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So, I have a 357 Sig Nightmare carry sitting here not really getting used. I am wondering if I can possibly convert it to 38 super (slide breech face should be correct size already) by adding a fitted barrel and the correct mags? I get how pointless this is, as they are basically the same ballistically. Just kinda want a project I guess... Besides, who doesn't want another "new" gun.
Second, can I take a 5" barrel and have it cut down & threaded to run in a 4.25" gun? Thinking about comping the Super barrel...


A Perpetual Disappointment...
 
Posts: 2738 | Location: BFE, Ohio | Registered: August 05, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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That gun sounds cool as is.

I think you'd be better off just trying to find a complete upper in whatever caliber you want and fit it to the frame.
My guess is the 40/ 357 sig will have a different ejector and extractor than the 38 super??

I have a mess of 357 Sig stuff for my G31, and 33
 
Posts: 2912 | Location: mid S.C. | Registered: March 22, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I would consult a gunsmith who knows 1911’s as the breechface for a 40/357 I would think would be dimensionally different than 38 super, plus the associated tune of extractor ejector etc might be a huge pain. If you want a super sell the 357 and get a purpose built super far fewer potential headaches
 
Posts: 3287 | Location: Finally free in AZ! | Registered: February 14, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Yew got a spider
on yo head
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I would keep it .357 Sig and toss some nice grips, sights, comp mebbe since you mentioned it. Mebbe a RDS.

Lot's of stuff you can do with that gun without getting into a challenging conversion for an arguably similar cartridge.
 
Posts: 5130 | Location: Colorado Springs | Registered: April 12, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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The Super needs a 9mm breechface, not the 40 one used for 357SIG. How about a 10mm bbl, that will work. Adding an extra barrel in 10mm would make that a nice dual purpose pistol. Fast and light with the SIG round, up to 147 grain bullets. And fast and heavy with the 10mm, up to 220 grain loads. I'd like to add a 10mm barrel to my own full size 357 Nightmare.
 
Posts: 482 | Registered: February 01, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
My other Sig
is a Steyr.
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The .38 Super conversion shouldn't be too difficult since you are dealing with a known set of parameters. I'd guess that barrel fitment would be the only real issue here (type of ramp, incline, etc...). You may need to get a different barrel link as the distance between the two pin axis points may vary. Different recoil spring weights and the possibility of a progressive rate spring may come into play.

You should be able to use the same magazines barring some unknown internal restriction. I was able to use regular mags when converting my Glock 21 to .38 Super.




 
Posts: 9144 | Location: Somewhere looking for ammo that nobody has at a place I haven't been to for a pistol I couldn't live without... | Registered: December 02, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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357 sig, 40 s&w and 9mm all use mags with spacers in the back on 1911s to accomodate a shorter overall length cartridge than the pistol was designed for. I am assuming 38 super to be longer and not needing the spacer.
Nightmare is external extractor, which I assumed would at least alleviate concerns over extraction. Seems it would be a much more forgiving system than the internal extractor.
I asked about this because I saw a cheap barrel online & the devil on my shoulder said "why not?"
So, has anybody run 38 super out of a Rock Island/Citadel frame/slide? I have one of those laying around too.


A Perpetual Disappointment...
 
Posts: 2738 | Location: BFE, Ohio | Registered: August 05, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hop head
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quote:
Originally posted by wolfe 21:
357 sig, 40 s&w and 9mm all use mags with spacers in the back on 1911s to accomodate a shorter overall length cartridge than the pistol was designed for. I am assuming 38 super to be longer and not needing the spacer.
Nightmare is external extractor, which I assumed would at least alleviate concerns over extraction. Seems it would be a much more forgiving system than the internal extractor.
I asked about this because I saw a cheap barrel online & the devil on my shoulder said "why not?"
So, has anybody run 38 super out of a Rock Island/Citadel frame/slide? I have one of those laying around too.


I had a RIA in 38 super, but it was built as a super, so no issues no worries,



https://www.chesterfieldarmament.com/

 
Posts: 10420 | Location: Beach VA,not VA Beach | Registered: July 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Some makers use the same breechface for 9mm/.38 and .40/.357. Kind of a crapshoot, yours might work or it might not.

Putting a 5" barrel in a 4.25" gun is possible, but there is more to it than just sawing it to length. Assuming your gun is like a Commander, the link lug and the barrel contour in front of the link lug and locking lugs are different from a G.M.
 
Posts: 3284 | Location: Florence, Alabama, USA | Registered: July 05, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I think I'm probably over my head with this idea and will likely just drop it.


A Perpetual Disappointment...
 
Posts: 2738 | Location: BFE, Ohio | Registered: August 05, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Originally posted by wolfe 21:
I think I'm probably over my head with this idea and will likely just drop it.


Best bet would be a barsto semi fit .40 cal 4.25” barrel that is threaded for a comp. it’ll still likely need fitting though. I’d abandon the idea of 38 super.


_________________________________________
I'm all jacked up on Mountain Dew...
 
Posts: 5383 | Location: MS | Registered: June 09, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by tha1000:
quote:
Originally posted by wolfe 21:
I think I'm probably over my head with this idea and will likely just drop it.


Best bet would be a barsto semi fit .40 cal 4.25” barrel that is threaded for a comp. it’ll still likely need fitting though. I’d abandon the idea of 38 super.


I don't really see what you'd be gaining by going from .357 SIG to 38 super. The ballistics are similar and the ammo price similar. Now fitting a 9mm barrel for cheap range shooting I could see.
 
Posts: 21335 | Registered: June 12, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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