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Handgun Ammo

.45 ACP Ammo

In stock from $0.41 / round · 29 of 34 products available now

Standard 230-grain ball is subsonic out of the box, which is why the platform suppresses so well and why the recoil reads as a push rather than a slap.

In stock today

Cost per round
$0.41 to $2.16
13 Brands
Barnes, CCI, DoubleTap, Federal, Fiocchi, Fort Scott Munitions, G2 Research, G9 Defense, Hornady, PMC, SIM-X, SuperNova, Winchester
Bullet weights
70, 78, 117, 120, 162, 180, 185, 205, 220, 225, 230, 255 grain
Pack sizes
6, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 250, 400, 500, 1,000 rounds
Learn more about .45 ACP

At a glance

Also known as
.45 Automatic, .45 Auto, 11.43x23mm
Common bullet weights
185, 200 and 230 grain
Typical use
1911 and 2011 competition, suppressed pistol, carry
Before you buy
+P is loaded for it, but not every older 1911 is rated for a steady diet of it
Age to purchase
21+ (the federal licensed-dealer minimum for ammunition suitable for a handgun, applied as TAS policy)

John Browning's .45 ACP arrived with the 1911 and has outlived most of the arguments about it. It is a large, heavy bullet moving at modest speed under modest pressure, which is why standard 230-grain ball is subsonic straight out of the box and why the recoil reads as a push rather than a slap. It is not the cheapest way to shoot a pistol and it never will be (you are buying twice the lead of a 9mm), but for suppressed shooting, for 1911 and 2011 competition, and for people who simply shoot the platform well, nothing else quite substitutes.

What to know before buyingCommon questions

Before you buy

What to know about .45 ACP

What people buy it for

  • 1911 and 2011 shooting, from carry to Single Stack competition
  • Suppressed pistol shooting without needing a special load
  • Concealed and home defense
  • Revolvers and lever guns chambered for .45 ACP with moon clips

Standard 230gr is already subsonic

Full-power .45 ACP ball does not break the sound barrier, so a suppressed .45 is quiet without hunting for a special subsonic load: a genuine advantage over 9mm, where you have to choose 147gr deliberately. Lighter 185gr loads and +P ammunition can go supersonic; if quiet is the point, stay with 230gr.

Older 1911s were throated for ball

If a 1911 chokes on hollow points but eats ball all day, the feed ramp and barrel throat are usually the reason rather than the ammunition. Current production guns are almost all throated for hollow points; a pre-1980s pistol or a period-correct reproduction may not be. This is a gunsmithing job, not a reason to keep buying different ammunition.

185gr for lighter competition loads, 230gr for everything else

230gr is the standard and what nearly all defensive ammunition uses. 185gr is faster and is common in competition loads built to make a power factor with less felt recoil. Both are widely available; fixed 1911 sights are usually regulated around 230gr.

+P and older or aluminium-framed pistols

.45 ACP +P exists and is loaded meaningfully hotter than standard pressure. Modern steel-framed guns handle it; lightweight alloy frames and older pistols accumulate wear faster, and some manufacturers say not to use it at all. The manual is the authority here, not a forum.

Questions

Common questions

Is .45 ACP the same as .45 Colt or .45 GAP?

No. Three different cartridges that share a bullet diameter and nothing else useful. .45 Colt is a much longer rimmed revolver case from 1873. .45 GAP is a shortened rimless case designed to fit a 9mm-length action. None of them interchange. Buy the one your barrel is marked for.

Is .45 ACP really subsonic?

Standard-pressure 230gr loads are, which is why .45 has always been a favourite suppressor host: no special ammunition required. Lighter bullets and +P loadings can cross into supersonic and will crack downrange. If suppressed shooting is the goal, buy standard-pressure 230gr and check the box velocity.

Why won't my 1911 feed hollow points?

Almost always a throating problem rather than an ammunition problem. Early 1911 barrels and feed ramps were shaped around round-nose ball, and a hollow point's blunt profile hangs on the transition. A competent gunsmith throats and polishes the ramp in an afternoon. Magazine quality and follower design are the other usual suspect.

Is .45 ACP worth the cost over 9mm?

For volume practice, 9mm wins outright; it is cheaper, and price per round is exactly the comparison this site is built to make easy. .45 earns its keep when the platform matters: 1911 and 2011 competition, suppressed shooting where subsonic is free, and shooters who genuinely track the sights better under its slower push.

How much does .45 ACP cost per round?

.45 ACP runs from $0.41 to $2.16 per round in stock right now. Every price on the page carries its cost per round beside it, so the comparison is one glance rather than arithmetic.

Is it cheaper to buy .45 ACP by the case?

Usually, yes. We stock .45 ACP from 6 rounds up to 1,000, and the cost per round beside each price is what shows whether a particular case actually beats the box. It is not automatic: a discounted box sometimes wins.

Which brands of .45 ACP do you stock?

Barnes, CCI, DoubleTap, Federal, Fiocchi, Fort Scott Munitions, G2 Research, G9 Defense, Hornady, PMC, SIM-X, SuperNova and Winchester are in stock in .45 ACP today. Stock changes as the feed runs, so the list on the page is the current one.

What bullet weights does .45 ACP come in?

The .45 ACP in stock runs 70, 78, 117, 120, 162, 180, 185, 205, 220, 225, 230, 255 grain. Weight changes how the round feels and where it prints more than most shooters expect, so it is worth matching what you already shoot.

Is .45 ACP in stock?

29 of the 34 .45 ACP products we list are in stock right now. Out of stock items stay on the page rather than disappearing, so a link you saved still works and you can see what normally sits here.

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