Finally got to the range today to shoot my latest project, I'm setting my Glock21sf up, to shoot 45 Super ammunition. This really is a bit of a project.
First I ordered the Starline 45 Super brass from Jerry at Mystic Precision. I placed an order from Wolff Gunsprings, I got from them, a steel guide rod, with a 24 lb recoil spring. I also ordered their Glock Competition spring pack, from which I installed the 6lb trigger spring and lighter firing pin block spring. I didn't install the 4lb light firing pin spring, as I feared light firing pin strikes, if I were setting up a light target load shooter, I would have, but to unleash the 45 Super beast, I wanted the full force of the firing pin strike.
I also have a Ghost 3.5lb rocket connector, which, though not required for 45 Super, certainly makes for a much improved trigger, lighter, with a definite break, hardly any overtravel, and very minimal reset distance.
The gun wears XS Big Dot sights. Certainly they have their detractors, but I find them to be a superb sighting system that meets my needs very well. The tritium glows brightly, I can see them in a pitch dark room, I've gone so far as to shoot in near total darkness (one of the benefits of a not very busy indoor range), and could still keep all my rounds in a very respectable group.
La Piéce du Resistance, is the Storm Lake 4 port barrel. Offering near full case support, it gives the confidence needed to fire loads found on the net, which come with zero SAAMI back-up. 45 Super being a barely recognized wildcat, with only one source for loaded ammunition, which goes out of it's way, to disavow any and all load info found anywhere.
I'm not going to type out the loads I used, I will say I used what are listed as max loads using Power Pistol powder, which can be found in the links below. I believe them to be safe loads, as I worked up to them from 10% under. I didn't have my chrony with me, so I can't say how fast they were going. The shooting was surprisingly mild, compared to what I expected. The ported barrel really took a lot of the kick out. I didn't try them in the factory barrel, I'd expect a lot more recoil, and less velocity, as the SL barrel is almost 2 inches longer.
I didn't take any videos or pictures at the range, but to be honest, shooting 45 Super with the ported barrel, felt almost exactly like shooting 45 acp with the stock barrel. The ported barrel also makes 45 acp, feel like hyper velocity 22lr.
It was not a flawless performance, however. I am going to order from Wolff Springs, enough extra power magazine springs to outfit all my magazines, as I had several failures due to the slide moving too fast, combined with the magazine not pushing the round out hard enough. At least that's what makes the most sense to me, as the slide stopped with the round jammed at the front of the magazine. The pistol also locked back with a loaded magazine a couple of times, I do know that my grip was nowhere near the slide stop.
This 45 Super round, does seem to batter the slide pretty hard. The 24lb recoil spring is a bit tough to pull for slingshots, but manageable. Brass is ejected cleanly, and goes over my head and back about 6 to 8 feet. I've heard advice from others about a lighter spring, but the brass is tossed a good distance, I'd be afraid to go much lighter. The 24 lb spring runs with about 75% reliability for standard 45 acp ammunition, first time I've ever seen my Glock stovepipe or double feed
45 Super is also possible in other 45 acp guns, including 1911's, but it seems like a lot more skill would be required to suit up all the parts required. The Glock is like a Honda Civic, you can mod it all day long using cheap parts you can install yourself.
Is there anyone else in the 45 Super club? I know the 10mm guys like to talk about their round, which is close in performance. They'll both toss 200gr at around 1200fps, 45 Super just happens to be girthier
For those whose Google-fu is weak:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.45_Super
acecustom45s.com/45super.htm
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=45%20Super&Weight=All&type=Handgun
First I ordered the Starline 45 Super brass from Jerry at Mystic Precision. I placed an order from Wolff Gunsprings, I got from them, a steel guide rod, with a 24 lb recoil spring. I also ordered their Glock Competition spring pack, from which I installed the 6lb trigger spring and lighter firing pin block spring. I didn't install the 4lb light firing pin spring, as I feared light firing pin strikes, if I were setting up a light target load shooter, I would have, but to unleash the 45 Super beast, I wanted the full force of the firing pin strike.
I also have a Ghost 3.5lb rocket connector, which, though not required for 45 Super, certainly makes for a much improved trigger, lighter, with a definite break, hardly any overtravel, and very minimal reset distance.
The gun wears XS Big Dot sights. Certainly they have their detractors, but I find them to be a superb sighting system that meets my needs very well. The tritium glows brightly, I can see them in a pitch dark room, I've gone so far as to shoot in near total darkness (one of the benefits of a not very busy indoor range), and could still keep all my rounds in a very respectable group.
La Piéce du Resistance, is the Storm Lake 4 port barrel. Offering near full case support, it gives the confidence needed to fire loads found on the net, which come with zero SAAMI back-up. 45 Super being a barely recognized wildcat, with only one source for loaded ammunition, which goes out of it's way, to disavow any and all load info found anywhere.
I'm not going to type out the loads I used, I will say I used what are listed as max loads using Power Pistol powder, which can be found in the links below. I believe them to be safe loads, as I worked up to them from 10% under. I didn't have my chrony with me, so I can't say how fast they were going. The shooting was surprisingly mild, compared to what I expected. The ported barrel really took a lot of the kick out. I didn't try them in the factory barrel, I'd expect a lot more recoil, and less velocity, as the SL barrel is almost 2 inches longer.
I didn't take any videos or pictures at the range, but to be honest, shooting 45 Super with the ported barrel, felt almost exactly like shooting 45 acp with the stock barrel. The ported barrel also makes 45 acp, feel like hyper velocity 22lr.
It was not a flawless performance, however. I am going to order from Wolff Springs, enough extra power magazine springs to outfit all my magazines, as I had several failures due to the slide moving too fast, combined with the magazine not pushing the round out hard enough. At least that's what makes the most sense to me, as the slide stopped with the round jammed at the front of the magazine. The pistol also locked back with a loaded magazine a couple of times, I do know that my grip was nowhere near the slide stop.
This 45 Super round, does seem to batter the slide pretty hard. The 24lb recoil spring is a bit tough to pull for slingshots, but manageable. Brass is ejected cleanly, and goes over my head and back about 6 to 8 feet. I've heard advice from others about a lighter spring, but the brass is tossed a good distance, I'd be afraid to go much lighter. The 24 lb spring runs with about 75% reliability for standard 45 acp ammunition, first time I've ever seen my Glock stovepipe or double feed
45 Super is also possible in other 45 acp guns, including 1911's, but it seems like a lot more skill would be required to suit up all the parts required. The Glock is like a Honda Civic, you can mod it all day long using cheap parts you can install yourself.
Is there anyone else in the 45 Super club? I know the 10mm guys like to talk about their round, which is close in performance. They'll both toss 200gr at around 1200fps, 45 Super just happens to be girthier
For those whose Google-fu is weak:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.45_Super
acecustom45s.com/45super.htm
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=45%20Super&Weight=All&type=Handgun
