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.45 super ?

8K views 43 replies 11 participants last post by  Fortyfied 
#1 ·
I've got a 6in 1911 that I've been shooting texas ammo co. 230 gr out of and I'm getting close to the published 1200fps out of it my question is does anyone have a handload that duplicates this? I just ordered 500 rds of new starline brass and some xtp to play with i just need to decide on powder and primers.
Thanks for the help.
Eric
Also is this a load I should only use in new brass or is it safe to reload a case once or twice?
 
#6 ·
I got it off GlockTalk ---

Heck -- for some reason, the only avatars I can get to show up and not cause an error is from off site! Or to get the url from ones here --- if I just click and select -- it always shows an error! :(

Mike
 
#7 ·
harley45 - attached is a load table for .45 Super. The loads are from a five inch barrel so count on higher velocities from your six inch.

I can't speak for the guys at Texas Ammo. I have no clue what powders they are using or if they even pressure test their ammo. I would be very cautious when trying to replicate their velocities.

With regards to the brass, if you are hot rodding the loads you should still get a few uses out of each case safely. I used to load the brass three times at full house loads before taking the brass and keeping it aside for milder stuff. When I say milder we are still talking hotter than +P .45 ACP. The important factor when it comes to the life of the brass is your barrel. If you have a fully supported chamber the brass will last much longer than being fired from an unsupported chamber. If you see signs of bulging then it is time to either keep the brass for milder loads or toss the brass all together.

Oh, and stick with Federal 150 primers. You can also get away with an OAL of 1.210-1.215"

Good luck,

Fernando
 

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#8 ·
mikegunner said:
Heck -- for some reason, the only avatars I can get to show up and not cause an error is from off site! Or to get the url from ones here --- if I just click and select -- it always shows an error! :(

Mike
Figures that would happen to you! :mrgreen:

Please pass on the problem you are having to our resident site guru (bofh).
 
#12 ·
Harley--

The .40 Super is not DEAD --- In fact, if'n ya wants factory loads, contact montlevineinc@wvdsl.net . In case lots they have the 135gr Hi-Vel at $250+UPS and the 135gr Quik-Shok at $298.75+UPS. They sell by the box at $12.00 and $14.95 +UPS also.

Last I heard, Lone Wolf Distributors http://www.lonewolfdist.com had .40 Super brass for sale. I have been told that Starline will produce brass, but it is probably on an accumulation basis.

Mike
 
#13 ·
I called starline and was told that they had no plans to produce brass at all lone wolf is also out, plus I still need to find someone who makes a govt. mdl bar. I beieve this cart. has the most potential but untill i can get some more stuff to use it I'm goanna spend some time getting to know 400 cor-bon and 135 gr bullets.
 
#14 ·
No problem Harley ---

You just have to remember that it was Fernando who concieved and developed the .40 Super cartridge. So that is why he reacted as he did when you mentioned Peter Pi's/CorBon's "400 CorBon".

I personally have 2 firearms set up for the .40 Super --- one from STI and one custom built. The custom maker just took a 10MM bbl and reamed it out for the .40 Super.

Mike
 
#15 ·
I called Starline a few weeks ago asking what it would take to get some 40Super brass. They said $3000.00 would do it. They would make 45000, send me 30000, and place the remaining 15000 pieces in stock.

I assume there are probably 30 or more resellers and shooters out there who could use a little extra 40Super brass.

I placed an order for 1000 pieces about 6 months ago. At the time they said the had one other back order of 1000. I called last month and they didn't have my order on file... ?? Oh well. So I bought a case of Triton Hi-Vel 135gr 40Super from Monte Levine Inc instead.
 
#17 ·
This is circa 1998…

The Development of The .40 Super

In 1994 Triton released a cartridge called the .45 Super. Essentially, the .45 Super is based on a .451 Detonics case trimmed to .45 ACP length. Pioneered by writers Dean Grennel and the late Tom Ferguson, the .45 Super raised the performance level for .45 ACP-chambered autos beyond that of the .45 ACP+P and even the 10mm.

With the availability of the strong .45 Super cartridge case, Tom Burczynski (inventor of Hydra-Shok, Starfire and Quik-Shok bullets) and Fernando Coelho (president and founder of Triton Cartridge) began work on a new, more radical cartridge. Based on a .45 Super necked down to .40 caliber, the new cartridge began to take shape.

Actually, necking a .45 ACP to .40 caliber was nothing new. Before the public debut of the .40 S&W, Charles Petty, a well-known and respected writer, had already ventured into the bottleneck arena. His cartridge, called the "10mm Centaur", was based on a .45 ACP case necked to .40 caliber using 10mm dies.

Charles Petty was a major contributor in the initial load development for Triton's new cartridge. During that time, Triton began closely examining the specific attributes of the cartridge (feed reliability, case strength, down-range ballistic performance, etc.). In order to maximize the performance potential and reliability of the new cartridge, it was decided to lengthen the cartridge case from .45 ACP (.898") to 10mm (.992") length. By trimming .45 Winchester Magnum brass to 10mm case length and necking them to .40 caliber, the .40 Super began to take final shape.

More testing was conducted on the cartridge case. These tests led to further improvements. A small primer pocket replaced the large primer pocket. This allowed the use of small pistol magnum or small rifle primers and helped control primer flow. The final improvement came with the increased thickness of the cartridge case wall from the web area up to to beginning of the shoulder.

The cartridge case is designed for a balance of strength and powder capacity. To maximize bullet pull and overall feeding characteristics, the case has a neck length of .175". The shoulder angle is an optimum 25 degrees. The neck yields more precise bullet alignment than can be achieved using a cartridge with a shorter neck. This translates to increased accuracy. The pressure limit for factory .40 Super ammunition from Triton is 37,000 PSI, well below the strength limits of the cartridge case.

The .40 Super design is a true hybrid. A combination of the best attributes of the .45 Auto, .45 Super, 10mm and .45 Winchester Magnum.

The .40 Super

The .40 Super will drive a 135 grain bullet to an unprecedented 1,700 feet per second while generating less chamber pressure than the Winchester 9 X 23. With a 200 grain bullet the .40 Super delivers more foot/pounds of energy at 100 yards than the .45 ACP does at the muzzle. From a sheer power standpoint, the .40 Super rivals the energy generated by the .44 Magnum.

From a reloader standpoint, there is tremendous versatility in the .40 Super. Bullet weights currently on the market include: 125, 135, 150, 155, 165, 170, 180, 190, and 200 grains. Loads can be developed with a dozen powders. Small Pistol Magnum or Small Rifle primers can be utilized. Brass is available from both Triton and Starline Brass Company.

Versatility of the .40 Super:

Law Enforcement and Personal Defense

Triton's factory loadings of the .40 Super are ideal for law enforcement and personal defense use. The ballistic performance of Quik-Shok and Hi-Vel .40 Super are rivaled by no other cartridge.

IPSC

The .40 Super is also an ideal cartridge for use in IPSC competition. At a reduced velocity of 1297 fps using a 135 grain bullet, this cartridge makes "major" by producing a power factor of 175,095. The Super is barely idling at this velocity/pressure level but this is good because the recoil is less than 5.9 ft.-lbs...the kind of controllable recoil needed for rapid-fire events. Also, the extremely low chamber pressure at this velocity will extend cartridge case life considerably.

Bowling Pin Matches

Bowling Pin shoots will never be the same. The .40 Super, utilizing any bullet weight, will toss bowling pins clear off table like no other cartridge can.

Hunting

At full-throttle, fired from a short-barreled gun, the .40 Super easily surpasses the .44 Magnum in sheer ft.-lbs. of energy. Fired from long barrels, even using flat-tipped pistol bullets, it will make an extremely flat-shooting hunting cartridge. Again, the selection of bullet weights is excellent and worrying about bullets not expanding (even at long range) is a thing of the past. Muzzle velocity is so high that soft point bullets can and should be used. This will allow the kind of target penetration most hunters are looking for.

Target Shooting

The Triton CQD Frangible load is ideal for competitive use (IPSC, IDPA, Bowling Pins, etc.) or where a lead-free frangible bullet is preferred. For the reloader, virgin brass is available from two sources.

