Just for clarity sake, there is no such thing as a �.45 Long Colt,� it�s just .45 Colt (sorry, pet peeve of mine). Soldiers started referring to the .45 Colt as the �Long Colt� when the .45 S&W �Schofield� cartridge was introduced into the supply chain. It was their way of verbally differentiating between the tow. So why didn�t they just say Schofield or Colt? Well, that�s the nomenclature they used to refer to the guns, so they just used something different for the cartridges, since both could be fired in the Colt and only the shorter S&W round could be fired in a Schofield � Off my soap box.
Where factory loads are concerned, I think you�ll be better served by the .357 Mag. The .45 Colt packs a bit more punch, but in factory loadings, it�s hard to find the good stuff. Even the standard pressure stuff hit�s harder than the .357 (we�re talking live game here, not books or some energy calculator). When in bear country (my backyard), I carry a .45 Colt SAA with a 275 grain Keith style cast bullet at 900 fps. That�s within SAA pressure and it hits pretty hard for a non-magnum handgun.
But hey, who am I? I�m just a some puke on a web forum, so don�t take my word for it. Read Elmer Keith�s Sixguns and see what he says. He also based his opinions on game shot, rather than what was in the books.
So the long and short of it�If you plan on reloading, it�s tough to beat the .45 Colt. It�s a bonus when you have something like a Ruger Blackhawk, but not a necessity. If you�re a factory ammo kind of guy, the .357 Magnum with a good 158 grain JHP ought to get-er-done just fine.
