The "cow stories" above lend credence to stories from the time of the 45 Colt's development in which its blackpowder loading of 40 grains of 3F under a 255 grain round flat-nose bullet was intended to shoot through a cavalry mount and inflict injury on an enemy using said mount for cover. Those BP loads from the issued 7.5" barreled Colt SAA were good for 1000 FPS. THAT is a service sidearm!