Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Anybody ever .45 super their Kimber 1911?

I’ve got a 2002 vintage TLE II that I’d like to use as a super with 250gr bullets. Does anyone have experience shooting the .45 super in a Kimber 1911? Have any spring or load info?

I haven't done 45 Super in a Kimber, but I have in a Ruger 1911. Details are a 28 lb mainspring, 20 lb recoil spring, extra power firing pin spring, EGW flat firing pin stop. I also replaced the titanium firing pin with a Wilson steel, the primers looked unusual until I did. Also added a Wilson Bullet proof slide stop and a Clark Multi comp, which is a bushing type comp.

CylinderHone worked on the throat of the barrel, allowing a slightly longer OAL and corresponding drop in pressure. I am able to shoot 250 grain Missouri Bullet Company Pinbusters at 1049 fps with 6 to 8 feet of ejection. Montana Bullet works has a 250 grain LBT LFN GC that really hits hard at 1037 fps, penetrates very deep. This bullet is my choice for woods carry.

I have a Kimber Custom II I fitted with a Clark 460 Rowland kit. I say fitted, all I had to do was just relieve a little pressure off of the link, took about 5 minutes. I tend to run the Rowland at Super speeds, anyway so it's not really straining the gun. Cases, again, are going about 6 feet, which means slide velocity is not excessive.

I also have two Glock 21s, one each in Super and Rowland, but that is a different approach.

Ohhh...you'll be okay if you keep slide velocity near normal, but I also put +10% magazine springs in the mags, cheap insurance. I carried these pistols where I might need them to keep big furry things from biting me.

That may explain my affinity for a 45-70 and 500+ grain LBTs.

Only thing I’ve done was throw a 20lb recoil spring in my Tisa Army to shoot 250gr rnfp.
I know it’s not a super but it functions good. I did this because the gun was shooting low for me at 25yrds. with 230gr. ball. The heavier, slower bullet has it shooting point of aim now.
I have a Colt Gold Cup Trophy I thought about converting to 460 Rowland. Just haven’t done it yet.

A heavier mainspring and flat fps do more to delay unlocking than a heavier recoil spring. If you are shooting 250s at regular pressure, you're not needing drastic spring changes, anyway.

I used to shoot a lot of 260 Speer JSP in regular setup 1911s, but I haven't seen any of those, lately.

The Rowland is a lot of fun. I'm going to have to try some 200s or 230s someday, I've been concentrating on heavy hardcast lately, that is until things like 458 socom, 6.8 spc, 300 hamr, and Black Powder equivalent 45-70 got in the way....

I think I’ve got the same spring combo in my 1992 custom classic as Vic as well as a square firing pin retainer. I bought the reamer and lengthened the throat a touch. Using shortened 460 Rowland brass with Lee 252 grain bullets took a nice doe last year. Need to verify the load before I mention it, It’s stout but at same time very controllable. Have some Super brass now. Was going to get another Rowland kit from Clark this time but with how this thing shoots I don’t think I need to.

"Stout but controllable" is why I tend to load my Rowland at Super levels, maybe slightly more. Recoil starts playing the devil with recovery. Repeat shots come slower.

Thanks for the info guys. Vic, I'll look into the throat reaming. I don't see that 250gr bullet in the Montana Bullet Works lineup. Is it possible you're thinking of some other outfit?

I've used this one in 460 rowland - it may be the one Vic mentioned. It's in the 45 colt section and can be ordered .451" or .452".

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https://www.montanabulletworks.com/product/45-colt-lbt-250gr-lfn_gc/
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Paul

Paul's got it.

I use .452"

Here's a pic of the meplats of the Montana Bullet works vs Missouri Bullet Company's Pinbuster, an accurate bullet in my pistols and about a third the cost of the Montana bullet, but I prefer the larger meplat when concerned about my hide. I've not had a feeding problem, which would obviously disqualify it for woods defense purposes.