10mm vs 45 Super

[sqlbullet]

Not my day at the range, but an interesting test range result from the military arms channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4olMSeVZXM

Short version:  Sectional density and bullet design matter.

Longer exposition from me: 

There is no magic recipe in physics.  More velocity for the same bullet weight means more energy, but more energy means nothing if you don't match the terminal performance of the projectile to that velocity and energy. 

The 10mm wins this race for two reasons:

1.  It has better ballistics in this bullet weight.  The chronograph tests show that right up front.  The 10mm had a significant velocity/energy edge on the 45 Super in 185 grain bullets.  A different outcome may have occurred if they had matched sectional density, as the 45 Super carries a velocity edge as bullet weights go up.

2.  It has better bullets for the task.  .400 caliber bullets, especially the XTP's, are designed with these velocities in mind.  .452 caliber bullets, for the most part, are designed with 45 ACP or 45 ACP+P velocities in mind.  This was evident when they shot the 45 super loads from the shorter barrel and performance improved. 

[DDRiller]

Interesting video.  Would like to know what bullet BB used in the 45 super load that was shot.

[blaster]

interesting and enlightening  video!  I've suspected that hollow point .45 acp bullets were designed to open at low velocities and they might fail when driven too fast. thats why I keep my .45acp mags loaded with 200 gr. swc bullets for woods carry and 200 gr. hollow pt. bullets for self defense carry where over penetration could be a problem.
before primers became so scare, I converted my 5" 1911 to .45 super. what I found was the .45 super and the 10mm are close but the .45 can shoot a 230 gr bullet. my 230 gr powder coated semi wadcutters chrono average at 1106 fps. for 694 ft. lbs. of energy. my 200 gr. mu 200 gr. lead semi wadcutters chrono av. at 1266 fps for 711 ft. lbs. energy. the 200 gr. XTP bullets I loaded chrono av. at 1181 fps. for 619 ft. lbs. of energy. the XTP is usually a "tough" h.p. bullet but seeing what the video's gel test showed, I defiantly won't take them hog hunting!

[Mike D]

Tagged to watch later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[45BBH]

There are some things to point out about the 45 Super as I've played with it somewhat extensively.  First is that using Starline 45 Super brass it can be loaded to duplicate 460 Rowland, the one drawback to that, if you want to call it that, is that the gun will require using a compensated barrel.   

But also what I did was to lengthen the throat in the barrel in order to allow heavier (and sturdier) .452" revolver profile bullets in the .45 Super.  Might not seem like much but it opens up the operating range of bullets which can exceed 300grs.  There is truth that just running .45 ACP bullets fast doesn't really prove much as most of those aren't capable of handling the velocity real well, a 230gr might be okay at 1000 fps but act differently at 1350 fps, or a 185gr @ 1600 fps, which is doable from a 5" .45 Super with a comp.  But run say a 250gr XTP, a revolver style bullet, to over 1300 fps and you've got a pretty big hammer.  Similar things though could be said of 10mm, not all .400" JHP's fair well at higher speeds, many in fact do not.

[gnappi]

Thanks 45BBH
What "launching platforms" have you used?

I have a Springfield V16 45 super and so far, I've not bothered making 45 super ammo. I guess mostly because they EDM'd so many holes in the 6" barrel I figured the velocity losses would add up too much to make loading them unprofitable. It is a very cool bad butt looking shootin iron though.