.45 Colt (LC Long Colt) vs .460 S&W Magnum Ammo Comparison - Ballistic – Foundry Outdoors

.45 Colt (LC Long Colt) vs .460 S&W Magnum Ammo Comparison - Ballistics Info & Chart

The following ammunition cartridge ballistics information and chart can be used to approximately compare .45 Colt (LC Long Colt) vs .460 S&W Magnum ammo rounds. Please note, the following information reflects the estimated average ballistics for each caliber and does not pertain to a particular manufacturer, bullet weight, or jacketing type. As such, the following is for comparative information purposes only and should not be used to make precise predictions of the trajectory, performance, or true ballistics of any particular .45 Colt (LC Long Colt) or .460 S&W Magnum rounds for hunting, target shooting, plinking, or any other usage. The decision for which round is better for a given application should be made with complete information, and this article simply serves as a comparative guide, not the final say.

For more detailed ballistics information please refer to the exact round in question or contact the manufacturer for the pertinent information. True .45 Colt (LC Long Colt) and .460 S&W Magnum ballistics information can vary widely from the displayed information, and it is important to understand that the particular characteristics of a given round can make a substantive difference in its true performance.


Caliber Type Velocity
(fps)
Energy
(ft-lb)
.45 Colt (LC Long Colt) Handgun 1050 500
.460 S&W Magnum Handgun 1800 2100






Velocity


As illustrated in the chart, .45 Colt (LC Long Colt) rounds - on average - achieve a velocity of about 1050 feet per second (fps) while .460 S&W Magnum rounds travel at a velocity of 1800 fps. To put this into perspective, a Boeing 737 commercial airliner travels at a cruising speed of 600 mph, or 880 fps. That is to say, .45 Colt (LC Long Colt) bullets travel 1.2 times the speed of a 737 airplane at cruising speed, while .460 S&W Magnum bullets travel 2 times that same speed.

Various calibers



Energy



Furthermore, the muzzle energy of a .45 Colt (LC Long Colt) round averages out to 500 ft-lb, while a .460 S&W Magnum round averages out to about 2100 ft-lb. One way to think about this is as such: a foot-pound is a unit of energy equal to the amount of energy required to raise a weight of one pound a distance of one foot. So a .45 Colt (LC Long Colt) round exits the barrel with kinetic energy equal to the energy required for linear vertical displacement of 500 pounds through a one foot distance, while a .460 S&W Magnum round exiting the barrel has energy equal to the amount required to displace 2100 pounds over the same one foot distance. As a rule of thumb, when it comes to hunting, muzzle energy is what many hunters look at when deciding on what caliber of firearm / ammunition to select. Generally speaking, the higher the muzzle energy, the higher the stopping power.

Again, the above is for comparative information purposes only, and you should consult the exact ballistics for the particular .45 Colt (LC Long Colt) or .460 S&W Magnum cartridge you're looking at purchasing.








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1 Comments

Mike Landis - Sep 05, 2022

I wish you would post comparative energy and velocity at two or three range distances for the S&W .460 XVR in its longer barrel lengths (I have a 14" .460 XVR), hence the curiosity.

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