Springfield V-16 .45 Super

My last week off work was an interesting one for the gun safe. I'd spent the previous week off fervently reloading several hundred .38 and .357 cartridges to make room for .45 Colt reloading.
I surprisingly spent this week off loading .45 Colt to make room for....45 ACP?

We were in the big city the other day to get my daughter fitted with braces. After a really great lunch, I talked the ladies into stopping by the local cop shop so I could peruse their revolver selection. They often have a gem or two sitting in the case looking lonely.

Then....that mean old woman I'm married to would not let me buy a new revolver! She said I don't need no more wheel guns!

She told me I could buy the Springfield V-16 Longslide .45 Super I had just drooled all over, or I could put my hard earned toy money towards some boring sensible home remodeling project!

Of course I made the smart move by whipping out my Driver's License and saying "4473, please".

Honestly, the wife, daughter and I all loved it. As much as I favor revolvers, there is something about a 1911 that just grabs me...and them too apparently.

The gun looks like new. Came with original box and paperwork, and included 500 brand new Starline .45 Super brass for South of $1K.

Afterwards, I found out that they're somewhat of a scarce and collectible thing. The few I found on Gunbroker ranged from fishermen asking $4K to some that had sold for $1100-$1200. I guess if I get bored, I likely won't retire off it's sale, but I oughta break even-ish.

So far, the new gun has remained unfired by me. But it has been enjoyable. Looking at different handloads, springs, mags, grips, leather, etc. has been greatly entertaining for the time of year that it's not always that much fun to actually shoot.

I really ain't too sure what purpose this pistol may serve beyond shucks and grins. It's got a fun range of power to make it a contender for woods protection, but for me it loses out to my beloved wheelguns based simply on reliability.

If I shoot Steel Challenge with it, the porting puts me in an open division without an optic. Not too big of a deal, I guess. It's small, informal, and not super competitive.

I could do ASI with it.

Try plinking and long range with it.

Or...the purpose of the exercise on my Wife's behalf...let her carry it in the woods when she's out grubbing for bark, roots, and berries for her edible and medicinal concoctions. She favors autos and has tiny hands that favor 1911s and Hi Powers.

It sure is fun to get something unique to me. I have enough .45 ACP brass to keep me loading all Winter. It'll get shot my next week off. Just not much until the weather warms, or if I actually sign up for a shoot.

In my geeking out on this gun and learning about it I'm interested in your thoughts and experiences regarding 1911s, longslides, .45 Super, etc.

Well it might make a ok hunting pistol . The 45 super is a hotter load but no 460 rowland . I would buy new springs for it andsee how it shoots with both 45 auto and super loads . a 22lb main and 18lb recoil spring should work for both BUT I do wonder if yours is ported how much that ported barrel will bleed of the velocity . Good luck

The 45 Super can be loaded pretty hot if it's in a fully supported/ramped barrel.

From the pictures I've seen the V-16 has a standard Colt style 1911 chamber/barrel that's not fully supported.

I converted my Colt 1911 Government, Series 70, Mk.IV to shoot 45 Super & the brass will definitely bulge in it before it will in a fully supported barrel like in the S&W 3rd Gen M45xx.

So beware if you handload for it.

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Thanks! Yeah, definitely an unsupported chamber. I'm told that using designated .45 Super brass-Especially virgin brass when getting up there in the power levels can do alot to minimize that drama, but...fully intend to proceed slowly. It seems most recipes are kinda word of mouth from one .45 Super aficionado to the next. That's already starting me out a bit trepidaciously.