Rifle · Proprietary · Not SAAMI standardized · Not standardizedObsolete
.45-100 Sharps
Heavy black powder hunting cartridge for Sharps and Winchester single-shot rifles; the largest standard .45 Sharps chambering between the .45-90 and .45-110 in powder charge.
- Caliber
- 0.4579″ · 11.63 mm
- Introduced
- 1876
- Case
- Rimmed
- Parent
- .45-70 Government
- Primary use
- Hunting
- Status
- Discontinued
- Obsolete
- Obsolete
- Introduced
- 1876
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Sharps Rifle Company
- Manufacturer
- Sharps
- Standard
- Proprietary · Not SAAMI standardized · Not standardized
- SAAMI
- Not SAAMI standardized
- Obsolete
- Obsolete
- Status
- Discontinued
- Availability
- Rare
- Case capacity
- 103.2 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:16
- Primer
- Berdan Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Max pressure
- 22,000 CUP, SAAMI crusher
- Eff. range
- 500 yd
- Max range
- 4450 yd
- Recoil
- 45.3–72 ft·lb
Ballistics
Velocity only, no drag model: no published ballistic coefficient is on file for .45-100 Sharps, so this is the shape gravity alone gives the advertised velocity. Drag would steepen it. The tool below solves real loads through their published G1 or G7 model.
Open in Ballistic Compare- Parent case
- .45-70 Government
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
CIP TDCC · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 11.63 | 0.458 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 12.22 | 0.481 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 12.84 | 0.506 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 15.44 | 0.608 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.78 | 0.070 | · |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 73.11 | 2.878 | ~ |
| Overall length | 85.30 | 3.358 | ~ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .45-100 Sharps is highlighted below.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Introduced in 1876 as part of the heavy .45 Sharps family, the .45-100 was used by buffalo hunters and Creedmoor long-range competitors. The number designates the powder charge in grains — 100 grains of black powder gave this cartridge serious long-range authority at the cost of significant recoil.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .45-100 Sharps use?
- .45-100 Sharps typically uses a 1:16 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .45-100 Sharps?
- .45-100 Sharps uses a 0.4579″ (11.63 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .45-100 Sharps still in production?
- .45-100 Sharps is discontinued; typical availability is rare.
- What is .45-100 Sharps used for?
- .45-100 Sharps is primarily used for hunting.
- What is .45-100 Sharps based on?
- .45-100 Sharps is derived from the .45-70 Government case.
Sources & provenance
- Manufacturer Buffalo Arms — 45-100 (45X2.6") Sharps Black Powder Ammo 535 Grain Lead · grain weights, bullet ⌀ archived
- Reference Gun Digest Books — Cartridges of the World (Frank C. Barnes) · year, grain weights, velocity, bullet ⌀
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →
