.45 Super in Ruger P97-anyone try it?

[Tropical Z]

A friend has a P97 that he wants to use as a backwoods defensive gun.Black bears and mountain lions are the issue.He's looking at 450 smc or 45 super in hardcast or FMJ and wants to know if the gun can handle it and if so,what modifications are necessary?

 

[Steven Mace]

Tropical Z, the link below might answer your question.

http://www.rugerforum.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/002229.html

Steve Mace

 

[Tropical Z]

Thanx dude! That might do it.Thats interesting that Ruger doesnt recommend more than +P out of the 97.

 

[Baron Holbach]

If you want to shoot .45 super in a Ruger, take a look at the P90 and check with your gunsmith first.

 

[Gary A]

Tropical Z said, "Thats interesting that Ruger doesnt recommend more than +P out of the 97." There are precious few manufacturers that even will recommend +P and darned few that would condone anything above SAAMI limits. I have a P97 and think very highly of it but would not push it beyond it's advertised limits. The P90 was designed to be a 10mm so it's definitely "over-engineered" as a .45. As far as I can tell, the P97 was designed around the .45 acp and I wouldn't be comfortable going beyond that. I wouldn't worry about +P, but favor Hydra-Shoks at standard pressure and 230 grains so it's moot.

 

[Desert Dog]

It can be done in a P90, I did it. I don't recommend full power .45 Super though, for continuous use.

My pet load for the P90 with a 16 lb. Wolff spring, pushes a 230 at 1100 FPS and is accurate and deadly out to 100 yards.

The loads heavier than that go through the Blackhawk with the ACP cylinder installed.

YMMV,

Mike

 

[Nero Steptoe]

Your friend won't need a thunderboomer for killing mountain lions. His biggest problem will be that he'll probably have teeth embedded in his throat before he has a chance to think about firing his weapon of choice.

I've fired .45 Supers and .450 smc's through a Glock 21 with no problems. I personally don't like the .45 Supers and .450 smc's...packing more powder into a .45 ACP is just kind of boring to me.