The Gun:

Many semi-autos can accommodate the .40 Super. Semi-autos already chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge are the easiest to convert. This is accomplished by simply swapping out the .45 ACP barrel with the .40 Super barrel and upgrading the recoil spring system with a heavy duty spring. Existing .45 ACP magazines can be utilized with no modifications.

Handguns already converted to .40 Super include the S&W 4506, Glock 21, Glock 30, SIG P220, HK USP and the 1911 Government Model (and it's variants).

Handguns set up for the .45 Super cartridge only need a barrel swap. Handguns chambered for the .400 Cor-Bon can have their barrels rechambered to .40 Super at minimal cost.

This is a spec sheet circa 2001…

With the introduction of the .40 Super, Triton has brought a new level of power and versatility to the handgun market. The .40 Super will drive a 135 grain bullet to an unprecedented 1,800 feet per second from a five inch barrel, while generating less chamber pressure than the Winchester 9 X 23. With a 200 grain bullet, the .40 Super delivers 540 foot/pounds of energy at 100 yards. That's more than the .45 ACP does at the muzzle.

From a reloader's standpoint, there is tremendous versatility in the .40 Super. Bullet weights currently on the market range from 135 to 200 grains. Loads can be developed with a dozen powders. Small Pistol Magnum or Small Rifle primers can be utilized. Brass is available from both Triton and Starline Brass Company.

The Triton factory loadings for the .40 Super are designed to meet the needs of hunters, competitive shooters and those concerned with personal defense.

The .40 Super Quik-Shok 135 grain TT (Team Triton) is designed as a reduced recoil load. It can be used in competitive sports and still meet the requirements demanded of personal defense ammunition. The Quik-Shok 155 grain delivers the full house performance you'd expect from the .40 Super. The Hi-Vel loads range from the 135 grain screamer at 1,800 fps to the long range, flat shooting 200 grain at 1,300 fps. The CQ Frangible 135 grain is ideal as a reduced hazard practice round or where ricochet is a concern.

Guns factory chambered for the .40 Super are currently available from three manufacturers. Many semi-autos already on the market can also accommodate the .40 Super. Semi-autos already chambered for the .45 ACP or .450 SMC cartridge are the easiest to convert. This is accomplished by simply swapping out the .45 caliber barrel with the .40 Super barrel and upgrading the factory recoil spring with a heavier one. Existing .45 ACP magazines can be utilized. Handguns that have been converted to .40 Super include the following: Glock 21, Sig P220 & 220 ST, HK USP & Tactical, S&W 4506, Commander and Government sized 1911's.

With the .40 Super, you can participate in competitive sports like IDPA, hunt, and carry for personal defense, all with the same handgun. No other cartridge gives you this much versatility. Welcome to the 21st century.
 

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#20 ·
Ummm… now the bad news. Triton is in limbo. The current owners know nothing about ammo, rumors are out that the company is for sale, and regardless of all this they are not producing ammo any longer. That leaves a dwindling supply of ammo on the market and even further dwindling supply of brass. Starline Brass Company was the manufacturer of the brass. There is always a chance they will crank more out. It’s mostly a matter of interest from the shooting community. The uncertainty of Triton’s future hasn’t helped their decision making process.

Having said all this, it was fun designing that cartridge. The thing is a beast when you want it to be or as “wimpy” as a .40S&W when downloaded. STI chambered their Trojan in .40 Super and it was an accurate combo.
 
#22 ·
If I read all this right, all I need is a barrel for my Springfield and a set of .45 Super recoil springs to go with it.

'Scuse me a minute while I wipe the drool of the kybd here. My only hesitation about all this is based pretty much in going away from a "straight" case and going to a "shouldered" case, with all the obvious potential complications. Who sells dies for this critter? I supppose Huntington would list them. RCBS?
 
#24 ·
http://www.redding-reloading.com is making 40Super dies.

http://www.ch4d.com will make them also.

RCBS makes them on special order, 15week delivery. I know 'cause that's where I got mine.

http://www.barsto.com and http://www.kkmprecision.com make barrels for the 40Super.

I use a Sprinco-Corbon compound recoil rod assembly in my Glock21 to help prevent frame battering. The secondary spring on the Sprinco unit absorbs something like 650fpe from the slide at about the time the spent case is being ejected.
 
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