Probably Both, but more .45 ACP than .45 Colt
I'm going to wade into the discussion here because there isn't too much noise about
Basic number of weapons in each cartridge
Colt SAA from early 1870s onward... a few
double action revolvers but the convertible SA
revolvers weren't popularized until Ruger came out
with the Blackhawk.
1911 by the end of WWII Colt and other makers close to
3 million semi-atos in .45 ACP. The M1917 by S&W for WWI
totaled 150,000+ as well as the Colt New Service M1917s
COlt stopped making the big frame DA in .45 ACP or anything
else, but S&W has been making the big N-Frame for the .45 ACP
in just about continuous production. So, I think we can safely
say that the clones of the 1911 most likely outnumber the
clones of the 1873 Colt SAA.
Another cartrdge that has to be added into the discussion is the
circa 1920 .45 Auto RIm. LIke the .45 ACP it is designed from the
ground up for modern smokeless powder. If you wnat to argue about
handloads the .45 Auto RIm has a stronger case with it's thicker than a
.45 COlt rim, and can be loaded to higher performing loads out of the
S&W N-frames than the .45 ACP. Yes, you can stretch the brass in .45
COlt with the RUger Blackhawk and with heavier bullets, but it
depends on what you want to or have to shoot at doesn't it?
I have a Marlin 1894 20" barrel in .45 Colt I got it after reading
about Cowboy Action shooting It seems the COwboy Action guys load
down their rounds to 650 FPS so they can shoot quickly and make a
nice show and be crowned King of the Cowboys with the 19th Century
paradigm of the SA revolver, Lever gun and old design shotguns. The
trick cartridge is the .45 Cowboy Special(CS). I read the .45 CS is simply
a .45 COlt shortened to 0.898"
0.898 inches in length and a light comes on,
BINGO... it's the same length as the .45 ACP and .45 Auto RIm.
THe Cowboy Action guys use this because it's easier to load the shorter
case as well as when a Marlin is converted to this shorter case
length the "Spoon/Carrier" that transfers the cartridge from the lower
tubular magazine to the chamber is a shortened custom piece. The
conversion from riflesmiths who do this work also slick up the action and
trigger, but guess what the lever travel is shortened by the lesser length
of the 0.898 inch cartridge both on the down stroke and up stroke so it's
a faster action. I have a riflesmith who will convert my Marlin 1894 from
.45 COlt to VOILA! .45 Auto RIm. THe only addtional conversion work will
be inlet the chamber for a 0.0910 Fim vs the .45 COlt 0.0610 and adjust
the extractor. THe gun will also be able to convert back to .45 COlt with the stock "Spoon/Carrier"
WHy on earth would I want to do this?
I told the rifle smith I what I had for handguns
Well, I'm a .45 ACP Nutter,
My favorite Handguns
S&W 1911 Stainless Steel (SS) 5" Bbl.
! S&W 625 5: Bbl. .45 ACP & .45 Auto RIm.
and I wanted a handy carbine in .45 AR for HD/SD
a handy camp gun out to 60 or so yards. It'll be
maybe a little less bullet weight but more rounds in
the tubular magazine and a shorter stroke for repeat
shots. ANd it's always convertble back to .45 Colt
if I run into some horde of that ammo. I could even get
a RUger Blackhawk as another option although it would sit
a lot since I prefer the modern S&W DA revolver.
It's not about hunting 4 legged but it'll do if a cantankerous
bear or something showed up mut mainly it's 1920s firepower
that doesn't alarm by it's looks.
I will probably get a shorter barreled 1911 variant as well as a
shorter barreled S&W DA revolver, sometime in the future as well as
a convertible Blackhawk.
Comments?
I own both, but as rounds go and in a Ruger Blackhawk, much prefer the Colt round. It can do anything a .44 mag can and is still potentially better as a defensive round, platforms not-with-standing. Of course, I'd rather take my P90 into a fight (if I just had to) than my Blackhawk.
