460 rowland

[10hasteeth]

I know this has been discussed before, but I can't find the thread.
Does anyone have any actual experince with the Clark 460 Rowland conversion? I have a Springfield V-16 .45 super that is great. I want to put the 460 on another Springfield loaded. Thanks

[buffybuster]

I've had a Clark conversion in 460Rowland for a number of years. It shoots surprisingly well. Meaning, low felt recoil from the loads. The compensator is absolutely necessary with this conversion. It seems to reduce the backthrust to the slide. I think without the compensator, it would be abusive to the frame and slide. You can reload the brass with standard 45ACP dies, readjusted of course.

The only pain in the butt is getting the conversion together. The recoil spring is a 24-26lb and you have to feed it from the back of the slide since the plug must already be in the slide for the bushing and barrel to seat under the compensator.

[10hasteeth]

Thanks for the reply BB. The 45 super is a bear with the spring also. I finally put a Sprinco set-up in it, and it really helps.
Did you supply the gun,and if so, what type?

[buffybuster]

I've got the conversion on a Springfield Loaded. It pretty much drops in. You can look on the Clark Guns website for their recommendations. A one piece guiderod will not fit in this conversion since the barrel bushing has to already be seated prior to feeding the spring from the underside of the slide. A one-piece full length guiderod does provide enough clearance to fit. That been my experience with it. If you can get one together with a one-piece FLGR, please let me know.

[10hasteeth]

Originally posted by buffybuster
I've got the conversion on a Springfield Loaded. It pretty much drops in. You can look on the Clark Guns website for their recommendations. A one piece guiderod will not fit in this conversion since the barrel bushing has to already be seated prior to feeding the spring from the underside of the slide. A one-piece full length guiderod does provide enough clearance to fit. That been my experience with it. If you can get one together with a one-piece FLGR, please let me know.


Thanks for the reply but I'm a little confused about the flgr issue, after reading your post.
I read it as it will not fit, but it has enough clearance to fit?

[buffybuster]

The issue with the FLGR is this. Usually when you install a FLGR you put it in through the back of the slide, put the slide on the frame, then put the recoil spring through the front, then push the spring plug down over the spring and then turn the barrel bushing to lock it in.

With the integral comp on the 460Rowland conversion, you have to have the barrel in battery, barrel bushing turned and locked down onto the spring plug BEFORE you put the spring and FLGR in. The problem with this is that there is not enough clearance in the slide to angle in both the FLGR and spring together. The only way I have been able to assemble it is to use a standard short spring guide and carefully feed the STIFF spring until I can hold it altogether long enough to put the slide assembly on the frame or do the same thing but with a two-piece FLGR, which is assemble as above then get the FLGR screwed together to hold everything together until you get the slide and frame together.

The conversion is nice, but it is definitely not one of those 30 second conversions that can be done blindfolded. At least not by me.

[10hasteeth]

Thanks for the explanation. I have a couple of custom made Sprinco set-ups on longslides that are b*ll breakers like that.