45 Colt/ 45 ACP Clear Ballistics Gel Test (Proposed)

I had a box that I shot into sand for a test and they did seem to mushroom nice but some fragmented a bit, perhaps from hitting stones in the sand pile? or whatever. The gel should give a better test. Chris S

45 Colt and 45 ACP Gel Test

I was surprised the 45 Colt didn't perform better with that bullet, seems the big lead slug is still the best in the Colt. Chris S

Forgot to add that I was really impressed with the ACP! My favorite loads in ACP are a 200 grain LSWC or a Sierra 185 HP which are very accurate, easy to shoot and still pack a pretty good punch.  I would probably use a Gold Dot or such if they weren't so damn expensive. If I can't stop it with 8 lead slugs I'm in more trouble than my gun is gonna get me out of! Chris S

Here are some more tests with the 45 Colt 250gr GDHP with similar results.
45 Colt SGDHP and the Raging Judge 

ADDED AN AMENDMENT VIDEO

45 COLT SGDHP   HANDLOAD

Not trying to steal your thunder but thought I would throw out what I was working on about 100 years ago, just for grins:
(Yea, I know, not a sixgun in the test)
I have heard it said that the .223 is a poor choice for "home defense" based on the belief that it will go through walls and into the neighbor’s house. (Not a good thing for neighborhood relations). Current discussions lately have brought up the question what would penetrate more layers of sheetrock, a .223 or a .45.
Well, lets throw in a 9mm just for fun. The .45 is a 230 gr FMJ round nose traveling in the 700-800 FPS range, the 9mm is a 124 gr FMJ round nose traveling at 1000-1100 FPS, and the .223 is a 62 gr FMJ boat tail going in the neighborhood of 2500 fps.
Disclaimer, these results are not the most scientific, but great for starting arguments.
And go ahead, try this at home, I could give a rats ass!
 
 
 

The "Contraption" multiple single and double layers of 5/8 drywall
 
 
 
 
 

The test results
 
 
Some Cool Close-ups:
 

The 9mm
 

The 45acp
 

The .223
 
And the test results in a confusing spreadsheet:

single layers of 5/8" drywall

double layers of  5/8" drywall

total layers of 5/8" drywall

area of bullet hole in square inches

total thickness material moved in inches

total volume material moved in cubic in

45acp

6

1

8

0.159

5

0.795

0.223

6

3.5

13

0.039

8.125

0.317

9mm

6

5

16

0.099

10

0.989

 
 
This would lead one to believe that:
1.) The 9mm would penetrate the most walls and moves more material then either of the other two
2.) The 45acp would penetrate the least walls while moving almost as much material as the 9mm
3.) The .223 does not seem, by this data, to pose much more of a danger then either of the other calibers.

Kind of screwed up, try this: