Designed by (guess who) John Browning, specifically for what ended up being the iconic Colt M1911 this is still an industry standard cartridge more than a hundred years after its introduction.
After a poor showing in the Philippines, the Army realized its .38 pistols just weren't up to the job and needed a real "man-stopper", with trials on live cattle, deer and human cadavers(!) showing that a .45 was the way forward. Put simply, the larger diameter causes more damage and disabling targets more effectively.
It has a few downsides though - less of them in a magazine due to the size, a hefty recoil kick, and the issue of it potentially exiting the other side of your target and going who knows where. But still, it's a huge favorite for many including Special Forces Teams for whom the NATO standard 9mm round just doesn't cut it.......
It's a chunky little cartridge and you can really feel the weight of the typical 230-grain bullet. Like the idea of one of these for yourself? You've got space for 15 characters so get customizing!
