for many days. But I now use 185-gr hollow points.
.45 ACP in 230 grain. I’m an old guy (84) and still like the original. It has worked for over a hundred years, and it will work for another hundred years!
The mother of all pistol carts! Nice to see an array of offerings, as I think I will need them all at one point or another…
Dear Shooter’s Log:
Just like the old saw about engines (“There is no replacement for displacement”), there is no swap for 220 grains of dead .45 cal drop.
Sincerely,
Gus Patukas
Thanks for the delightful, lucid, & informative article. It serves an an excellent quick reference for non-professional shooters, like me. In a suburban environment, in a typical two story home, what round would you personally use for home defense? Let’s say the guns are either a Walther PPQ or Girsan.
Thanks.
Hey Russ,
Thanks for the read! My go-to rounds for suburban self-defense are typically the Speer Gold Dot G2, SIG Elite V Crown, or Hornady Critical Defense. Buy a few boxes and run them through your pistol of choice to check for function and accuracy.
-Alex
Anyway you Cut it the 45 ACP is still a Bad Mother after all these years and will stay that way
This article is an outstanding resource for the opportunity to select the proper ammunition for my 1973 Colt 1911
Thank you