Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 45 Super

Thanks for the great info, very helpful. I'm try to decide if I want to invest in a Clark 460 Rowland kit or play with the Super. I had a Rowland brand 460 kit but wasn't impressed with the barrel and chamber quality. I've got a throat reamer to touch up the barrels on my 45's so they'll all feed the same length ammo so knowing a OAL that works in advance is helpful. I've already got brass for the 460 so I may just go that way. The Kimber shot pretty nice with the comp and I'm going to put a flat firing pin stop in, which should help with slide velocity either way. I've got a six banger mold for the Lee 252-255 RF to start with on the heavies.

The Clark kit is a very well done kit, great support at the chamber, throated very good, and the comp is quite efficient. It took very little fitting to get it to drop in my Kimber and function proper for a 1911. It didn't fit my Ruger so well, so I keep it in my Kimber. It feeds flat meplat bullets like butter

My Kimber is outfitted with a Flat Firing Pin stop, 28 lb Mainspring, and 20 lb recoil spring. Mags have a +10% spring (Wilson 47D), but I'm only running Super-level pressure so slide velocity is not an issue, getting about 4-5 ft of ejection. I'm running a 275 grain Hunter's Supply at 1050 fps along with the Montana Bullet Works LFN GC (1100 fps), recoil is mild, so repeat shots are a pretty fast follow up. I run the speeds up anymore and time between shots gets longer, so I figure a compromise is in order.

Vic in VA, I have been shooting the 215 grain coated bullets from Missouri (IIRC). They penetrate well, nice meplat and are reasonable cost. I like the montana bullet work meplat but their cast bullets are pricey almost as much as a jacketed vs the 215 grain bullets.

What powder are you using for your super loads? I have been using AA No 7 so far. There was not any Power Pistol or other powders available when I started buying and the AA no 7 seems to work well.

What are your thoughts on MBW's 250 vs the Missouri 215s?

I'm going to try the MBC 215s, I've run them at ACP level loads and like the idea. They would be sufficient for anything around here and getting them to 1100 to 1150 fps wouldn't be too stressful, probably much less so than the 255s. Extrapolation on QL from the small amount of data I have is encouraging, the bullet has a nice meplat and is sufficiently hard, plus being coated. Recoil is probably lighter, too. Once I found an OAL that my pistol liked, they've run slicker'n Snake Snot.

I agree on the price. MBW makes a nice bullet and they're proud of them.

AA7 is what I'm using, it has given very good results so I'm going to continue using it. I may try PP at a later date more as a curiosity than anything, I've use a lot of AA7 over the years and have confidence in it.

My goal is to eventually develop a load with the MBW 250, but I'll substitute until I get all the legwork done andthen fine-tune a load for it. It has the right meplat size, weight, and hardness for defense from bear/pig, at least it looks very comforting to me and is what I'd like to use. That would be my carry load while in the great outdoors. Though that 215, if it penetrates good enough, would be all I need around my house for what we have here. Bear are the biggest animals, but have been no danger to me. Feral dogs (especially) and coyotes have been the most trouble.

Good thread and good info, thanks all for sharing.
I have played around a bit with a 45 super light... I run a flat bottom firing pin stop, a 20 lb recoil spring with a poly buffer thingy on the guide rod.
My load is a Lee 255 cast from wheel weights , powder coated and enough Unique to yield 900 to 950 fps. I can keep my ejected brass within 12'
So far so good...

Good stuff Vic.

'Fubar, i'm going to try and drill a big boar through the shoulders and see just how tough that little 200gr FTX at 1250 fps reallly is, sounds like you have a good handle on your setup.

I am going to fit the flat FP stop and put in the 20lb Wilson flat spring and give that load a try for this deer season. I won't have time to get the Clark kit and get it tuned up but it will happen. I replaced all the mag springs with Wolff +10% when I had the Rowland kit so should be good to go there.

Would it be easy to convert and M&P 2.0 45acp to 45 super? I like the M&P platform better than Glocks. What aftermarket barrel would you guys recommend?

Vic - good info, thank you!

Only tried this is several 45 ACPs. It shot well and functioned in all but a Kahr CW45.
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AFAIK, beartooth bullets is defunct. I've subsituted, the RCBS 270gr SAA sized to .451 and seated to plunk (OAL 1.200 +- for both in my guns) and function thru your magazine for almost identical results.
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Have worked with 45 Super in HK USP for a bit more velocity and 460 Rowland (in both 1911, and HKUSP) for more velocity yet. The load pictured above functioned with no gun mods - if intended to shoot a lot, would go with heavier recoil springs and flat bottomed firing pin stop in 1911s.


