08/24/2026
45 LONG C**T PRESSURE LIMITS & TIERS
Hunting season is almost upon us and after repairing several .45 Long C**t pistols and lever actions, I’ve come to the conclusion that most people that love this cartridge don’t know much about choosing hunting ammo. Choosing the wrong stuff will have you dropping bullets in the dirt under a deer at 100 yds or more and putting the +P ammo in a pistol or rifle not rated for the pressure, you’ll wear your gun on your face!
The .45 Long C**t’s been around for a long time and the quality of the steel has improved, allowing for higher-pressure ammunition to be used for hunting. Here are the tiers (levels) of pressure and how that pressure corresponds to feet per second (FPS).
• Tier 1 (Up to 14,000–15,000 psi): This is where old guns and Uberti belongs. It safely handles standard SAAMI and European CIP-rated factory standard loads (roughly a 250-grain bullet at 800–900 fps). This is normally a Cowboy Action realm, soft-shooting, and down range ballistics like a rock.
• Tier 2 (20,000–23,000 psi): Moderate/warm loads meant for mid-frame R***rs (like the New Vaquero or Flat-top Blackhawk) or heavy frame S&W 25s. You should not regularly shoot Tier 2 loads in an Uberti. This ammo is normally between 900-1100 FPS. Remember that you will pick up from 150-200 per second when shooting the same ammo out of a 16” carbine, still safe.
• Tier 3 (30,000+ psi): The heavy "R***r Only" loads (Freedom Arms or large-frame Super Blackhawk). Shooting these in an Uberti can cause catastrophic failure or destroy the gun. Shooting this ammo rated +P in a R***r pistol is a very horrifying experience! If you rely on a pistol as a hunting firearm and want to put down a deer at 100 yds, it will do it, BUT “You ain’t gonna like it!” The recoil really picks up with +P loads and a flinch will develop after the first round. The carbine, like the Heritage 92, and Big Boy, love the +P’s.
The bullet drop for the Tier 1 & Tier 2, 250 grain lead and jacketed bullets is between 8” & 14” drop below POA (point of aim) at 100 yds, when zeroed at 50 yds. Both the .45 Long C**t, +P and the .44 Magnum will have a pronounced bullet drop, even when zeroed at 50 yds. The heavier the projectile, the more the bullet drops and slows down.
The ballistic coefficient of a 255 grain Tier 1 is .117 G1, A smooth, flat river rock has better ballistics.
Tier 3: These loads are safe in all R***r revolvers, BFR revolvers, TC Contender, C**t Anaconda, and Freedom Arms fi****ms. These loads are safe in all modern Model 1892 lever guns as well as all Wi******er & Marlin 1894's. DO NOT USE IN ANY OTHER FIREARM. THESE ARE NOT STANDARD PRESSURE CARTRIDGES! Operating at 27,500PSI
• Caliber : .45 C**t +P
• Bullet : 225gr. Barnes XPB Lead Free
• Ballistics :
◦ 1495fps - 1117 ft./lbs. - 7.5" bbl.
◦ 1255fps from a 2.5" R***r Alaskan
◦ 1825fps from a 16.5" carbine
Beware of price gouging by major manufacturers and look for a few simple items on the boxes of ammo:
1. Bullet Type. Lead bullets are ok for straight wall case deer hunting in Arkansas, BUT a SWC (semi-wad cutter) may not feed well in a lever action. Jacketed hollow points with large, flat mouths, may also give feeding problems in lever actions, but ok in pistols.
2. Velocity. Look on the box for a little chart that defines the ammo’s velocity at given yardages, and if the manufacturer tells you the length of the test barrel. An example is Federal’s Hammer Down Premium 250gr JHP (jacketed hollow point) has a muzzle velocity of 1025 FPS out of a 20” barrel. A box of 20 retails for around $42 (Tier 1 or Tier 2). A box of Sellier & Bellot JHP 230 gr has a muzzle velocity of 830 FPS, and retails for about $55 per box of 50 (Tier 1, Tier 2). Underwood Ammo, 250 gr XTP JHP +P, flies at 1400 FPS (Tier 3), and retails for about $40 for a box of 20.
3. Price: Federal Premium American Eagle 225 gr JSP is $62 for a box of 50. Its velocity is 860 FPS. It does not say what gun was used. Armscor 45 C**t (Long C**t) Ammunition 255 Grain Lead Round Nose at 800 FPS is $42 for a box of 50, and will kill a deer just as good within 100 yds.
Hope this gives y’all a better understanding of the .45 Long C**t ammunition and where it can and can’t be used. We do custom loading here at Dixie Sports, and accuracy is what we strive for, at whatever muzzle velocity is recommended.
Remember basic rules of gun safety and ALWAYS use them.
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