| .45 Winchester Magnum | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Pistol | |
| Place of origin | USA | |
| Production history | ||
| Designer | Winchester | |
| Designed | 1977 | |
| Manufacturer | Winchester | |
| Produced | 1979 | |
| Specifications | ||
| Parent case | .45 ACP | |
| Case type | Rimless | |
| Bullet diameter | .452 in (11.5 mm) | |
| Neck diameter | .473 in (12.0 mm) | |
| Base diameter | .476 in (12.1 mm) | |
| Rim diameter | .480 in (12.2 mm) | |
| Rim thickness | .049 in (1.2 mm) | |
| Case length | 1.198 in (30.4 mm) | |
| Overall length | 1.575 in (40.0 mm) | |
| Case capacity | 38 gr H2O (2.47 cm³) | |
| Primer type | LP | |
| Maximum CUP | 40,000 CUP | |
| Ballistic performance | ||
| Bullet weight/type | Velocity | Energy |
| 230 gr (15 g) FMJ | 1,400 ft/s (430 m/s) | 1,001 ft·lbf (1,357 J) |
| 260 gr (17 g) JSP | 1,200 ft/s (370 m/s) | 832 ft·lbf (1,128 J) |
| 300 gr (19 g) RN | 1,150 ft/s (350 m/s) | 940 ft·lbf (1,270 J) |
The .45 Winchester Magnum is a .45 caliber rimless cartridge intended for use in semi-automatic pistols. The cartridge is a stretched version of the .45 ACP with additional strengthening in the web area to accommodate the higher operating pressure. The Win Mag is nearly identical in dimensions and loading to the .45 NAACO developed by the North American Arms Corporation for their Brigadier pistol, developed to supply to the Canadian Army after World War II. The army ultimately did not adopt the pistol and its non-NATO standard ammunition.[1]
The cartridge has been used by hunters and metallic silhouette shooters.[2]
The .45 Winchester Magnum had been on the drawing board two years before its introduction in 1979 by Winchester. The cartridge did not gain much popularity due to the intermittent availability of the Wildey pistol and the LAR Grizzly pistol. The cartridge was chambered in the Thompson-Center Contender single shot pistols.
The cartridge provided the shooter a higher performance level than the .44 Remington Magnum in a semiautomatic pistol. The cartridge is able to fire a heavier bullet than the .44 Magnum given similar velocities or similar weighted bullets at higher velocities.
The .45 Winchester Magnum gained a following among IHMSA competitors as it provided the power and performance necessary to knock down targets at an extended range. The cartridge has been used by handgun hunters and is among the few pistol (as opposed to revolver) cartridges which have been adopted for this sport.[2]