When it comes to legends of the firearms world, John Browning stands very tall indeed. His legacy in terms of weapon and cartridge invention lives with all shooters today.
In terms of ammunition, his .45 ACP cartridge was first used in real anger by U.S. Forces and the iconic M1911 handgun. How successful is this cartridge design? Just consider the fact that all major firearms and ammunition manufacturers still produce .45 ACP compatible weapons and cartridges.
With this in mind, the best .45 ACP ammo: Home Defense & Target Practice rounds currently on the market will be reviewed below. As will be seen, this flexible ammo still thrives today as a popular training round and a hard-hitting home defense cartridge.
Before getting down to the individual cartridge reviews, let’s clarify a few points relating to…
.45 ACP Ammo Types
The iconic .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) and cartridge were invented in 1904 by John Moses Browning. After successful military trials, the U.S. Forces adopted it as their standard chambering for Colt’s M1911 pistol. It proved highly successful during WW1, WW2, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Many civilian handgun owners still favor this cartridge for everyday use. On top of that, shooters who favor the AR-15 rifle platform get some excellent results when using it. This is because of two major benefits. First, .45 ACP ammo fired from a rifle gives longer range accuracy. Second, it reduces felt recoil to an absolute minimum.
When looking for the best .45 ACP ammo, you will often see it called .45 Auto ammo. Please rest assured that this cartridge is one and the same thing. However, there is one thing that shooters need to be aware of. This relates to standard .45 ACP cartridges and those with a +P (or +P+) designation.
The +P designation
This means that the cartridge has a higher load of gunpowder and the “P” stands for “Pressure.” As can be imagined, the +P+ rounds pack even more powder than +P rated ammo.
But what is the result and benefit of packing more powder into the same case instead of using a longer cartridge? Well, so that a more forceful explosion during ignition is created. As for the benefits, this allows shooters to increase speed and terminal ballistics using their existing weapons. It also means there is no need to purchase a new gun that is capable of handling such increases.
Having said this, there is a potential catch. One that requires caution….
The majority of newer weapons chambered in .45 ACP can handle +P ammo. However, it is extremely important to double-check that this applies to your specific weapon and, in particular, with older weapons.
Confirmation can be found in your gun user’s manual or on the manufacturer’s website. Another place to look is on the barrel of your gun, as the rating is often etched there.
If your weapon is not rated for +P or you are in any doubt about its rating, do not use +P ammo. By doing so, the extra pressure could cause gun damage and/or serious injury to the shooter.
Assuming your weapon is +P ammo rated, this is very often used for self and home defense purposes. The reason is that increased speed and energy can deliver greater stopping power.
The Best .45 ACP Ammo for Target Practice
Target practice and weapon drills are key to gaining confidence and increasing accuracy. So, let’s first take a look at three of the best .45 ACP rounds for target practice. From there, I will cover three best quality .45 ACP rounds for home defense.
The type of round used for target practice is known as FMJ (Full Metal Jacket). This style of round is relatively cheap to produce and is, therefore, a cost-effective option for that all-important range practice.
With price (and savings in mind!), where possible, it is recommended to buy training ammo in bulk. Not only does this reduce the per round cost, but it also saves you from having to re-order so often.
A word on FMJ rounds and home defense use
Just a quick word on the use of FMJ rounds for home or self defense. This type of cartridge has the ability to power through barriers (such as adjoining walls inside your house). It can also enter and then exit targets. With these factors in mind, real caution is required if using FMJs for defense purposes.
The two golden rules if you do use FMJ rounds for emergency defense purposes are:
- Be fully aware of what is between you and your target.
- Be just as aware of what is behind your target.
Failure to check these points could mean damage to property, vehicles, or, more importantly, serious injury to an innocent bystander.
With the above pointers in mind, here are three of the best .45 ACP rounds for target practice…
1 45 ACP – 230 Grain FMJ – Sellier & Bellot – 1000 Rounds – Best Low Cost .45 ACP Ammo for Target Practice
The Czech ammunition manufacturer Sellier & Bellot has been in business since 1895. This should tell everyone that they know a thing or two about cartridge production.
Reliable and cost-effective…
Sellier & Bellot have long been ammo suppliers to military and civilian shooters alike. This cost-effective brass-cased cartridge is ideal for target practice. It comes with a 230-grain projectile, a non-corrosive boxer primer, and can be reloaded.
Shooters can expect a muzzle velocity of 853 fps (feet per second) and muzzle energy of 371 ft/lbs. As for purchasing, those looking to bulk buy can place a 1000-round order (20×50-round boxes) at a very appealing price.
Pros
- Good quality cartridge.
- Non-corrosive, reloadable.
- Low price.
