ATTENTION:  Effective Sept 1, 2020, the BBTI Project is in "Archive Status."  No further tests will be conducted, but we will maintain this site and data for the use of the firearms community.  Thank you.

.45 ACP Results in fps (2008)

Click here for a Muzzle Energy graph for the 2008 tests in this caliber.

barrel length Cor Bon
165 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
185 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
200 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
230 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
185 gr.
DPX +P
Federal
165 gr.
FJ
Expand'g
low recoil
Federal
165 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
low recoil
Federal
185 gr.
Hi-Shok
JHP
Federal
230 gr.
Hi-Shok
JHP
Federal
230 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
18" 1450 1309 1189 1065 1220 1251 1195 1062 888 937
17" 1419 1316 1201 1080 1195 1200 1229 1038 866 955
16" 1443 1362 1237 1117 1229 1304 1225 1116 919 994
15" 1430 1319 1212 1095 1214 1284 1226 1070 932 972
14" 1413 1301 1268 1098 1213 1267 1191 1072 915 973
13" 1423 1289 1184 1093 1199 1188 1186 1076 917 971
12" 1402 1281 1179 1090 1184 1235 1169 1077 926 953
11" 1396 1279 1212 1074 1200 1260 1185 1116 948 980
10" 1373 1266 1171 1098 1204 1246 1172 1077 924 976
9" 1379 1262 1172 1077 1179 1235 1154 1081 934 967
8" 1367 1236 1150 1069 1148 1174 1136 1080 903 951
7" 1313 1228 1145 1069 1142 1174 1105 1063 906 931
6" 1283 1183 1102 1043 1117 1138 1061 1012 874 897
5" 1238 1149 1067 1015 1102 1131 1033 1002 843 895
4" 1163 1109 1042 983 1060 1087 964 946 814 865
3" 1050 999 934 893 967 991 870 867 758 787
2" 1001 937 846 844 894 942 825 827 709 754

 

real
world
weapons
Cor Bon
165 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
185 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
200 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
230 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
185 gr.
DPX +P
Federal
165 gr.
FJ
Expand'g
low recoil
Federal
165 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
low recoil
Federal
185 gr.
Hi-Shok
JHP
Federal
230 gr.
Hi-Shok
JHP
Federal
230 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
LaFrance
M16
16" barrel
1414 1287 1193 1104 1228 1242 1185 1122 940 977
Vector
Kriss
Super-V
16" barrel
1437 1318 1221 1092 1170 1219 1217 1153 949 962
Kahr
Thompson
16" barrel
1483 1385 1269 1176 1262 1273 1263 1177 989 1034
Group IND
UZI
16" barrel
1478 1363 1224 1145 1235 1305 1249 1188 1013 1023
Ed Brown
1911
6" barrel
1276 1184 1132 1028 1117 1135 1093 1045 902 914
Para
Ordnance
LDA 14
5" barrel
1256 1180 1087 1007 1103 1114 1021 980 817 893
Beretta
8045
Cougar
3.625" barrel
1207 1096 1040 977 1022 1045 971 972 825 831
Para
LDA
PDA
3" barrel
1173 1081 995 945 1030 1035 937 923 812 811
Bond
Texas
Defender
3" barrel
1070 1040 981 925 1021 1013 917 923 814 817
S&W
325PD
Airlite
2.5" barrel
1137 1047 988 936 972 994 950 923 782 807

Other Resources

BBTI is not the end-all of ballistics testing, just one more component available for the common good.  In addition to extensive discussion about ballistics to be found at many gun forums, here are some other great resources pertaining to ballistics testing you should check out.  (And if you would like to recommend a site to list here, please send an email.)
  • BrassFetcher:  excellent resource, with an emphasis on bullet performance in ballistic gelatin
  • The Box O' Truth:  testing ammo penetration through various barriers
  • Terminal Ballistics Research:  Specializes in the research of cartridge & projectile performance, using hard data gathered from 20 years of hunting game.

Acknowledgements

We'd like to personally and specifically thank Pat Childs at Fin & Feather in Iowa City, as he not only helped get most of our ammunition and other supplies, he was the brilliant gunsmith who worked with us to make this insane project much more practical.  Without his help all of this would have been much more difficult and perhaps impossible.  Anyone who uses our data owes him a debt of gratitude.

And thanks to our spouses, who were not just tolerant but enthusiastically supportive of this rather nutty project.

Disclaimer

This project, and all of its results, is only our fault.  We (well, Jim K, mostly) paid for everything ourselves, and we did not receive any kind of sponsorship or remuneration from anyone.  We did all the work.  We used products we were either familiar with, or because they were what was available, and mentioning them by name does not constitute an endorsement of any kind.  Furthermore, the data is provided purely for entertainment purposes - to better facilitate arguments over what ammo or caliber or gun is "best."  How you use the data is entirely up to you.  And if you think you could do better, feel free to spend the money and do the work and publish your own results.  Or not.  Your choice.