Anybody have a .460 Rowland on a 1911 platform

hgmeyer

New member
I am becoming very interested in this round and in a 1911. Anybody have any experiences thay care to share.
 
Don't have a 1911, but I do have an XD converted to 460 and am having a good time with it so far. Very potent round, I would suggest a kit with a compensator from either Clark or Rowland to tame the recoil.
 
Not a particularly helpful reply, but....I'm probably going to buy an extra Para expert (blued rather than stainless) for the purpose of converting it to 460 Rowland. I contacted Clark and Johnny Rowland and both said the Para Expert would be a suitable candidate for conversion. Street price on these is about $500 these days and mine is a tack driver. Looking forward to doing this.

Best,
 
I used a Para GI Expert as the host for a Clark 460 Rowland conversion a couple of years ago. Sent the gun and kit down to Clarks and they fitted it for free, I just had to pay return shipping. I never did get to shoot it, ended up selling it to finance another deal before I got any range time with it.

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I thought about getting one myself, but I couldn't justify the cost of ammo and cost of conversion for what you get. I would only recommend you get one if you plan on hunting elk/moose/ black bear with it or if you plan on using it for animal defense in bear country and don't like revolvers. Or if you are well off financially and can afford a "upgrade" like this as a range toy. Expensive ammo though
 
I do not want to rain on your parade.I built one,Clark pkg on a Caspian frame.

This one had a ramped barrel.

It all works and does what it says it will do,but I'll just point a couple of observations out.I have posted these here before.
It is a longer case.That moves the case mouth forward.It is the same magazine length.
That gets important with bullet ogive designs.
Are you wanting to shoot flying ashtrays at screaming velocities to explode zombies,or do you want to shoot heavy penetrating bullets?

MagTec made a 230 gr FMJ Semi-wadcutter.Looked interesting.I bought 100.No good.The SWC shoulder needs to be near the case mouth on a 45ACP case.
Bullet ogive is too long for the Roland case.

There are 45 Colt bullets that can work.Big meplats.There can be a problem with ramped barrels and big meplats/hollow points.

Why? Ok.Ramped barrels work great with the 38 Super.Right!!The mag lips and 12 oclock on the case head,for the slide to pick up,are on the same height ,460,45ACP,and 38Super.So,what does that tell us about 6 oclock on the meplat or hollow point?The larger diameter demands it be lower in relationship to the feed ramp.The centerline of the round is lower on the fat round,and the Meplat may be as large of diameter on a 45 Colt bullet as a full wadcutter in 38 super,or nearly so.So 6 oclock on the meplat can snag the lower corner of the ramp.
It was suggested I open the mag lips up.Well...yeah,OK,but do you want to bend and tweak on each magazine?

The man I know who was initially enthused about the 460 Rowland 1911 has switched to the Glock conversion.
 
Well.... I am a life long 1911 fan.... A somewhat "old dog". But, I am also capable of learning one more new trick....lol So, I suppose I would/could go with the Springfield XD platform.
 
Well.... I am a life long 1911 fan.... But, I am also capable of learning one more new rick....lol So, I suppose I would/could go with the Springfield XD platform.
Your planning on a new purchase and build?
 
Well.... I am a life long 1911 fan.... But, I am also capable of learning one more new trick....lol So, I suppose I would/could go with the Springfield XD platform.
 
I have zero experience with the XD.
I have watched a Miculek you tube vid comparing S+W M+P,Glock,and XD.

What I noticed about the XD was the slide is carried by a single steel block pinned in the polymer frame,and it is not very long,maybe 1 1/2 in or less?I never measured one.I could be wrong,but the for and aft blocks of Glock or M+P look,IMO,more robust.But that is a seat of the pants opinion.

As I recall,when I spoke with Mr Clark,his spring recommendation for this 1911 was about 24 lbs.Think slide hammer.

If you want one,build it,and do it your way!!I'm not trying to talk you out of anything.It has been done,it can be done,and it works!!

I'm just giving you some things to consider up front.

I saw a Hickok 45 youtube where he is shooting a 10 mm double stack Glock with a Lone Wolf barrel.This barrel is conventional,vs polygonal,so hard cast bullets work.He was shooting 200 gr Buffalo bores,I think,at 1200fps or so.

HMMM.Would I rather have a single stack .460,flinging 250 gr bullets at 1300 fps,or a 15 or so round 10mm double stack mag with 200 gr hardcast at 1200?

Pretty good question.

But I already have a SuperBlackhawk and a few 45ACP1911's.For myself,I can't justify the $
 
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I had the same desire .... did ALOT of studying on the subject....6mos of digging and listening to what those that had and others.... after that time I decided on a ruger Blackhawk convertible 45acp/colt. Boy am I glad I did.
it is not picky...!
 
The appeal for me is the .44mag-like terminal energy in a well understood and rugged semi-auto platform without the wrist flogging of something like a super redhawk. Sure, if you buy ammo, any low volume/wildcat round is going to be uber expensive. If you reload, then it's tolerable.

At the end of the day, we're talking $500 for a brand new Para donor gun + $300 for the conversion. That's pretty darned cheap for what you get. Don't like it? Then it's a 2 minute exercise to convert it back to stock.

Best,
 
Gofor it!Enjoy!!I was impressed via my chronograph,and the comp works good.Recoil is controllable.I'm not all negative about the Rowland.

IMO,its nice to consider the bullet selection,for example,up front,rather than after the gun is built.
 
That's pretty darned cheap for what you get. Don't like it? Then it's a 2 minute exercise to convert it back to stock.

Best,
X2..


One more thing I forgot to mention...ammo cost! Unless you reload be ready to pay for the ammo...it is not cheap. Cheap ammo=cheap shooting. The amount of money spent on ammo if you shoot much at all will surpass the price of the gun 6x over.

For me I shoot about 8,000 rounds a year now (mostly 9mm) and that would run me in excess of $2,000 dollars. In my case I probably spend 20-40 the cost of the gun on ammo (pistols that is).
 
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