Opinions on 38 Super?

[BigDMT]

I have an itch to finally purchase a 1911 handgun. I know it's not a very popular round, but I like the idea of the 38 Super. I already have a bunch of 125gr .357 bullets. Anyone ever have a hand gun in 38 Super and how did you like it? Thanks

 

[dickn52]

Very competent target round. Never popular outside that circle as I recall.

 

[broncman]

I do not have one.......YET

My girlfriend shoots a Colt 1911 in 9mm and sometimes it does not reliably knock over the steel plates. I have been informed that a 38Super will be her next gun ..I buy her....

 

[M-61]

Sig P220 in 38 Super. Bought it years ago as a result of looking over ballistic charts. For me it is my favorite. Never understood why it did not catch on. I am not a fan of 1911's at all, but I can speak to the the 38 Super cartridge as being superb.

 

[dickn52]

My opinion on why it never caught on. Too many other rounds with very similar ballistics to compete with. However, like I said, the target shooting crowd jumped on the bandwagon and fell in love with it as a paper puncher as apposed to a defensive round. And yes it has some pretty nice power in it.

BTW, the 9mm is a very nice felt recoil round with some pretty good stats of it's own. Hardball ammo with NATO specs will knock over most steel plates. Hardball ammo with NATO specs can defeat a lot of body armor as well darnit.

 

[racesnake]

Big...If you buy a 38 Super 1911 with a ramped barrel you can utilize the full potential of this round. 1300-1400fps with a 124gr bullet. A ramped barrel fully encloses the base of the bullet at lock-up and allows you to jump the pressure up considerably.
Dave

 

[Cort]

I think the bullet for a 38 super is sized 355 rather than 357 so you may want to check your specs before you start loading.

Cort

 

[jonbearman]

I always thought it was .356?

 

[Shiraz]

Very accurate round! I have several in this caliber including a Brazos race gun (my favorite).

 

[M-61]

Colt 1911's in .38 super have had accuracy issues.

The cartridge is semi rimmed and was head spaced on that rim.

Rim protrudes around .011" beyond the actual case diameter.

That's not much metal.

Colt factory chambering left a lot to chance and sometimes the head space would vary too much.

Accuracy suffered a lot. After market barrels would head space on the case mouth with a great improvement in accuracy.

YMMV

Regards and good shootin,

Steve

I believe that this was an 'early problem' and surely might be why the cartridge never got a foot hold that it does deserve. They now headspace on the case mouth (for quite some time). And it may be a semi-rimmed cartridge but the rim is maybe .003 protrusion.

I measured a fired case and screwed the math up (simple subtraction but I did it)
Catshooter has the correct dim. from SAAMI

 

[racesnake]

The correct diameter for a 38super bullet is supposed to be 0.356'' but if you check the bullets listed for 38Super these days they are 0.355" same as the 9mm. So, be careful when using "38" bullets in a Super!

 

[CatShooter]

And it may be a semi-rimmed cartridge but the rim is maybe .003 protrusion.

SAAMI body is 0.378" to 0.384"
SAAMI rim is 0.396" to 0.406"

Rim protrusion is 0.012" to 0.028"

 

[Hopkins]

Popular in South America since its not considered a military cartridge and is therefore legal to own in more jurisdictions. I have one in a Combat Commander and its a tack driver and packs a bit more punch than a 9mm.

 

[BigDMT]

The correct diameter for a 38super bullet is supposed to be 0.356'' but if you check the bullets listed for 38Super these days they are 0.355" same as the 9mm. So, be careful when using "38" bullets in a Super!

Thank you. I was not aware of that. I do own a 9mm in my growing handgun collection, but I don't reload for it. Hard to justify my time and effort to load 100 rounds when I can find that many factory rounds on sale for $25 at times.

But I know 9mm bullets are cheap and plentiful so no worries there.

Great info from all so far. I'm kind of a sucker for older nearly obsolete rounds. Especially the rounds that are real performers, but never caught on.

Here is the gun I am planning on purchasing, or one just like it anyhow. The color combo is just plain "classy"
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=386803245

 

[rlb52]

I have a race gun built on a Para frame and love it. Most accurate auto I have.

 

[357Mag]

BigD -

Howdy !

Say... I do believe those .38Super bullets are 9mm, and not .357" cal.

The .38Super can provide near ideal stopping power, w/o one having to go w/ the more-powerful .357Mag.

IF you really do want to shoot those 125s .357" cal bullets in an " automatic", then you might want to consider using a .357Sig.

I myself have been " clinging to " my "N"-frame .357Mag(s)... for over 35yr.


With regards,
357Mag

 

[Steve Blair]

I myself have been " clinging to " my "N"-frame .357Mag(s)... for over 35yr.


With regards,
357Mag

[br]
I bet you have a bible and are bitter, too.

 

[jonbearman]

I myself have been " clinging to " my "N"-frame .357Mag(s)... for over 35yr.


With regards,
357Mag

[br]
I bet you have a bible and are bitter, too.

What do you mean by that steve?

 

[Steve Blair]

I myself have been " clinging to " my "N"-frame .357Mag(s)... for over 35yr.


With regards,
357Mag

[br]
I bet you have a bible and are bitter, too.

What do you mean by that steve?

[br]
It was a reference to Obama's remark about small town midwesterners: "And it's not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion..." [br]
Sorry if it missed the mark. I thought it was a pretty notorious remark and, when I saw you had quoted "clinging to", assumed that was what you meant. No offense intended. My bible is beside my bed, I'm fairly bitter about current events and hang onto my guns, too.

 

[mac86951]

I'm with the users in the don't have one "yet."

hope to be there soon.

-Mac