.45 Colt Trajectory Calculator
The .45 Colt is a classic big-bore revolver cartridge with roots in the Old West. With a 250-grain bullet at 860 fps and a 25-yard zero, expect about 2.6 inches of drop at 50 yards, 8.4 inches at 75 yards, and 17.5 inches at 100 yards. Muzzle energy runs 411 ft-lbs and stays above 345 ft-lbs at 100 yards—enough for deer at close range with proper shot placement.
Use the calculator to match your specific load. Click "Modify Calculation" to enter your bullet weight, muzzle velocity, and ballistic coefficient. Standard pressure loads run 800-900 fps while +P loads in strong revolvers push past 1,000 fps with heavy bullets. You can also factor in wind and atmospheric conditions.
Compare up to 5 different loads. The current caliber (.45 Colt) is pre-selected for the first load.
.45 Colt Trajectory Chart
.45 Colt Ballistics Data
| Range (yd) | Elevation (in) | Elevation (MOA) | Elevation (MIL) | Windage (in) | Windage (MOA) | Windage (MIL) | Time (s) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.001 | 860.0 | 410.67 |
| 5 | -0.15 | 2.75 | 0.799 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.019 | 855.96 | 406.82 |
| 10 | 0.07 | -0.67 | -0.194 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.036 | 852.09 | 403.15 |
| 15 | 0.17 | -1.08 | -0.313 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.054 | 848.27 | 399.54 |
| 20 | 0.15 | -0.71 | -0.207 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.072 | 844.48 | 395.98 |
| 25 | 0.01 | -0.03 | -0.008 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.089 | 840.73 | 392.47 |
| 30 | -0.26 | 0.82 | 0.238 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.107 | 837.01 | 389.01 |
| 35 | -0.65 | 1.76 | 0.511 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.125 | 833.34 | 385.6 |
| 40 | -1.16 | 2.76 | 0.804 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.143 | 829.7 | 382.24 |
| 45 | -1.8 | 3.81 | 1.109 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.161 | 826.09 | 378.93 |
| 50 | -2.57 | 4.89 | 1.424 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.18 | 822.53 | 375.66 |
| 55 | -3.47 | 6.0 | 1.746 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.198 | 818.99 | 372.44 |
| 60 | -4.49 | 7.13 | 2.074 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.216 | 815.5 | 369.27 |
| 65 | -5.65 | 8.28 | 2.408 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.235 | 812.03 | 366.13 |
| 70 | -6.94 | 9.44 | 2.747 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.253 | 808.6 | 363.04 |
| 75 | -8.36 | 10.62 | 3.089 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.272 | 805.18 | 359.99 |
| 80 | -9.91 | 11.81 | 3.435 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.29 | 801.8 | 356.97 |
| 85 | -11.6 | 13.01 | 3.785 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.309 | 798.44 | 353.99 |
| 90 | -13.43 | 14.23 | 4.138 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.328 | 795.12 | 351.04 |
| 95 | -15.39 | 15.45 | 4.494 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.347 | 791.81 | 348.13 |
| 100 | -17.5 | 16.68 | 4.853 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.366 | 788.54 | 345.25 |
Available .45 Colt Ammunition Ballistics
| Product | Velocity (fps) | BC | 25yd Drop | 50yd Drop | 75yd Drop | 100yd Drop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammo Inc .45 Colt 250gr JHP Ammo Ballistics | 842 | 0.146 | 0.0" | -2.7" | -8.8" | -18.4" |
| Ammo Inc Signature .45 Colt 250gr TMC Ammo Ballistics | 842 | 0.146 | 0.0" | -2.7" | -8.8" | -18.4" |
| Atomic .45 Colt 200gr LRNFP Ammo Ballistics | 800 | 0.125 | 0.0" | -3.1" | -9.9" | -20.8" |
| Barnes VOR-TX .45 Colt 200gr XPB Ammo Ballistics | 850 | 0.145 | 0.0" | -2.7" | -8.6" | -18.1" |
| Buffalo Bore Heavy .45 Colt +P 300gr SJFP Ammo Ballistics | 1700 | 0.165 | 0.0" | -0.4" | -1.7" | -4.1" |
| CCI Blazer .45 Colt 200gr JHP Ammo Ballistics | 1000 | 0.14 | 0.0" | -1.8" | -6.1" | -13.1" |
Similar Calibers
.45 Colt Ballistics Comparisons
Stock Up On .45 Colt Ammo for the Range
| PRODUCT | DEALER | QUANTITY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL PRICE | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentry Ammo | 1000 | $698.53 | $68.44 | $766.97 |
$0.77
1000 Rounds
|
|
| Fast Ammo | 400 | $309.76 | $39.99 | $349.75 |
$0.87
400 Rounds
|
|
| Fast Ammo | 400 | $349.01 | $39.99 | $389.00 |
$0.97
400 Rounds
|
|
| Fast Ammo | 400 | $353.25 | $39.99 | $393.24 |
$0.98
400 Rounds
|
|
| Fast Ammo | 50 | $46.95 | $13.15 | $60.10 |
$1.20
50 Rounds
|