- Ideal for plinking and target practice.
- Bulk 1000-round orders.
Cons
- None at this price.
2 Winchester USA – White Box Ammo – 45 ACP – Most Reliable .45 ACP Ammo for Target Practice
As well as offering quality .45 ACP ammo, Winchester’s White Box rounds can be ordered in various quantities.
How many do you need per order?
Order flexibility is the key here. Take this Winchester White Box ammo in quantities of 1000, 500, 200, 100, or 50. Once that decision has been made, it is time to get out there for some target practice. (The link above takes you to the highly popular 500-round order.)
The 230-grain load cartridge comes with a traditional “ball” full metal jacket round-nose bullet. This proven design delivers consistent functionality and acceptable accuracy. Thanks to the copper jacketed bullet, this reasonably clean-firing round should not cause extensive barrel leading. It is also designed so as not to give terminal bullet expansion.
Simple reloading…
Offering muzzle velocity of 835 fps and muzzle energy of 356 ft./lbs, this brass-cased round is non-corrosive and comes with a boxer primer. Those into reloading can reuse to their heart’s content.
Pros
- Winchester quality.
- Reliable target practice round.
- Traditional “ball” FMJ round-nose bullet.
- Reasonably clean-firing.
- Wide choice of order quantities.
Cons
- More expensive than other practice rounds.
3 ArmsCor – 45 ACP 230-Grain – Best Value for Money .45 ACP Ammo for Target Practice
ArmsCor is an ISO 9001 certified company that manufactures quality USA-produced ammo for a wide selection of calibers.
Value 100-box order…
This .45 ACP ammo complies with international standards and comes in a real value 100-round order. It is a good choice for target practice shooters who appreciate value against performance. It also fits well for those on a tighter budget and shooters who don’t get the chance to shoot as often as they would like to.
Coming with a 230-grain load, this FMJ brass-cased cartridge uses quality primers, is non-corrosive and reloadable. Muzzle velocity rates at 849 fps while muzzle energy is 368 lb./ft.
Pros
- Good quality control.
- Value 100-box order.
- Reliable feeding.
- Very cost effective for what is offered.
Cons
- None for the price.
The Best .45 ACP Ammo for Home Defense
As I mentioned, .45 ACP (.45 AUTO) ammo is a good option for home defense. When choosing the most effective type of round for this purpose, it is important to go for either a JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point) or a HP (Hollow Point) round. This is because hollow points expand on impact. They also transfer greater energy into your target.
As the name would suggest, HP rounds have a hollowed out center, while a JHP comes with a thin covering of copper or steel. A JHP round leaves less lead powder coating inside the barrel.
Because JHP/HP designed cartridges are more complex to produce, they are also far more expensive than FMJ cartridges. This means that for most shooters, they are too expensive for general target practice use.
However…
It is strongly recommended that once purchased; you take a quantity of your chosen JHP/HP rounds to the range. By firing off a sufficient number of these rounds, you will get a feel for how you and your weapon handle them. This will give home defenders greater confidence should an emergency defense situation ever arise.
What you are after in any defense situation is stopping power. With that in mind, coming up next in my Best .45 ACP Ammo: Home Defense & Target Practice review are three quality cartridges from renowned ammo manufacturers. Each is built with defense and survival in mind.
1 45 ACP – 185 Grain FTX – Hornady Critical Defense – Most Effective .45 ACP Ammo for Home Defense
Hornady ammo is highly popular with shooters from all walks of life. This best quality .45 ACP round really does deserve praise.
The name says it all!
Hornady’s Critical Defense line of ammo does exactly what it says on the tin (well, on the box!) If effective home defense is what you are after, this cartridge delivers.
Loaded with the company’s Flex Tip (FTX) patented bullet, it impacts differently to most hollow point bullets. This highly effective design features a soft polymer insert that is proven to consistently and reliably expand upon impact.
The brass-cased .45 ACP round has a 185 grain FTX load, gives muzzle velocity of 1000 fps, and muzzle energy of 411 ft./lbs. It comes with a boxer-primer, is fully reloadable, non-corrosive, and is available in 20-round box orders.
Superb stopping power…
Those shooters looking for reliable and controlled expansion to ensure effective stopping power are in the right place.
Note: Because of current supply chain issues, Hornady is temporarily loading this ammo with standard brass cases rather than their usual nickel-plated brass cases. No matter, you can still be assured of real stopping power when faced with any emergency defense situation.
Pros
- Hornady’s proven quality.
- Critical Defense – Tells the story.
- Patented bullet design.
- Reliable, controlled expansion.
- Highly effective stopping power.
Cons
- Expensive – But quality costs.
