The Colt .45 has left an indelible mark on popular culture, from its key role in the development of the American West to its ongoing depiction in contemporary media. This iconic firearm caliber has etched its place in history. Below is a summary of the Colt .45’s development, starting from its inception and highlighting some of the most notable firearms that have been chambered for this legendary cartridge.
The Colt .45 dates back as far as 1872 when the now-famous Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company developed the .45 Colt cartridge. This very powerful round started as a breech-loader in revolvers and became a standard-issue sidearm for the U.S. Army, earning its stripes during the Indian Wars and in the American Frontier era. As one historian said fittingly, “It was the gun that won the West.”
Of the many firearms made for the .45 Colt, probably one of the most famous is the Colt Single Action Army, better known as the “Peacemaker.” This legendary revolver was used by the U.S. Army from 1873 to 1892 as its official sidearm, which further helped cement it in history. John “Black Jack” Pershing Pancho Villa Expedition of 1916, where General George S. Patton famously carried ivory-handled Peacemakers, further cemented its legendary status. As John Taffin of American Handgunner Magazine wrote, “The Peacemaker gained even more immortality when it was selected by General George S. Patton as one of his two ivory-handled revolvers.”
The Colt New Service was the other major revolver in this .45 Colt bloodline, a double-action revolver, made from 1898 to 1941. Firearms enthusiast Winston Wolfe labeled it as “built like a tank.” This universal gun performed outstandingly in military and personal defense, as well as hunting applications. It is one lauded for its accuracy and more manageable recoil. Taffin himself claimed, “It was also the model that Fitzgerald himself preferred.”
Introduced in 1990, the Colt Anaconda was a milestone: Colt’s first double-action revolver chambered for the powerful .44 Magnum. This gun is known basically for its .44 Magnum chambering, it is also available in .45 Coltand Taffin called it “the largest, and probably the best, .45 Colt DA ever produced by Colt.”
Beyond Colt’s offerings, however, it was the classic Smith & Wesson Model 25, one of that fine company’s fabled N-frames, that nailed down the .45 Colt’s place in history. Taffin said, “As fine a shooting DA .45 Colt as can be found,” which attested to the enduring regard for the caliber on the part of firearms enthusiasts and manufacturers.
The Colt .45 made an impressive mark on American history and pop culture. From the taming of the Wild West to films and songs by the dozen, this legendary caliber has become symbolic of rugged individualism and the pioneering spirit that gave life to this nation. As firearms continue to evolve, though, it is the legacy of the Colt .45 that has been etched in history, a testimony to ingenuity and craft that defined an age.
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