Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 45 Super vs 460 Rowland

I already have a dedicated 1911 in 45 Super. Having zero experience with the 460 Rowland, I am interested in the technical reasoning behind the use of a compensator on the 460. I understand lock time discussion and such. But, why use a compensator on one and just a stronger recoil spring on the Super? Why is the comp not advocated for the Super too?

The Suoer operates at about 28,000 PSI and the Rowland at about 38,000 PSI. A stronger spring simply isn't enough to control the slide velocity in the Rowland, the brake is needed.

Good answer. When I put my Rowland together, I asked if the comp could be removed for disassemby, etc. They told to NOT to try, and that shooting the gun without the comp would pretty much bet it to death.

Mike

A stronger recoil spring does very little to slow down the slide in a 1911. That is the wrong way to go about it for a 45 Super. A flat bottom firing pin stop and heavier hammer spring are much more effective in taming a 1911 for heavy loads. A muzzle brake has a similar effect, by countering the recoil force that moves the slide.

This be true^^^^

You add a (Rowland, Wilson) good compensated barrel to the gun to reduced the pressure before barrel/slide release with these other tricks, then you have a very powerful, very controllable and pleasurable weapon. With out the gun destroying qualities of an extremely heavy recoil spring. It is the return of the slide that tears a 1911 up. Causes timing issues with the magazine to boot.

That's the part I did not consider or even know. You don't know what you don't know until you know.

The article I have was a write-up for RealGuns and was a step by step tutorial for converting to a 45 Super.
This called for:
Wolff Precision Load Rated Recoil Spring # 42128
For use in Colt Delta Elite, 10mm
Replaces original dual springs.
Load Rating 28 lbs - Extra Power
Firing Pin Spring included

Not being argumentative but riddle me this Batman, if this spring kit is meant for the 10mm as manufactured by Colt, how does the battered slide (or any other part) fit into this equation?

The intent here is to formulate the perfect 45 caliber hunting 1911. I am not unhappy with my 45 Super. I have not put more than 500 full power loads through it. It is accurate with its Sig barrel & i don't think 1285 fps with a 200 gr bullet is any slouch for game.

Any firearm that I hunt with I d not shoot recreationally so its cumulative round count will always remain low.

Bingo! I had forgotten this. If my memory would have perked up I would have answered most of my own questions.

Compensators are just too freaking loud and annoying to take into the field, which makes the .460 Rowland completely uninteresting to me. .45 Super is such a great cartridge when used right.

Had not considered the noise factor.

If you really want a hunting 45, go with a revolver.

Handguns are loud. That is the stupidest argument I have ever here. Mike will come along and say his .460 rattled the trees. It is no louder than a .357 Mag revolver. Shoot one before you show your inexperience with the .460

How many times do you have to shoot when killing something in the field?

The .460 1911 Weighs 39 oz. . Hold 9 rounds. Will fit in any open bottom holster made for the 1911. You can get off all 9 rounds accurately before you can shoot 3 out of a 629 Mountain. Same weight. Done it. Research it. Watch the films. Try it.

Get 9 rounds of 255gr at 4" .44 Magnum strength off in a very controlled manner. That is what an auto with one of the best designed comps in the market can do.

Makes for a very effective wilderness gun.

...and if in a pinch, it will shoot .45 ACP and Super being held by the extractor. Or spend less than two minutes to go back to your .45 ACP set up.

The reason Jonny Rowland designed it because the .45 Super was tearing guns up. Because of the recoils springs needed.

The comp lowers pressure down to 45 +P levels before barrel/slide disengagement. Add the SBFPS and 25# mainspring and you can use a 20# recoil spring. Ejection is 4 to 6 feet.

Plus the Clark Custom kit uses one of the best match barrels I have ever used.

I have several. This post is about 1911's.

So, if I go with a compensated 460 I will definitely have to get a new barrel so it can be threaded for the comp?

Nope, it is easy. Call these people.

https://clarkcustomguns.com/parts-category/1911/

They are particular on the guns used for the conversion.



and these.

https://www.460rowland.com/ Notice the recoil difference. Not much.

http://www.realguns.com/archives/106.htm/



Look at the videos. You tube it also.




Enjoy!

The Clark kit is around $300.00 .

I would add the EGW SBFPS

http://www.egwguns.com/firing-pin-stops/


I would suggest a 25# or 26# Wolf mainspring like yondering suggested.

The gun will still shoot standard .45 ACP ammo with these additional modifications.

So, less than $350.00 , you have two guns in one.

Starline Brass. Uses the same .45 ACP loading dies. Same magazines.

4" .44 mag power with a .451 bullet instead of a .429 bullet . Without the muzzle rise you get from the magnum.

You will not believe until you try it how well that compensator calms things down. Much milder than a standard Delta Elite 10 without a comp.



Oh, by the way, the stock Colt Delta Elite recoil spring is 23#, not 28#. Look at Wolf Springs website for verification of that fact.

Reloader, the .460 with comp is very loud, despite what Gibby and others want to believe - and I have shot one quite a bit. For hunting, for me, it was just too loud - but I am leaning more and more to suppressors on semi-autos. Other than that, I really liked the .460. Plenty of power, and easy "conversion" from .45ACP. I never tried shooting .45 ACP in mine, because I had other pistols for that, and it isn't a good practice, anyway. Even though I would not choose a .460 Rowland for my type of hunting, it is a heck of a lot of fun to shoot! Although I enjoy semi-autos and have several, I prefer revolvers for hunting, sold my Rowland and bought a .480 Ruger SRH, and like it more as a hunting gun.

Still, I'd like to try a Desert Eagle .44 mag!

Mike

Mike, I think you heard my story about the momma pig. After that incident, I started carrying the 10mm. Then got interested in the .460. I work all day on the ranch. Getting in an out of trucks, tractors, ATV's , Shovel $h!t and repair fences and a lot more. A 1911 on my side all the time. Never know it's there. Amazing firepower in a tight package. Never know when there is going to be more than one of those bastids.

I now carry it in a shoulder holster. Never gets in the way. Twenty five rounds of 255gr hardcast .460 Rowland rounds is formidable fire power to be on your person at all times.

I have two .460 Rowlands. A Colt and a Wilson Hunter. Since the Colt is a Gold Cup Trophy frame/slide, Clark kit, it out shoots the Wilson.

I have a ransom rest. The Colt is a true 1"-1 1/4" gun at 50 yards. All day long. The Clark barrels are that good.

It's a ranch gun. Not a city gun. But it does hide well in the shoulder holster. Even under a simple fleece jacket.


PS: There are some very high quality diaphragm ear plugs if your hunting and worrying about your ears. Most are in the industrial supply market.