2 Fiocchi Defense Dynamics .45 ACP 230gr JHP 50 Rounds – Best Value For Money .45 ACP Ammo for Home Defense
Next up in my rundown of the Best .45 ACP Ammo: Home Defense & Target Practice, this Fiocchi Defense Dynamics round is another quality defense cartridge that comes in at a very competitive price.
Proprietary JHP round…
This Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) brass-cased cartridge comes with Fiocchi’s performance-enhanced qualities aimed at stopping intruders in their tracks. Shooters can expect reliable and consistent performance from a round that also gives spot-on accuracy.
Available in 50-round boxes, this cartridge offers real value. It comes with clean-burning powder and a non-corrosive boxer primer. Suitable for all .45 ACP (45 Auto) capable weapons, you will get smooth feeding and ejection time and again.
Gets the job done…
Home defenders can be sure that once this quality, reloadable round hits home, it will deliver deep target penetration and consistent expansion. The end result of a 230-grain load is stopping power that is up there with the best.
Pros
- Well-established ammo manufacturer.
- Proprietary JHP bullet design.
- Reliable performance.
- Smooth feeding/ejection.
- Very keen price for a home defense round.
Cons
- None.
3 Federal Classic – 45 ACP – 230 Grain JHP Hi-Shok – Best Stopping Power .45 ACP Ammo for Home Defense
It has been mentioned time and again just how important stopping power is in home defense situations. This Federal Classic cartridge certainly offers that.
Shock any intruder!
This 230 grain JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point) Hi-Shok round has been designed to stop unwanted intruders. Be that the four or two legged kind! This ammo works particularly well in semi-automatic guns, making it some of the most versatile .45 ACP Ammo you can buy, and delivers a muzzle velocity of 900 fps with muzzle energy coming in at 369 ft./lbs.
These Hi-Shok bullets hit hard and expand reliably to ensure effective energy transfer. They are brass-cased, come with boxer primers, and are non-corrosive.
Expensive, but still great value…
The above link is for the 1000-round order, which really does offer excellent value on a per round basis. However, if that is too much of a stretch for a one-time payment, then 50-round box orders are available.
Pros
- Federal quality.
- Hard hitting
- Reliable expansion.
- Available in 1000 or 50 orders.
- Bulk buy offers excellent value.
Cons
- None.
.45 ACP Rounds Offer Versatility
There is no doubt whatsoever just how effective the .45 ACP (.45 AUTO) round is. There are many handguns equipped to take this cartridge, while the highly popular AR-family of weapons is also an excellent platform for use.
Purchasing quality FMJ rounds for target practice is a solid, cost-effective way to up your weapon familiarity and accuracy skills. From there, you then stock up with JHP/HP .45 ACP rounds for highly effective home defense use.
As far as any defense situation is concerned, stopping power is where it is at. The good news in this respect is that major ammo manufacturers offer some excellent rounds to achieve exactly that.
Looking for Some Quality Ammo for The Rest of Your Gun Collection?
Then check out my in-depth reviews of the Best .380 Ammo Self Defense Target Practice, the Best .38 Special .357 Magnum Ammo, the Best .22LR Rimfire Ammo, and the Best .300 Blackout Ammo you can buy in 2024.
You will also probably enjoy our look at the 7mm Remington Magnum, or my comprehensive comparisons of Brass vs Steel Ammo, 6.5 Creedmore vs 308 Winchester, Rimfire vs Centerfire, or .5.56 vs .223, as well as our Beginners Guide to Reloading Ammo.
Plus, considering the current Ammo Shortage, you may be interested in the Best Places to Buy Ammo Online, the Best Ammo Storage Containers, or the Best 9mm Self Defense Ammo for Concealed Carry and currently on the market.
So, Which of These Best .45 ACP Ammo: Home Defense & Target Practice Should You Buy?
The .45 ACP ammo reviewed above comes in two categories: three different cartridges for target practice and three for home defense purposes. Each of these rounds are more than effective in their respective disciplines. However, to recommend one from each category, it has to be…
Target Practice:
ArmsCor – 45 ACP 230-Grain – FMJ cartridge
Coming in 100-round value boxes from an American company that prides itself on quality control is an important factor in this recommendation. The quality brass-cased round is both reliable, consistent, and very affordable. Regular use of this reloadable round will surely improve your shooting skills.
Home Defense:
This one is a tougher call as all three reviewed rounds offer effective stopping power. To place one just above the other two, it has to be the…
Federal Classic – Hi-Shok JHP cartridge
It can be purchased in bulk-1000 round orders at an excellent price while the 50-round order still represents good value.
This hard-hitting cartridge offers reliable, deep penetration for any emergency home defense protection.
Happy and safe shooting.
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