Was just laying here trying to overcome my insomnia and achieve sleep when I had the following thought...

Along the lines of .40S&W vs 10mm, why hasn’t anyone stretched the .45 ACP case and created an 11mm round? Seems viable to me since the stock .45ACP is a fairly low pressure round, so you should have lots of headroom to “soup it up”!

Just a thought...

Something like .45 Win Mag? That's basically a stretched .45 ACP. However, there have only been a couple handguns chambered in that, like the LAR Grizzly, so it's fairly obscure. Since it's longer than .45 ACP, you can't just convert a .45 ACP handgun, but instead have to design a handgun from the ground up for that chambering. (Similar to how you can't just convert a .40 cal Glock 22 to 10mm.)

Or if you don't care so much about the "stretched" part but are just looking for greater performance, there's also .45 Super, which retains similar external dimensions as .45 ACP but allows for higher pressure and greater velocity/energy. Most .45 ACP pistols can be easily converted to .45 Super.

Similarly, most .45 ACP pistols can also be easily converted to .450 SMC, which is another option for a .45 ACP-sized cartridge with higher pressure and greater velocity/energy.

Those latter two are basically ".45 ACP ++P", but it's not just a matter of cramming more or faster powder into a .45 ACP case, which was designed for the .45 ACP's low pressure. Instead, while they have the same external dimensions, they internally require thicker case walls to contain the higher pressure.

However, both remain niche rounds.

I've often thought a .50 ACP would be cute.

A 460 Roland fits the bill,you jack up the velocity to 1325 fps from 800 fps
Case is about 1/4 inch longer.

Actually, the .460 Rowland is 1/16" longer than ACP and the bullet is seated deeper to fit the ACP magazine.

And, apprentice, there IS a .50 GI if you don't mind paying Guncrafter Industries for it. Velocity is not very high, though.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Watson:
Actually, the .460 Rowland is 1/16" longer than ACP and the bullet is seated deeper to fit the ACP magazine.

And, apprentice, there IS a .50 GI if you don't mind paying Guncrafter Industries for it. Velocity is not very high, though.

Thanks
Not all that much slower than .45 ACP really. If the 300gr. HP reliably expand at those speeds then that would be quite a boo-boo monster.

Sounds like it is essentially still wishful thinking though. Not all that practical overall, but I get that Tim Tayloresque hankering sometimes.

Well the .45acp is already a 11.45mm.
It even uses the same case.

I’ve always thought the 5.7x28 was almost there. If they could have gotten a 50 gr pill to 2300 FPS in a carbine,that would be an excellent PDW round. Or maybe necked down a 30 carbine to .224 with a 55 gr bullet.

quote:

Or maybe necked down a 30 carbine to .224 with a 55 gr bullet.

That is the 5.7 Spitfire, except they used a 40 gr bullet to get higher velocity from the small case.

quote:

Originally posted by apprentice:

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Watson:
...there IS a .50 GI if you don't mind paying Guncrafter Industries for it. Velocity is not very high, though.

Thanks
Not all that much slower than .45 ACP really. If the 300gr. HP reliably expand at those speeds then that would be quite a boo-boo monster.

Sounds like it is essentially still wishful thinking though. Not all that practical overall, but I get that Tim Tayloresque hankering sometimes.

You could always try out some of these:

^^^^^ I have both the L.A.R. Grizzly and Desert Eagle pistols in .50AE; I actually enjoy shooting the "Griz", but the DE is not as much fun (too heavy and the weight distribution is wrong). Here I am shooting my .50AE Griz: grizzly50 by David Casteel, on Flickr

(My avatar was my creation, an attempt to depict my .50AE at work.)

Regarding the OP, the .45 Win Mag is just a lengthened .45ACP case (although the walls are a little thicker near the base). I have 2 pistols chambered for that caliber: a L.A.R. Grizzly and a Wildey short barrel. The Griz is a real fun gun to shoot--accurate and fits my hand very nicely.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
^^^^^ I have both the L.A.R. Grizzly and Desert Eagle pistols in .50AE; I actually enjoy shooting the "Griz", but the DE is not as much fun (too heavy and the weight distribution is wrong). Here I am shooting my .50AE Griz: grizzly50 by David Casteel, on Flickr

<<snip>>

Too bad that thing has such a wimpy muzzle flash! If it were significantly bigger it'd actually be impressive!

Where would .45 Super fall in relation to it?

I always thought the .400 Corbon sounded like it would be fun, but never tried it out.

quote:

Originally posted by apprentice:
I've often thought a .50 ACP would be cute.

I think the .50GI is essentially that.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
^^^^^ I have both the L.A.R. Grizzly and Desert Eagle pistols in .50AE; I actually enjoy shooting the "Griz", but the DE is not as much fun (too heavy and the weight distribution is wrong). Here I am shooting my .50AE Griz: grizzly50 by David Casteel, on Flickr

<<snip>>

Too bad that thing has such a wimpy muzzle flash! If it were significantly bigger it'd actually be impressive!

I can do almost as well with the .45 Win Mag:
Neg09nb by David Casteel, on Flickr

flashguy