Test Gun: Colt 1911.
Barrel length: 5 inches.
Ammunition: Underwood .45 ACP +P and .45 Super 255gr Hard Cast.
Test media: 10% Clear Ballistics Gel.
Distance: 10 feet.
Chronograph: Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph G2.
Five shot velocity average: 891, 1078fps
Gel Temperature 70 degrees.

The second installment of the Underwood hard cast woods load we take a look at the .45 ACP+P and the .45 Super. Both of these loads use the same 255gr hard cast Hi-Tek coated bullet.

I got a five shot average velocity of 891fps with a high of 902fps and low 888fps. Underwood lists their velocity of 925fps for this load.


Ten yards offhand five shots .45 ACP +P

With the .45 Super load, I got an average velocity of 1078fps with a high of 1082fps and a low of 1073fps. The advertised velocity from Underwood for this load is 1075fps.


Ten yards offhand five shots .45 Super

I used the same pistol with both of these loads even though the pistol is not set up for the Super round. I did have one failure to feed.



The .45 ACP didn't show any sign of excessive pressure even though it's listed as +P. The .45 Super, on the other hand, flatted primers and primer flow into the firing pin hole.



Starting with the +P loading the first round had a velocity of 873fps and penetrated to 53.5 inches. The recovered weight was 247.8 grains. The second round hit the gel block at a velocity of 895fps and penetrated to 50 inches. It's recovered weight was 247.6 grains.



The first round through the sheet metal had a velocity of 906fps and penetrated to 21.25 inches. It's recovered weight was 247.6 grains. Round two had a velocity of 920fps and penetrated to 18.75 inches. The recovered weight of the second round was 249.3 grains.



With the Super load, the first round in the bare gel had a velocity of 1072fps and passed completely through all four gel blocks and was not recovered. I really didn't expect that much penetration so I didn't put a piece of body armor behind it. Learning from the first shot, I put the armor behind the last block and shot another round into the bare gel. It also passed through but bounced off the body armor and was found on the floor next to me. It's velocity was 1075fps and the recovered weight was 251.3 grains.



Through the angled sheet metal the first round had a velocity of 1059fps and penetrated to 28.5 inches. The recovered weight was 242.8 grains. The second round passed through the sheet metal at a velocity of 1061fps and exited the side of the block at the 24 inches mark.



These loads exceeded my expectations by quite a bit. The .45 Super round is only the third round to pass completely through all 64 inches of gel. Sharing that title with the Underwood 147gr hard cast and the Double Tap 200gr FMJ 10mm.

The +P version was also the winner in the .45 ACP department with a max penetration of 53.5 inches, about 11 more inches then the next best, the Cutting Edge solid at just a little over 42 inches.

http://www.general-cartridge.com/

I ducking love 45 super

I love it! Nice work.

Awesome!

Good job.  Thank you.

10mm is hype.

Either will do the job. Question is which caliber can you shoot the most accurately AND the fastest?

If you reload, get either.

If you don’t, get 45. Cheaper to shoot and more available.

Both will penetrate and kill a brown bear.

Said this in a 45 super vs 10mm thread a couple days ago.

Yet, people still think pistol rounds are wonder weapons.

It’s funny if SHTF and all of the exotic caliber ammo was gone and all that’s left was .22 LR and 9mm, humans would kill all creatures with these rounds.

Hell, humans killed animals with sharp sticks.

Awesome test, good pix, good write-up.

Thanks!

I wonder what penetration would be out of a .44mag with that projectile.....Might get me the penetration I want without so much of the punishment that my current bear load delivers (305gr cast lead, flat nose, about 1200fps is what the box says, I don't have a chrono).

Excellent!!

I modified my Para P14 for 45 Super what a blast to shoot.  I have used the 255 gr hard cast loads from Underwood, it is one of my favorites.  Next I will try some lighter weight hollow points.

The 9x23 is my second favorite round.  High velocity, low recoil.

While I shoot plenty of the standard calibers some of these lesser known rounds have their purpose.

My .44Mag 3" Woods Gun is stuffed with Underwood's 305 grain hard cast "Keith" loads... Box says 1325fps but I'm thinking closer to 1200fps out of my M629 which is more than fine with me. Damn they thwack hard all they hit. In a pinch I used Prvi Partizan 300 grain jacketed flat nosed pills rated @ 1279fps... They are a good choice too!

Makes me want a USP Tactical in .45 since I don’t believe the HK45C is rated for .45 Super.

BTDT, it wasn’t worth it.  45 Super is best out of a metal-framed pistol with weight to absorb recoil.

May well be the weight but in my CMMG MkG the difference between 45 ACP and 45 Super or 450 SMC is not dramatic.  The Super and SMC are definitely stout mind you and do definitely treat the target harshly.

Agreed! I set up my Springfield "Loaded" model to run .45Super from Buffalo Bore and Underwood (same exact loading) before copying said load(s) via reloading data. Even with a 23lbs recoil spring and matching firing pin spring, a 5lbs increased poundage main-spring over factory, a Wilson shock buffer... and Wolff +10% magazine springs to keep up with slide velocity... And in about 200 rounds the gun was beating and peen-ing the piss out of the frame.

Hindsight I should have upped every aforementioned spring's poundage and install a flat bottom firing pin stop had I do it over again. The 255 grain .45Super at 1,100 FPS is a hell of a round! I returned the Springfield back to factory configuration after Springfield checked it over and gave a clean bill of health and then sold it to a college buddy.