Reflex,

What I do with the Rowland and my Super is first determine the OAL that the bullet ogive hits the lands. Then I compare this to whether it fits the 1911 magazine, then I check to see if the base of the bullet flares the case web too much to chamber. Comparing to your pictured bullets, with a 265 Cast Performance my OAL was 1.200. With the 250 XTP, I am at 1.215. Both pretty much within a few thou of your loads. I tried the 185 Barnes TAC ( I have a very large stash of them), but never got beyond checking, as the case mouth was so far up the ogive tapering, that I either had to crimp at something like 0.443 or leave it uncrimped with a nasty lip between the case mouth and ogive. My 255 SWC's run 1.215.

I have seen some distortion of bullet noses in the magazine, under the recoil of the rounds further up the feed chain. The blowout I had about 10 years ago with the Rowland was with a National Bullet 255 SWC. This was not a terribly hard bullet, and it would get really mashed in the magazine. It was just the wrong bullet, and insuficient experience on my part.

For the 1911, I am pretty well convinced that the Super is a more flexible round. You do not have to fight nose ogives nor the heavier bullets getting into the case web. I purchased a Clark compensated 45 ACP barrel, and with Starline Super brass, I pretty much duplicated my Rowland loads. The comp acted like it does on the Rowland Conversion, keeping the gun locked a tad longer, and the Starline Super brass seems to me every bit as strong as Rowland brass. With either the 45 ACP Clark or the Rowland Clark in the 1911, there is no way I could get the top ends like you are getting with the Glock. Clarks barrel throating is just too much, to not have bulged cases, with 230's doing much more than 1350 fps.

I decided to run a new Super setup this year, a Kart EZ Fit barrel that is really accurate in my gun. Without the comp, I have to dial back a little. I have matched the recoil impulse with my heavy super loads to "match" the Rowland feel (with comp), and the velocity is reasonable, with no signs of abuse to my gun. I ran an early Clark Rowland without the comp for a while, so I know what that recoil feels like. The gun whips like crazy, and I eventually sheared the lower lugs on that barrel. I also throated the chamber (not ramp) in my Kart barrel, and the additional .025 of freebore has really helped with the heavier bullets.

With my Kart barrel and the 45 Super, the Barnes 185 is doing 1250 fps, 230's are running about 1200 fps, and the various 250-255's are doing 1050-1075. Everything feeds wonderfully, and recoil is a piece of cake. I am also running a stock style spring plug and rod/plug, so I do not need tools to take it down.

Craig