.45 Super

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  • Shoobedoo

    US Army Veteran
    Jun 1, 2013
    10,949
    Keyser WV
    Anybody loading and/or shooting .45 Super..?? The brief research I've done seems to indicate it's relatively simple to convert a Glock 21 to run .45 Super safely. I was considering a G38 (.45 GAP) but it doesn't really offer any real advantage over .45 ACP that I can see. Thoughts and opinions on the .45 Super please... Educate me.
     

    starmetal

    Member
    Apr 5, 2017
    97
    The advantage to the GAP is it's magazine is shorter and can fit in a smaller grip frame. It also is less weight if you figure the weight of the cartridges and the smaller frame. It doesn't have a ballistic advantage.
     

    starmetal

    Member
    Apr 5, 2017
    97
    I have a Model 21 Glock and tail end of last year I put Lonewolf long slide and barrel on it in 10mm caliber. Lot more advantage with the 10mm over the 45 acp. If you want to stay with the 45 acp go with the 460 Rowland which has lots more horsepower then the 45 acp.
     

    Jimbob2.0

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 20, 2008
    16,600
    If you reload Id rather go with .50 GI totally different ballistics. That or 10 mm

    But in reality, .45 ACP is probably good enough for anything on 2 legs.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    I was intregued by the .45Super back when Ace Hindman and Tom Ferguson first invented it, but I haven't done anything beyond .45acp+P . Never quite made it off the back burner for me. But if I ever get a MechTech unit, I will definately get .45Super compatable.
     

    starmetal

    Member
    Apr 5, 2017
    97
    I got me a long slide 1911 in 10mm too. I really like it a lot. Both the 1911 and Glock long slide in 10mm really take some of the oomph out of it.
     

    starmetal

    Member
    Apr 5, 2017
    97
    I've pumped up the 45 acp some and fired it from my Thompson and HK UMP and you don't gain a whole heck of a lot of extra velocity over a 5 inch barrel 1911. In the Thompson the 45 acp feels like a 32 acp LOL. Both the Thomspon and HK are very accurate.
     

    Shoobedoo

    US Army Veteran
    Jun 1, 2013
    10,949
    Keyser WV
    So nobody here loads or shoots .45 Super I take it..??

    I already have 3 guns in 10mm and I love the cartridge but don't need anymore 10mm guns, .45 GAP offers no advantage over .45 ACP, except the smaller frame which I don't care about, The .45 ACP is superior ballistically to the GAP, and the GAP requires it's own dies where the .45 Super uses standard .45 ACP dies, so that's one less die set I have to buy. The .45 ACP cartridge dates back to 1905 and I'm aware that it's performance can be improved somewhat by loading it with modern +P ammo, and while I know +P .45 can be fired safely in many pistols, I really have no interest in pushing the .45 ACP to pressure and performance levels it really wasn't designed for. The .45 Super was designed from the outset as a high performance "modernised" .45 ACP, the external dimensions of the two cases are the same, but the .45 Super brass is much thicker in the web, which allows it to safely handle the higher pressures when fired in standard .45 ACP barrels that have full chamber support.

    So were back the .45 super, it's ballistically superior to even the hottest +P .45, way superior to .45 GAP, and equal to the 10mm for the most part. Converting a G21 to fire .45 Super is relatively simple, a quality aftermarket .45 ACP barrel with full chamber support, a #24 lb to #26 lb recoil spring, and a heavy duty firing pin spring. A ported barrel is strongly recommended as well from what I've been reading. Starline offers high quality .45 Super brass so there's no problem there, and it uses standard .451 diameter 185, 200, and 230 gr. .45 cal. bullets.

    The real problem is load data, which is rather spotty from the limited searching I've been doing. Neither my Lyman 50th or Speer #14 manuals lists any loads for the Super, and neither does Alliant. I've always been a bit cautious and hesitant when using load data gleaned off the internet from places like handloads.com, so if anyone knows where I might find some reliable .45 Super load data I would greatly appreciate a heads up.
     

    redeemed.man

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 29, 2013
    17,444
    HoCo
    So nobody here loads or shoots .45 Super I take it..??

    I already have 3 guns in 10mm and I love the cartridge but don't need anymore 10mm guns, .45 GAP offers no advantage over .45 ACP, except the smaller frame which I don't care about, The .45 ACP is superior ballistically to the GAP, and the GAP requires it's own dies where the .45 Super uses standard .45 ACP dies, so that's one less die set I have to buy. The .45 ACP cartridge dates back to 1905 and I'm aware that it's performance can be improved somewhat by loading it with modern +P ammo, and while I know +P .45 can be fired safely in many pistols, I really have no interest in pushing the .45 ACP to pressure and performance levels it really wasn't designed for. The .45 Super was designed from the outset as a high performance "modernised" .45 ACP, the external dimensions of the two cases are the same, but the .45 Super brass is much thicker in the web, which allows it to safely handle the higher pressures when fired in standard .45 ACP barrels that have full chamber support.

    So were back the .45 super, it's ballistically superior to even the hottest +P .45, way superior to .45 GAP, and equal to the 10mm for the most part. Converting a G21 to fire .45 Super is relatively simple, a quality aftermarket .45 ACP barrel with full chamber support, a #24 lb to #26 lb recoil spring, and a heavy duty firing pin spring. A ported barrel is strongly recommended as well from what I've been reading. Starline offers high quality .45 Super brass so there's no problem there, and it uses standard .451 diameter 185, 200, and 230 gr. .45 cal. bullets.

