I’m contemplating a 38 super 1911. I will shoot IDPA, but it will mostly be a range and on rare occasion a ccw gun. Haven’t decided between a govt or a commander size. Commanders are much easier to draw and re-holster but that’s the main advantage I see of them. All my current 1911’s are in 45.

Colt is out, even though I’d love to have a custom on a combat commander, they are hard to find. I am really like Les Baer, and have found one of each comparable in price. If they fall through ACW would be nice..

I’m mostly rambling, but would appreciate thoughts from those that have one.

I would be going for the full size

That being said most of my 38 Super auto loaders are of commander length. However they are not 1911s

My one 1911 is Government sized, actually built with one of the old Colt 9x23 Winchester slides and yes I do also shoot 9x23 Winchester


I am in the process of building a 38 Super on a Officer frame with a Detonics Combat Master slide but that is mostly because I came across the Detonics top end at a reasonable price.

I will share my limited experience with you.

I purchased used Wilson Combat Elite Professional chambered in .38 Super. I had extremely high expectations for this weapon. I did not buy it for competition, but rather the range and perhaps CCW. I paid $2,500 for it. I was disappointed with the accuracy, for a gun costing this much. I did have others shoot it, they shot it better, but still not what they were expecting.

Next I bought a 1981 Colt Combat Commander. After spending $1,500 and installing a FLGR, I found I needed to have a Kart barrel fitted, to improve the accuracy. Before the Kart barrel, I was shooting patterns, not groups. With the new barrel, I am shooting better and I do like it, but I know have well in excess of $2,000 in this gun. It shoots good, but not great.

It seams I always return to the P-220 American, chambered in .38 Super that I bought from a fellow SIGforum member several years ago.

Personally, I just shoot the P220/.38 super better than the other two 1911's I have purchased, chambered for .38 Super.

I will follow this thread, so please let us know what you end up with.

Full size.

Mine is a Colt.

LB would be great too but only in government. Never buy LB in the Comanche profile.

Get a RIA Commander size and see what you think of it. They are inexpensive and surprisingly accurate and reliable. If you want something more expensive, you can sell the RIA and not loose any money.

Go with a government. I like Colt for production 1911's. A Dan Wesson would be a good choice at a price point also. However, I'd go straight to the top of the ladder with an Ed Brown. Also have a 9mm barrel fitted for it. 9mm out of a 1911 is a lot of fun.

The best bang for your buck is Dan Wesson. If you have the budget, Les Baer, etc. It'll be hard to beat DW for price, features & quality.
I have others but my DW Guardian is my favorite.

I have two, a colt super elite, and a browning bda in 38 super (sig 220). I shoot the BDA better, but the super elite is a beautiful gun.

I love the 38 Super. I have a Wilson Classic 5" that shoots really well and a Dan Wesson Guardian for CC purposes. Both are excellent shooters. If I were to have just one it would be the Wilson.

quote:

It'll be hard to beat DW for price, features & quality.

AND FIT!

Just got this one. Special Combat .38 Special Government with Esmeralda grips. It's a real shooter ! Nice trigger, great sights, and the ambi safeties work with perfect positive click .

quote:

Originally posted by buddy357:
Colt is out, even though I’d love to have a custom on a combat commander, they are hard to find.

I just found this one for $850 OTD, including 3 mags and 100 rds. of Winchester ammo. Good luck in your search!

Full sized RIA, inexpensive and you will be able to determine if you want to pay more. Mine isn't as nice as my Sig 1911, but it cost a few hundred less as well.

I have a bone-stock Colt Gov't Series 70 purchased from CDNNSports last spring when they had both blued and stainless models available. This is my second .38 Super, my first being a Colt Enhanced Commander (stainless) that had a few factory upgrades. I don't have that anymore.

My current Colt is nice. Fit and finish are just fine. It's accurate and hasn't malfunctioned. I've got fewer than a 100 rounds of FMJs through it. It's been sitting in the safe for months.

I bought it with the intent of keeping it bone stock. But have looked into having some mods done. I don't know. Low on my list of priorities. But it would be a good basis for a custom gun.

I love .38 Super. I had a 1911 Lightweight Commander .38 Super rebuilt many years ago and was given a P220 .38 Super; I carry both. When I was shooting IDPA in its early days, there was a disadvantage to shooting a 1911 in any other caliber than .45, since you had to shoot in ESP category; I don't know the rules any more, though. But, from purely a competition standpoint, 9mm probably is advantageous. That being said, for carry, the .38 Super in its original loading is quite formidable (most are not going to be loaded to that capability).

