HK USP And Buffalo Bore .45 Super For Montana Hiking

[GJM]

Bit of a drift, but what are the currently available guns capable of shooting .45 Super?

And how does it compare to standard .45 recoil wise?

Besides the USP FS, I have vetted multiple copies of the HK45C with the BB FMJ and Underwood Lehigh .45+P and 45 Super penetrator loads. The USP Compact was not reliable with Super loads, which surprised me. I have shot some Super through the HK45, and it ran, but not enough to form an opinion. Bill Wilson said they can set up a 1911 to run Super, but I haven't tested one.

This summer I have been carrying either a Glock 9mm of some flavor with the G9 penetrator load, or a Gen 5 20 with the Cutting Edge penetrator load.

[PX4 Storm Tracker]

... I have shot some Super through the HK45, and it ran, but not enough to form an opinion...

Did the HK45 require any spring changes or any adaptation to fire the 45 super loads?

[GJM]

Did the HK45 require any spring changes or any adaptation to fire the 45 super loads?

I didn't change from the OEM RSA in the HK45 and HK45C, so I would shoot modest amounts of Super ammo. As you probably know, the USP FS has a dual recoil spring arrangement where the HK45 and C has a single recoil spring.

[MattyD380]

I'm pretty sure a Smith 4506-1 can handle .45 Super. I've kinda wanted to try it in mine. Because... it would be neat.

Anyone have experience running .45 Super in a 3rd gen Smith? Does it require a recoil spring change?

[1slow]

Did the HK45 require any spring changes or any adaptation to fire the 45 super loads?

According to the 2002 AMERICAN HANDGUNNER TACTICAL ANNUAL
In the MK23 / USP article, mention is made of 6,000 rounds of .45 Super fired through a stock HK USP 45 with no damage.

[fatdog]

Nothing like the testing GJM and others have done, but I have run about 400 rounds of .45 Super through my stock USP 45 over the years without incident. The only negative to me is my shot to shot recovery sucks compared to what I can do with other platforms and penetrator rounds.

I can put 6-7 rounds of Underwood 9mm or 357 Sig penetrators in a 6" circle at 10 yards with a USP compact or G19/32 in the same time it takes me to get 3-4 in the circle hits with a 45 Super in the USP 45. In a bear attack I perceive that could be more important than bullet diameter.

That pushed me to take my USP/c in .357 with the Underwood rounds the last time I went exploring in the Absaroka's.

I would feel equally confident with a G19 and Underwood penetrators for the same reason.

My new "fantasy bear gun" is going to be a gen 5 G22/Acro with Lost River's hot 170gr hardcast next trip. This appears to be the perfect combo for me personally in terms of max terminal effects plus shooting fast.

I say fantasy bear gun not to diminish the need for folks in MT, WY, ID, only because in my case I live 1,500+ air miles from the nearest Griz, rarely get to go to places they live, and the largest black bear in AL can still easily be addressed with defensive street ammo if necessary.....but I love fooling with the concept and next time I am out there it will ride with me in those mountains as well as hiking in ours.

[JonInWA]

I'm pretty sure a Smith 4506-1 can handle .45 Super. I've kinda wanted to try it in mine. Because... it would be neat.

Anyone have experience running .45 Super in a 3rd gen Smith? Does it require a recoil spring change?

In a metal-frame 1990s/2000s gun .45 ACP gun, my choice for these kind of loads would be a Ruger P90.

Best, Jon

[Clusterfrack]

I'm pretty sure a Smith 4506-1 can handle .45 Super. I've kinda wanted to try it in mine. Because... it would be neat.

Anyone have experience running .45 Super in a 3rd gen Smith? Does it require a recoil spring change?

I hope your 4506 can handle .45 Super better than my 1006 handled 10mm. Despite its size and weight, it failed in multiple ways with anything above 40 S&W power loads. Just thinking about that gun pisses me off.

[GJM]

I hope your 4506 can handle .45 Super better than my 1006 handled 10mm. Despite its size and weight, it failed in multiple ways with anything above 40 S&W power loads. Just thinking about that gun pisses me off.

That reminds me I still have some 3rd gen S&W 10mm pistols to sell, that I tried to make work with heavy field loads.

[Clusterfrack]

That reminds me I still have some 3rd gen S&W 10mm pistols to sell, that I tried to make work with heavy field loads.

When I sold mine, the buyer had a look on his face like he had just won PowerBall. It was win-win.