Folks,

Am having a custom .38 Super built. Not only that, but it will have a secondary barrel fitted i 9mm Parabellum. Whole thing will be done by a Marine 2112 armorer. It should be done about June. Here's what it will look like:

I am.

Got a few 2011s, Glocks, and a P227.



Let us know when yours comes in and your thoughts about shooting it.

Only .38 Super I have and shoot is my American P-220. I actually shoot it better than my P-220's in .45 acp.

Guys,

I can't believe there are so few people shooting this fine cartridge.

Wes

My regular carry round and has been for around 15 years.

I have an RIA 1911 in 38 Super that I haven’t taken to the range in quite a while. A pussycat, and I need to take it to a good gunsmith for a few tweaks.

Lots of folks in Mexico? I have one buddy who shoots 38 Super. Great round. Not much penetration into the US market but Colt sure makes some awesome looking 1911 custom 38 Super - El Diablo, El Toro, tons of ornate inscribed samples.

I've been shooting it for years. My absolute favorite caliber along with my DW Guardian.

I've always desired a Colt 1911 all Stainless Steel Combat Commander in 38 Super. The ones they made in the late 80s/early 90s bring big money these days and are hard to find to boot.

Sorry for the thread drift, but this seems to be my chance. I know nothing about the 38Super....why do folks like it ?? Educate me, please.....

From what I understand:
1. Closer to 357 magnum performance than other cartridges available in an auto at the time.
2. Fits better in the 1911 size pistols than 9mm as it's a longer bullet. No stupid spacer in the mag
3. Better barrier penetration than the big dumb 45 it was competing with (car doors and such).
4. Increased capacity compared to 45.


As to its modern day use, I have no idea. I don't own one, but its somewhere towards the bottom of the list of things I'm interested in acquiring. I have a couple 357 sigs that fill basically the same niche for me.

quote:

Originally posted by kaschi:
I've always desired a Colt 1911 all Stainless Steel Combat Commander in 38 Super. The ones they made in the late 80s/early 90s bring big money these days and are hard to find to boot.

You mean like this one. ? This one was touched up by Don Williams at Action Works.

^^ that’s a beautiful pistol Doc.

I recently got a 9mm 1911 and it is like a toy wrt recoil. I imagine a 38Super would be just a tad more.

I’ve been thinking about getting one. My FIL shoots a 38supercomp in USPSA and I’ve shot his, but he’s pushing the limits and he doesn’t reload his brass due to the loads he’s using.

This my Ruger CMD .45 ACP with my Colt Series 70 Combat Commander upper in .38 Super mounted. I did the work originally on a Colt Series 70 Combat Commander over 30 years ago, and IIRC, all I had to change out was the ejector and magazines.

As it stands the unit works with both my current Ruger CMD and the original Colt Combat Commander, it's totally reliable with both, but occasionally won't lock the slide back when the magazine empties.

The .38 Supper upper unit and one just like it in 9mm Luger, cost me $100 if memory serves. The 9mm works just as well and both are just a bit less accurate than the original .45 (~3" groups at 25 yds vs. 2+ for the .45 ACP...Twenty years later when Ciener was offering his .22 LR conversion units for 1911's, I bought one for this gun as well, making it a 4-caliber 1911....pretty handy, all told.

Ands BTW the Colt .38 bbl. is outstanding with a 124 gr Missouri Bullet Co. LSWC., feeds beautifully and cuts those lovely round holes in target paper!! Here it is with the .38 upper installed.

Best regards, Rod

I’ve always wanted a double stack 38super in a pistol such as an HK P2000 or a CZ PCR or other LtWt compact double/single action. I’m surprised a manufacturer hasn’t produced one.

^^^
There is a very valid reason nobody will ever put .38 Super is a pistol such as a HK P2000. The loaded round overall length is in the range of .45ACP length.
It simply will not fit in the pistol or magazines in the 9mm, .40 S&W, .357 SIG class of pistols and magazines.

You'll need to start out with a pistol and magazine front to rear length in the 10mm and .45ACP range.

I run .38 Lapua (true rimless .38 Super) in an Infinity 2011.
True rimless tends to feed/function more reliably then .38 Super which is a semi rimmed cartridge.

I shot one (627-4 PC) for years in USPSA but retired it in favor of a 929...



Adios,

Pizza Bob

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pizza Bob,

I shoot it and also collect the ammo, and have some issued to the OSS during WWII. I have shot it in Colts, Sigs, and S&W/Colt .357 Magnum revolvers like the Model 28 and Python. Yes, that will work in some revolvers with some factory ammo, in spite of people who have never tried it saying otherwise.

A .38 Super is one of my favorite 1911s. I find it to be a practical and effective caliber, especially as an outdoors gun.

My own is a vanilla Series 80 Colt that I had Kent Singletary do some work on:

Wilson hammer/sear set, grip safety, slide stop, and extractor; Kensight BoMar clone low mount and dovetail tritium dot front sight; Harrison medium length trigger. I believed I used an EGW mainspring housing to replace the Colt part. I had Kent install a Kart barrel and bushing I had on hand.

Kent did a slight rounding of the butt and mag well bevel, cut the barrel flush to the bushing and recrowned, and stippled the front strap and mainspring housing. Finally, he finished the upper in his "TAF-1" finish (which has held up far better than my expectations) and sent the frame to Robar for an electroless nickel finish.

I have a P220 American in 38 Super that has seen some range time. It is an enjoyable combination. Much less snap and blast than a P226 in 357 Sig. More of a push and not much more than 9 mm in the same P220 pistol.

The P220 was my daughter's favorite pistol until she got a Berretta 92G LTT, which has such an amazing trigger.