45 Colt 45 Long Colt

[PHATINJUN]

I know this is probably a little anal but...I would like to see folks refer to the 45 Colt as just that 45 Colt .People have been mistakenly calling it Long Colt and I have done so myself but maybe they did not or do not know that Colt never made a 45 Short Colt. The way they did the 32 long/short,38 long/short or the 41 long/short Colts and with it's resurgence let's give it it's proper do... not really a big deal but for the misinformed LONG LIVE THE 45 COLT. Kurt

Disclaimer: Just so no one get's worked up on this post it was not an attack on or directed at Lonewolfs post it just got posted at same time as Tim posted to his post I have sent Lonewolf a PM  to that effect sorry Kurt

[coyotejoe]

Well yeah, you are being a bit anal, call it what you like and I'll call it what I like. I think perhaps the "long" designation may have come from the days when the army issued both the .45 Smith & Wesson and .45 Colt revolvers . The S&W round could be used in both revolvers but the "Long Colt" could only be used in Colt revolvers. There was quite a civilian business in both revolvers and I think perhaps the "long" designation may have come into use to differentiate between the two rounds. I really don't see where it does any harm, we often don't say exactly what we mean but most folks have no trouble figuring it out and since, as you said, there is no .45 short Colt, I don't see how it could cause any confusion.

[quickdtoo]

It's all H&R/Marlin's fault, they call it a long colt, so Lonewolf did too.

Tim

[PHATINJUN]

That is one of the reason that I like open forums like this you can get other's opinion's and information that we may not no you very well could be right coyotejoe I knew nothing of the SW and Colt differences thanks Kurt

[Graybeard]

Actually some while back Mike Venturino posted a photo in whatever magazine he was writing for at the time of an old cartridge clearly headstamped .45 Short Colt. It was the only such he seemed to have ever seen and I've not seen one either. But it does lead some credence to the possible existence of such a round.

Stories abound as to why the old Colt is so often called the Long Colt. I try not to do so but at times have and do use that term. As I said I've seen at least one photo of a "short colt" round so am not sure it's so improper after all.

[Mac11700]

Here's something I found on this ...
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylor/45_short_colt.htm

Mac

[PHATINJUN]

Thanks GB and Mac very interesting I have seen some of the new 45 Colt ammo marked 45 Long Colt on the box. Kurt

[Spanky]

I guess that's the "short" story on the "long" Colt!!


Spanky

[guimus]

and of course that newfangled 45 acp probably bears some of the blame for the continued use of the word "Long". I hear it's gaining quite a bit of popularity with today's youth.

[bishopgrandpa]

I have read several articles on the "short colt". There is or has been one. If it were popular instead we would be denying the "long colt", but we know better don't we.?

[PHATINJUN]

Where might those articles you read be found I'd like to try and read more on this. Kurt

[gundownunder]

There appear to be a few versions of the origin of the word "long" in the cartridge name.
Here are 3 that I found,
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/45coltlevergun.htm
http://www.chuckhawks.com/45Colt.htm
http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/530103904/m/2211000561

Bob

[PHATINJUN]

I still find it interesting that in some of these articles they say they made a 45 Short Colt but there are no head stamps or pictures of boxes that actually say 45 "Short Colt" I know it seems it's just a matter of schematics but historically I still have not seen the "Short Colt" .Kurt

[Mac11700]

There never was any cartridge stamp Long or Short colt...it was just what folks called them to tell the difference between what was once loaded...



http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylor/45_short_colt.htm

Mac

[quickdtoo]

I still find it interesting that in some of these articles they say they made a 45 Short Colt but there are no head stamps or pictures of boxes that actually say 45 "Short Colt" I know it seems it's just a matter of schematics but historically I still have not seen the "Short Colt" .Kurt

I think ya meant "semantics" Kurt!

Tim