Quote:
Originally Posted by cmj8591
"It's all fun and games until someone looses an eye!" The problem with shooting a gun that has excess head space is that there is less support to hold the pressure inside of the case. If the case fails, which happens occasionally, there is less steel to contain the pressure. I'm not saying that you can't do it but you really need to understand what it is that is going on when you pull the trigger. All things considered, it's a fools errand trying to turn that 45 auto into a 45 Colt. You would probably be better off buying a used, modern gun actually chambered in 45 Colt if you are looking for a shooter.
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Umm, yeah, as an engineer, I think I have a pretty good understanding of what's going on when I pull the trigger. I also understand that cartridges are thicker at the web - especially at the base where that unsupported 30 thousandths of an inch is located.
I also understand that just about every semi-auto handgun ever built has an unsupported area at least 2-3 times wider than that .030" on my old 1917. On the semis the unsupported area is located at the feed ramp - and Glocks in particular have an unsupported area double the size of most others. Ever heard of "Glocked" 9mm or 40 S&W brass?
Lastly, I also understand that the SAAMI pressure spec for 45Colt is 14,000 psi vs 35,000 psi for 9mm and 40 S&W. So they operate at nearly two and a half times the pressure of 45 Colt, yet blowouts of handgun brass are rare - even for Glocks.
So, because I understand all that, I'm not worried about .030" of unsupported area at the thickest part of the case wall around the very base of the brass right up against the rim.
However, I'm always open to new info, so find me a documented instance of a blowout of modern
45 Colt brass (not rifle brass or antique balloon head pistol brass) and I'll reconsider my position on the validity of that concern.
Until then, IMO, there are much bigger and more likely things for me to worry about. Like getting struck by lightening. Twice. In the same place.