I owned a Les Baer for many years, prior to taking up building 1911s. I don't know anything about their sub-5" models, but never had problems with mine, though a few of my gunsmithing instructors with different backgrounds were not fans of Baers. One commented that after 30+ years fixing pistols at the National Matches he had developed the opinion that Baers were the most common broken pistol brought to him to repair. Some of their dimensions are slightly different than GI.

I have been very impressed with the finish of the dozen or more DWs owned by friends that I have shot or handled. I was disappointed that they still did not have barrel lock up on the legs, but they are finished very well and the slide to frame fit feels very good.

Colts are going to be the sloppier fitting, between the two brands, but for the difference in price for a used Colt and a DW, you can have a barrel properly fit if you have access to a good 1911 'smith.

I'm not a RIA fan and was banned from a forum for the first time in my life for being of that opinion, so I'm not going to touch the topic.

I wish one of the major manuf’s, like HK, Sig, CZ etc would make a two stacker in 38 super. For instance a CZ PCR would be nice. Seems like it should be easy since 9mm models already exist. The rounds are nearly identical. I know the 38 sup is slightly longer but I would think it could fit without altering the grip or mag dimensions.

quote:

Originally posted by Micropterus:
I have a bone-stock Colt Gov't Series 70 purchased from CDNNSports last spring when they had both blued and stainless models available. This is my second .38 Super, my first being a Colt Enhanced Commander (stainless) that had a few factory upgrades. I don't have that anymore.

My current Colt is nice. Fit and finish are just fine. It's accurate and hasn't malfunctioned. I've got fewer than a 100 rounds of FMJs through it. It's been sitting in the safe for months.

I bought it with the intent of keeping it bone stock. But have looked into having some mods done. I don't know. Low on my list of priorities. But it would be a good basis for a custom gun.

That is a beauty. In my mind, the only thing it NEEDS is a new grip safety. The old style Colt safety never fails to rub the skin off the web of my hand.

I'd go full sized. I have always wanted a .38 Super, and my grail would be a well-cared for pre-war commercial Colt from when they polished them so beautifully.

quote:

Originally posted by maxdog:
I wish one of the major manuf’s, like HK, Sig, CZ etc would make a two stacker in 38 super. For instance a CZ PCR would be nice. Seems like it should be easy since 9mm models already exist. The rounds are nearly identical. I know the 38 sup is slightly longer but I would think it could fit without altering the grip or mag dimensions.

I love the idea myself, but it would take a CZ 97 or a purpose-made 1911 frame (or a SIG 227 frame, FWTW). Historically that little bit of extra length has been enough that the .38 hasn't been able to fit in 9mm-sized frames.

quote:

Originally posted by maxdog:
I wish one of the major manuf’s, like HK, Sig, CZ etc would make a two stacker in 38 super. For instance a CZ PCR would be nice. Seems like it should be easy since 9mm models already exist. The rounds are nearly identical. I know the 38 sup is slightly longer but I would think it could fit without altering the grip or mag dimensions.

The cartridge is too long for the small frame 9MM platforms

Tangfolio has been offering the large frame CZ clones in 38 SUPER for decades.

This pair of EAA Witnesses was built back in the 90s. This is when EAA was still n South Florida. They used to shoot the monthly IPSC match at my Uncle Hal's range. One is 45 ACP and the other is 38 SUPER



These are VERY good shouting pistols

If I were looking for a non-Colt today, I would pick up one of the Elite Match pistols in 38 SUPER


The SIG P227 would be an easy conversion to 38 SUPER. A P220 38 SUPER barrel should drop in along with the spring, then you would need to tweak the feed lips on a magazine or two and you should be good to go.

quote:

I wish one of the major manuf’s, like HK, Sig, CZ etc would make a two stacker in 38 super. For instance a CZ PCR would be nice. Seems like it should be easy since 9mm models already exist. The rounds are nearly identical. I know the 38 sup is slightly longer but I would think it could fit without altering the grip or mag dimensions.

I completely agree. I've been saying this for years. ANY of the big makers could do this easily. Even the striker fired polymer guns.
Since the 38 Super was built to fit in a 45 acp sized gun it's almost to easy. They already have 45 acp frames & changing the bolt face to 9mm should be a breeze. The only thing that really needs to be completely designed is a double stack mag. Having a polymer or hammer fired double stack 38 Super would be the ultimate for me. (not a glock or EEA. Sorry not a fan)
Apart from that, you guys have some beautiful 38's!