Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns More on my hunting glock .45 super

Here is a thread I started on the Marlinowwners handgun forum. This is a work in progress but its coming together nicely.



Some of you probably remember this little project. I finall got some Super Brass. Had to buy a box of Buffalo Bore ammo to get it. Here is a copy from where I just started a thread on levergunlovers. reflex264

I finally got to graduate from the +p+ to .45 Super. Since brass isn't going to be made until late July I bought a box of Buffalo Bore factory ammo. I figured I would get a baseline on it then stuff the brass with some new burny stuff and a new cap on the back. I might even stick a pointy thing on the end of it and see if it goes boom. Well what seems to work wonders in this cartridge is a 230gr gold dot. At 1300fps it expands like a bomb and still stays together. Recovered bullets are often 1.25" accross. I will shoot some soon as I am going to resume the buffalo tests this weekend. I will also be casting some of the 255gr WFN bullets and pushing them through a .451 sizer. From the 6" tube I am looking for 1200fps. The Buffalo Bore ammo goes about 1100fps from the 6" tube. I shot some 185grs at 900fps to compare Super to ACP. It is hard to explain how much more powerfull this thing realy is than a ACP. I will keep us posted. reflex264


Late yesterday I got to do a quick chrony session. The BB factory 255grs clocked 1130fps. The 200gr XTP loads which were well off of max went 1249fps. The 230gr XTPs went 1206 with more on tap. The 6" barrel is making a big difference in this gun. I can shoot less powder and pressure and get the desired velocities. reflex264

Here is a doe shot with it using a 185gr +P+ load at 1200fps.


FROM Barenjager
I'm not sure where you're getting your data from, Reflex, but the best I've seen published for a 230 gr slug in the .45 Super is 1100 FPS or a bit more. The 6" barrel may up that slightly but I don't think 1300+ FPS is feasable even with the longer barrel.

I've worked with the .460 Rowland in a 5" Clark Kimber and reached 1380 FPS with the 230 gr Hornady XTP, but settled on a slightly lesser load that pushes that bullet or the Speer Gold Dot to 1325. I don't see how the Super can approach these velocities. Keep in mind, the .460 Rowland case is longer at .955 compared to the Super's .898. The Super is loaded to 28,000 PSI in data I've seen, whereas top loads with the Rowland approach 40,000 PSI. Also realize the Rowland utilizes a two port comp and a 22 to 24 pound recoil spring to hold down slide velocities enough to prevent battering and damage to the gun.

I don't believe the Super can get close to these ballistics without developing pressures that would be excessive for the case and the gun. The Super is a viable alternative and offers a decided advantage over the .45 ACP +P, especially with the lighter bullets, but it is not comparable to the .44 Mag and trying to make it so will lead to trouble. Please don't do any damage to yourself or the gun trying to prove me wrong.




It is the longer barrel. Same with my 5" vs the 6" with +p ammo. I gain right at 100fps with some loads over the stock barrel. The data that was pressure tested and clocked in a 5" barrel with the 230grs yielded 1210fps. Consider the Buffalo Bore ammo getting 1130fps instead of the advertised 1050fps. I can back off over half a grain and still get that much velocity. My thinking with the 6" tube is to stay away from the max charges. My velocity of 1206 with the 230s may be my stopping point. I am well off of some data that ran around 25,000psi. The 24lbs spring is keeping the slide velocity at bay. SO far no evidence of battering at all. I aint out to push the envelope. My realistic goals are load it somewhere between max and +p and let the extra barrel do its job. Besides, I think it looks cool sticking out passed the slide. Realisticaly the majority of the time this gun will shoot +P with the 24lbs spring. The super loads will see hunting use, mainly on hogs.

The .45 Super brass is extra thick from the rim to .25 above the primer flash hole. It is made from a stronger alloy.

Mods to the guns are the 6" Storm Lake barrel, Rocket trigger conector, Wolfe 24lbs spring and One piece ss guide rod and extra power firing pin spring. It is very accurate. 25 yard groups run around 1".

One other thing to remeber. Hodgdon didn't push it in their testing because they didn't have any super brass. They used W-W brass and loaded it to a max of 19,800 with the 230grs. reflex264

Well I am back at it again. I loaded some 185gr Noslers up to 1250 in the super brass using power pistol powder. Very accurate and just a smidge over my +p+ loads. I have a scope mount on order and it is getting a red dot sight. I just ordered a Lone Wolf trigger housing with adjustable over travel on it. I removed the Jentra trigger stop because it was coming in contact with the slide. Caused it to spray bullets instead of grouping them. I finally got the extra power magazine spring installed so I can shoot the hot 255grs without jamming. I also purchsed a 19# spring specificaly for +p loads. The 24# was just a bit much with them. I am thinking about getting the sidelocker trigger with the safety button on the trigger. I think this makes sense on a hunting gun.

When I finally get this one just like I want it I am thinking about a .40 Glock tuned more like a race gun. Larry's in huntsville has a load of police .40s for 333.00 + tax. Ammo is cheaper than dirt for a .40. I can't even load ammo for what Larry sells it for. reflex264

I installed a Lone Wolf trigger housing in it today that has a adjustment for over travel. Once I got it set it makes a lot of difference. I shot a few rounds through it to see what would happen. Instant improvement. This is light years ahead of the jentra and can be adjusted. reflex264

The 255gr .451 WFM bullet for it....

A while back I mentioned I had a mold for a 255gr .451 bullet to use in the super. Here is the bullet. I can crowd 1200fps with it. This one hasn't been lubed or sized yet obviously. Casting these from 50/50 pb and wheel weights and water dropping them makes for one bad bullet. Undergunned in bear country? Not if I hit him in the head. I am going to run these at about 1000fps for a deer load. reflex264

The longer case of the 460 Rowland offers NO additional powder capacity because the bullet must be seated deeper into the case for the same COAL in order to function through the magazine. The difference in velocity is because of the higher pressure in the 460 Rowland. The same speeds can be reached in the 45 Super if one is willing to accept the higher pressure

You can get 45 Super brass from MidwayUSA. It's where I get mine. They get it from Starline & you could too.

I have enjoyed my Sig in 45 Super. It gets 1285 fps with 200 gr RNFP lead Oregon Trail bullets. It shoots one big ragged hole with that load. I have used both HS 7 & Power Pistol. Both are accurate but I prefer the Power Pistol. I have yet to take any wild game with it but I will eventually.

My hunting area is thick with pigs & the occasional mountain lion. The 45 Super makes me feel quite secure.

Midway has been out for a while. if I understand correctly Starline wasn't going to produce anymore until sufficient back orders justified a run of it. reflex264