    The real problem is load data, which is rather spotty from the limited searching I've been doing. Neither my Lyman 50th or Speer #14 manuals lists any loads for the Super, and neither does Alliant. I've always been a bit cautious and hesitant when using load data gleaned off the internet from places like handloads.com, so if anyone knows where I might find some reliable .45 Super load data I would greatly appreciate a heads up.
    Converting a 10 mm Glock 20 to .45 requires a new slide does it not? The barrel opening on the 10 mm slide will not accommodate a .45 barrel I am pretty sure.

    Glock 21 to 10 mm or .45 super is a simple barrel conversion.

    If I am missing something please let me know. I have a G21 and a G20
     

    Shoobedoo

    US Army Veteran
    Jun 1, 2013
    10,949
    Keyser WV
    Converting a 10 mm Glock 20 to .45 requires a new slide does it not? The barrel opening on the 10 mm slide will not accommodate a .45 barrel I am pretty sure.

    Glock 21 to 10 mm or .45 super is a simple barrel conversion.

    If I am missing something please let me know. I have a G21 and a G20

    I'll be purchasing a new G21 for this, I already have Gen 4 G21 but I don't want to mess with it for this project.

    Saw a .45 GAP Glock in an Eastern Shore pawn shop yesterday.

    Talk about an orphan.

    Believe me, I know exactly what you mean. I looked long and hard at the GAP, mainly because Glock doesn't offer 10mm or .45 ACP in the compact frame, and I'm not interested in .357 SIG. The Gap just doesn't fill a niche anywhere that I can see, but to each his own I guess...:shrug:
     

    redeemed.man

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 29, 2013
    17,444
    HoCo
    I'll be purchasing a new G21 for this, I already have Gen 4 G21 but I don't want to mess with it for this project.
    Got ya, I misread your post and thought you were saying you could convert a G20 to .45 super with just a barrel change it. My mistake.
     

    balttigger

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 15, 2008
    3,051
    Middle River, MD
    I converted my G20 to a 21L with a slide from LoneWolf. I then got a .460 Rowland barrel and comp as well as 10mm and .40Super barrels. I can now shoot .45ACP, .45Super/.450SMC, .460Rowland from one barrel/magazine setup. Quick barrel swap for .40Super and then swap barrel and magazine for .40S&W and 10mm.

    Also have a H&K USP45 that I put a +2lb recoil spring on so I can feed it a little more steady diet of .45Super if I want.

    I will eventually start loading .45Super to hunt with but since Georgia-Arms started loading .460Rowland, I bought a bunch of that to start with.
     

    redeemed.man

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 29, 2013
    17,444
    HoCo
    I converted my G20 to a 21L with a slide from LoneWolf. I then got a .460 Rowland barrel and comp as well as 10mm and .40Super barrels. I can now shoot .45ACP, .45Super/.450SMC, .460Rowland from one barrel/magazine setup. Quick barrel swap for .40Super and then swap barrel and magazine for .40S&W and 10mm.

    Also have a H&K USP45 that I put a +2lb recoil spring on so I can feed it a little more steady diet of .45Super if I want.

    I will eventually start loading .45Super to hunt with but since Georgia-Arms started loading .460Rowland, I bought a bunch of that to start with.
    The versatility of the Glock platform is awesome.
     

    redeemed.man

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 29, 2013
    17,444
    HoCo
    I considered getting a 9x25 Dillon barrel but I didn't see the need actually. I will most likely sell the .40Super barrel and stick with just the .460 and 10mm barrels. Will still have plenty of diversity with those two.
    I bought a police trade in Gen 3 Glock 22 for $299. Based on Chad's advice against conversion barrels I didn't want to have a gun that mattered to me used for conversion purposes but this one fits the bill perfect. Lone wolf Conversion barrel allows 9 mm, borrowed barrel from my G31 allows .357 sig. Tactical solutions slide allows .22 LR, and native of course is .40, pretty cool from one gun.

    I haven't converted my G20/29, or my G21/G30s yet.
     

    Shoobedoo

    US Army Veteran
    Jun 1, 2013
    10,949
    Keyser WV
    I bought a police trade in Gen 3 Glock 22 for $299. Based on Chad's advice against conversion barrels I didn't want to have a gun that mattered to me used for conversion purposes but this one fits the bill perfect. Lone wolf Conversion barrel allows 9 mm, borrowed barrel from my G31 allows .357 sig. Tactical solutions slide allows .22 LR, and native of course is .40, pretty cool from one gun.

    I haven't converted my G20/29, or my G21/G30s yet.

    I think the advice you were talking about had to do with premature extractor wear if I'm not mistaken...?? Changing out a .40 extractor for a 9mm extractor and plunger (which I routinely do on all my .40 to 9mm Glock conversions) takes about 1 minute tops. I've been running a setup like that in a G22 with a lone wolf 9mm conversion barrel, and I've fired several thousand rounds (probably like 3k) and can see no appreciable wear on the extractor over and above what would be considered normal. No abnormal wear on the slide either, which makes sense since the external dimensions of the LW barrel are identical to the factory tube, it's only the bore and chamber that differ. Even if you should wear out a .40 extractor running a 9mm conversion, it's a $20 part, so I really don't see this as a big deal. Run the extractor and plunger assembly for the conversion caliber you're going to shoot and you'll be fine.
     

    starmetal

    Member
    Apr 5, 2017
    97
    Converting a 10 mm Glock 20 to .45 requires a new slide does it not? The barrel opening on the 10 mm slide will not accommodate a .45 barrel I am pretty sure.

    Glock 21 to 10 mm or .45 super is a simple barrel conversion.

    If I am missing something please let me know. I have a G21 and a G20

    The real difference between the 45 acp and 10mm slides is the breech face opening. Of course it's larger in the 45 acp. The extractors are different too. You will have to have different magazines.
     

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