Think I'm going to 'retire' my 44 mag.

Originally Posted By: HOGGHEADTake a long hard look at the S&W 329 PD before you decide. My 329 PD is the last handgun I would ever sell. Carrying it is a dream. You do not even know it is there. And it packs a punch. I have killed a few deer with mine. Tom.

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I`m with ya. A friend has one and its very light indeed.I had a Taurus titanium and it was light weight too, but definately not S&W quality.
 
Originally Posted By: MGYSGTWhat's wrong with a shoulder holster?????????
Going to whip out a great big 'because' on that one
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I was a cop for a decade, muscle memory says the pistol is on the hip even though I've been out of it a few years now. So on the hip she stays.
 
Package on my doorstep today and she is done!

Kit was easy to figure out even without pictures on the instructions. Clark also included a barrel bushing wrench which is nice since I don't have one. Don't need one either but nice to see them think of the small details. I didn't have to break out a single tool on this project, everything I needed short of the pistol itself was in the box.

Kits comes with the comp'd barrel, 2 recoil springs, 24 and 20 lbs and a matching firing pin spring for each, along with new guide rod and correct allen wrench. I'm not sure of the need for a new firing pin spring, the new one is shorter than the original. But it came in the kit so in it went. I'm banking that more experienced people than me decided it was needed.

The conversion took me about 15 minutes. It's a 5 minute job unless you gloss over the instruction step about how to install the new recoil spring and you spend 10 minutes pointlessly cussing and trying to avoid losing an eye. Actually following the step has the spring done in about 10 seconds. After doing it once or twice you can probably switch back and forth in 2 minutes or less in a springfield GI model. It's what I've got so no guarantees on others.

Parts look to be well made and look nice and everything seems to have fit together easily and well. The comp adds about 1.25" to the overall length. It matches the frame color well as does the profile of the slide. It has 2 large vertical ports with 2 smaller horizontal.

1st thing you'll notice about the pics is that I suck with a camera. The 2nd is you might see my lunch in one or two of them. The 3rd, it's true that everyone who takes pictures of guns, does so in their socks for some reason
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Everything else I think speaks for itself. My brass is on backorder with midway so no range report for a little while. But I'm very much excited to try this out!

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I hear that it'll fire .45acp ammo it just won't cycle with that mondo spring and the comp on there. I'm no gunsmith, but does anyone know if you could put the standard spring back in and fire standard 45acp or 45+p+?

Congrats, and great looking gun thanks for the pics! Can't wait to hear the range report!
 
I had a mech-tech 460 rowland carbine conversion for my 1911 and the round is awsome, but it was a 16" barrel. I have seen the clark conversion kits for the 1911 and watched Johnny Rowland put one thru it paces on his shooting show. It is a very interesting concept and looked to be very potent in the pistol lenght barrel
 
Originally Posted By: Jeepdude1987I hear that it'll fire .45acp ammo it just won't cycle with that mondo spring and the comp on there. I'm no gunsmith, but does anyone know if you could put the standard spring back in and fire standard 45acp or 45+p+?

Congrats, and great looking gun thanks for the pics! Can't wait to hear the range report!

What I've read, sometimes it will cycle sometimes not. Seems that lots of folks swap in the 20lb spring. Personally I figure as long as everything works well with the heavy and it's sucking up more energy, no reason not to leave it heavy.

But the barrel is chambered 1/16" shorter to accomodate the longer brass. You can still fire the acp through it as is, but it spaces off the rim instead of the neck. Most of what I've read said they still get good accuracy, but not sure about long term effects since it's spacing differently.

I'm planning on 2 loads, a light and a heavy both with the 230's. 1 for practice and 1 for hunting, same as I do with my .44. Full bore all the time over time always does a bit of wear
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I was flipping through a couple reloading manuals today, looks like full bore in the 230gr .460 is not quite as powerful as full bore .44 with the 240gr. But it's close. And still quite a bit better than factory loads. Not a grizzly round, but for what I do should be plenty adequate!
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I don't think an old Grizz would be to happy with 7x230grns of lead in him, but the .44mag isn't even really a Grizz gun in AK.

Up there they'll tell you to shave off the front sight on your .44 so it don't hurt when the bear shoves it up your hind-end. From what I've read and heard if you want to keep away Kodiaks and the like you use a 12ga and as mean a slug as can find, big rifles work well too, but you can get a lighter defense style 12ga and it's easier to carry.

That is neither here or there though. I can understand how a round like the 460 loaded up could do some where on a gun. I bet it can do some where on the shooter too. I think you'll appreciate the comp and heavier spring.

I just brought up the .45acp if you were raring for a function test. I know I would be. I'd guess you get more case stretch with the difference in chamber length. But maybe not a whole lot more?

Anyways, you have any time estimate from Midway on how long before the brass is on it's way? Also, what bullet are you using for the Rowland?
 
We've got griz in Wy, but not too many. They're pretty high on the do not hunt, probably never see in your life list. Unless you're up by yellowstone. Blacks are still kind of rare, but a lot more common. We don't have enough to rate what I'd call an actual hunting season.

I've been carrying a pistol for years and still haven't been in the right situation to actually use it, but again someday... Planning on another pig hunt this year, so good chance there. Friend of mine moved to wisconsin recently. I told him his main goal in life at this point is to find somewhere we can bear hunt. If that plays out I don't think I'd have much of an issue with taking a close range pistol shot, backed with either my .444 or 45-70.