FWIW,

Paul

Paul,

Thank you for the info! and nice shooting!

Went out and shot Glock #2 today.

It is also a KKM-barrel equipped pistol, this one is threaded for a suppressor so it has 5/8 x 24 threads instead of the proprietary size/pitch of the KKM barrel equipped with a KKM compensator, and is also 3/8" longer. This barrel is equipped with a Carver Custom 4-port compensator, recoil spring is a 24-lb NDZ captured unit.

Load #1 was my baseline load, Starline brass, 10 grains AA7, WLR primer, and a MBC 255 Pinbuster at 1.18" OAL. For all intents and purposes, data was right in line with the other KKM barrel, indicating consistency in manufacture.

Numbers for this barrel/load were 1018 fps, indicating pressure is 25391 psi according to QL and everything adjusted to reflect actual weight, length, etc. Ejection was about 4 to 5 feet, recoil was not at all objectionable. The Carver comp works very good!

The ogive on this bullet allows longer OALs, so I extended that to 1.252" and increased the charge to 11.3 grains. Results are 1073 fps, pressure (QL) is estimated at 25,040 psi. That's a good increase in velocity at essentually the same pressure, of course at the cost of a little more powder. Ejection was the same. An increase in OAL to 1.26" would net, according to QL, velocity of about 1055 fps and a corresponding drop in pressure to app. 24.7 Kpsi. The Glock mags will accomodate that length.

.45 ACP-level loads dropped the cases at my feet.

I'll say that, though it is large, the Carver Custom 4-port comp really calms slide velocity down, and recoil is not bad at all, quite mild if you're used to a .44 mag revolver. A person could deliver pretty fast aimed fire with this load/pistol.

Now, barrels will be sent to CylinderHone for some massaging. This means I'll have to shoot these pistols some more.....bummer

Sounds like a nice setup. Is there a specific reason for using the WLR primer instead of a "pistol" primer, either regular or magnum? Maybe for pressure handling capability or just what you have available? I need to see if I can find some AA7 around here.

Yes, very specific. It's what I had.

I am running out of them and have managed to aquire a few CCIs. The CCIs look like what I'm eventually going to migrate to.

These are not loads running on the ragged edge so I'm not concerned about pressure, just hoping reasonable accuracy is there. Once loads are determined, I'll check accuracy but these loads are intended for a "woods defense" type thing so benchrest gun precision is not going to be a primary requirement.

They will also not be for daily carry in social situations.

I also want to try the MBC 215 Express.

I opted for a Wilson Combat in 460 Rowland after trying several 45 Super and Rowland conversions. I use Underwood Ammo and it remains much more reliable if your life depends on it.

200gr XTP’S are running 1385 fps from my 5” 45 Super

Well I got the EGW flat FP stop fit nicely and the 28lb mainspring was a bit of a trick but I didn't launch any parts. Unfortunately the 20lb flat recoil spring won't work with my guide rod, it needs one .250" diameter so I had to order a round wire one which puts me back a week or so. While I was at it I ordered an EGW base for my Holosun 507C because I struggle to see the front sight anymore.

Looking for 45 Super data for the 200-255 lead bullets for Blue Dot, Longshot, Unique, Bullseye, 700X or 2400. Those are the only pistol powders I have access to currently.

Tag…..I’ve got a 5” Kimber that may find gainful employment as a result of this thread.

gzig5:

I have a Sprinfield XD tac. with 20 lb. Wolfe spring. Make sure you have a fully supported case head barrel.

Load is a 265 gr SWC sized .452, Fed 150 primer, in Starline .45 +P brass.

8.2 gr. Power pistol =1065 fps. Load seats to 1.256 in.

Longshot and Power pistol are similar in velocity production per grain.

As always, use this load at your own risk.

I put a Clark .460 Rowland kit in a Springfield several years ago, and liked it - but got talked out of it on a trade. Have a HK USP .45 now, and have read it is OK for. both 45 ACP +P & .45 Super? Have a box of each by Underwood, both with 255 gr Hard Cast Flat Nose, with Underwood rating them at 925 fps for the +P and 1075 fps for the Super. Haven't tried these in the USP - yet, but want to use them as potential "pig medicine".

Anyone see any problems with these loads in this pistol?

Mike Holmes