The venerable .45 Colt cartridge, which made its debut in 1872, has etched an indelible mark on American history and culture. This hard-hitting revolver round has been the faithful companion of soldiers, lawmen, and adventurers, shaping the narrative of the rugged American frontier. From the “Gun That Won the West” to the modern-day renaissance of classic firearms, the .45 Colt stands as a symbol of resilience and American ingenuity.
The Colt Single Action Army SAA “Peacemaker,” 1873, was officially adopted as the standard sidearm of the U.S. Army from 1873 to 1892 and played a very great role in taming the Wild West. Its legendary status was further cemented when General George S. Patton chose it as one of his ivory-handled revolvers, famously declaring, “Son, only a pimp in a Louisiana whorehouse carries pearl-handled revolvers. These are ivory.” Patton first wielded the “Peacemaker” in combat as a young second lieutenant during General John “Black Jack” Pershing’s Pancho Villa Expedition of 1916.
Yet another legend among .45 Colt revolvers is the Colt New Service, noted for its ruggedness and versatility. According to gun enthusiast “Winston Wolfe”, “The gun is built like a tank. You can barely see the lines where parts fit together. Very versatile for military, defensive and hunting uses.” The Colt New Service was produced from 1898 to 1941 and was the first large-frame revolver made into a snub-nosed version, adopted by none other than F. Scott Fitzgerald himself.
Colt’s Anaconda, in 1990, confirmed that the caliber had not lost its allure. No less an authority than the great revolver sage John Taffin of American Handgunner Magazine labeled the Colt Anaconda “the largest, and probably the best, .45 Colt DA ever produced by Colt.” Smith & Wesson’s Model 25, one of the grand N-frame series, received Taffin’s accolade as “as fine a shooting DA .45 Colt as can be found.”
Ballistics, however, played little role in the .45 Colt’s introduction to popular culture. From Billy Dee Williams and his classic Colt .45 malt liquor commercials to raunchy rap artist Afroman and his 2001 hit song of the same name, the cartridge is a household word, even among those who aren’t packing heat. Its enduring fame is a testament to the fact that, at the bottom, the cartridge left an indelible mark on the American psyche many years ago, with suggestions of rugged individualism and the taming of the frontier.