I plan on a brown/kodiak/big [beeep] bear hunt someday, but plan on looking at them through a scope and some heavy solids
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I don't have too much confidence in most pistol rounds to try and hunt a big dangerous with them.

Midway says the end of this month for the brass, so not too far off. They shipped the rest of the order already, hornady xtp's in 230, seems to be a good bullet for the round.
 
Brass has shipped! And is already backordered again through midway, I guess I'm not the only one. I need to check my powder stores, but it looks like the first range day is actually in sight.
 
Originally Posted By: GCGet ya a stainless Ruger Bisley 4 5/8” in .44 Special, .44 Magnum, or .45 Colt… Personally I think you’d be miles ahead with the revolver and more conventional cartridges.

Edited to add, don't forget the S&W Mountain Guns in .44 Mag. or .45 Colt. They pack pretty easy too.

Good advice. Or a Ruger Alaskan. Start at 45 Colt and go up. 44mags are pea shooters.......
 
Back about 1985 I built a 1911 in 45ACP. I soon found that it had supplanted my old friend the super blackhawk. We had hiked many many miles together but it was heavy and the buscadero holster and belt were big and awkward. I have never regretted selling it.
Harvey7
 
The thing you're going to need is 100% reliability from the semi-auto.

When you deviate from the 1911 design, either by shortening the barrel or changing the cartridge it was built around, generally reliability is compromised.

Do let us know how she shoots. Hopefully it'll function well for you, and still pack the wallap you're looking for.
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Dan
 
Quote:When you deviate from the 1911 design, either by shortening the barrel or changing the cartridge it was built around, generally reliability is compromised.+100..... I've seen, and shot, a lot of the 'modified' 1911s in competitions and they all seem to have an issue of some kind show up...
 
I agree, the more 'competition' ready 1911 I see, the more issues I see arise. So no plans on lots of mods other than oomph.

Brass came in yesterday, powder I had to track down today as the load data is for nothing I keep in my reloading room. Actually a shotgun powder, of which I have red dot and nothing else. I also had go go buy large pistol primers, all of my LP are mag primers. All the load data calls for regular pistol, and all the over-pressure info I've read people have been using mag.

Range report soon, probably a different post. I'm all a-tingle
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My wife says I rarely get excited about much of anything, but I'm excited.
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Loaded 3 different loads last night 10 11 and 12 gr of longshot, all using the XTP 230 grain bullet. Loading is pretty straight forward, takes a little tweaking of the bullet seat die due to the longer case. If I try to get a crimp it does some case crushing due to the longer brass length. I trashed 1/2 dozen before it occurs to me what the issue is. I'm smurt. I'll probably pick up a crimp die eventually. Otherwise loading was uneventful. Due to the ragged edge of the max loads I weighed every charge of those. My lee powder measure was very consistent so probably not needed, but a little extra precaution isn't bad considering the max loads are as far as I've read, the MAX.



So loaded up a magazine to cycle check, released the slide and THUD, slide still open 1/2"

Clear the round, try again, THUD. Quick visual shows the bullet slamming right into the feed ramp. Clear and try again, THUD.

Try a different bullet THUD. Try ACP, THUD. Try round nose THUD.

So my mag isn't working with the conversion. The pistol is almost new so every thing is nice and tight which probably doesn't help.

Anyway do some research and find the wilson combat mags tend to solve a lot of mag problems. On to midway and order a pair about 1am last night. I'm patient like that.

Today I called Clark Customs, the lady that answers the phone is actually an experienced shooter and well versed. I was expecting a receptionist and several transfers to get some tech help but got the help I needed right there.

After a couple minutes she agrees that it's likely a mag problem with the conversion and says they have begun selling a new magazine that fits higher into the mag well and gives better alignment, better follower position and a stronger spring. She says that the new mag solves most 1911 mag issues, not just the .460 and they are currently out of stock. She says the wilson mags are 100% not the fix and the new mag is a nice piece and I'll be impressed.

Anyway I can wait and get them from her when they come in, but she directs me to the distributors website where I can order direct for less than they sell them. The only difference is Clark replaces the spring in the mag with an 11 pound, but she says the stronger spring in the mag itself should be fine.

So I've ordered a pair of the ACT-MAGS and hopefully that will fix the issue. They're about $10 less per mag than the Wilsons I had ordered and since I went straight through the importer I know that she wasn't selling them to make a buck off me. I've only got 1 mag with the 1911 and was planning on ordering extras anyway so I'm not too worried.

For other folks if they have the same issue it might be another story.

So far I'm happy with the service I've gotten from Clark, both times I've spoke with them it has been smooth and helpful. I was planning on shooting today so not real pleased about not being able to, but considering I'm not doing off the shelf pistol/ammo it's to be expected.

The mags I'm trying
http://www.precisionsights.com/

Morale is still high, range report... soon I hope
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That would be,"Morale is still high..." correct?

Interesting. So did you cancel the Wilson Combat mags?

I am just waiting for that range report.
 
Midway has great shipping, already was out the door this morning. But they also have a great return policy so they'll likely go back. Even if both types function identically the ACTs are less expensive, so if they're equal cheaper wins IMB.
 
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