The 1991 is a slightly modified A1. Ejection port is lowered, sights are higher, and it has the Series 80 package. Other than that, it's pretty much old school 1911.

But the more I shoot it, carry it, dry fire it; the more I realize that even in old school guise, the 1911 is an excellent pistol by any measure. Mine is a bit of a show piece with Nitre blued parts and Elephant Ivory grips. But if called upon to defend, it will do so as well as any other pistol out there; and better than many.

I saw the title '38 Super' and I knew it was Kevin... that Guy needs to try some other rounds, like say 45 acp for instance!

How about some pictures?

Jerry

Jerry..why mess with "perfection"...even if it isn't a Glock.

Doesn't get any better than a 1911 in Super....

Kevin...you ever do anything with that 9mm Commander barrel and slide?

Bob

Jerry - I'm with Kevin and Bob on this. After I got into the Super I sold all my 45acp stuff wen the 38 Super addiction set in. Then I missed the 45 so much that I needed another one. So I bought one, laid in a supply of ammunition and made a couple of range trips with the it. I sold it two weeks after the last range trip.

The GM 1911 series is a great pistol. Nicely built, runs without a hiccup, very accurate. I tarted it up a little with checkered bone grips and I love it. The Commander lwt Super is the same. I have no need for the 45acp.

I carry a 45 ACP every day and have for the past decade.

I've bought and sold more than a few guns. There are only 2 I regret.

1. 30-06 Ruger
2. 38 Super 1911

Great pistol.

Oh, Kevin, there's a 12-step group for that.

Wow... maybe I need to try a few diff. rounds, maybe even the 38 Super!

Jerry

Jerry - The 38 Super life changing. Some guys say it's better than Viagra. I do shoot the GM better than the Commander but think that's a matter of needing more range time with the Commander. The 1911 is the perfect platform for the cartridge.

Rehab is for QUITTERS!!!

My favorite shooting is long range; generally 100-150 yards. In this, few rounds excel greater than the old .38 super; it's just a flat shooting round that still hits pretty hard at distance.

I don't consider it the equal of the .45 ACP; it's just different. You don't give up much with the Super in terms of terminal performance, but you do gain a couple of pluses. Flatter shooting, less recoil, and another round or two in the magazine. For me, those things are very nice on the range, but not what I "need" for daily carry. On the down side, most .38 Supers are loaded a bit light; almost like a 9mm +P+ in many ways. But there are some rounds you can get that are just awesome. Buffalo Bore loads a 147 JHP that's just awesome and would be an ideal LE cartridge.

One thing I don't like about the .38 Super is the increased noise and muzzle flash over the .45 ACP.

Still, for defensive use the .45 ACP is just hard to beat. I still consider it THE benchmark defensive cartridge.

But even so, I just LOVE the Super, and I intend on switching my LW Commander over to Super for daily carry. Bob was nice enough to sell me a Series 80 9mm upper that will become my .38 Super upper once I decide how I'm going to do it (I tend to ponder these things for months on end).

There's no logic to the love of the Super...it's a sickness, a sin; and I'm unrepentent. If loving the Super is wrong, I don't wannabe right!

Nitre blued parts AND Elephant Ivory Grips.......! Geez, I'd be in love with it no matter what it was chambered for. Been a long time since I even handled a gun with real ivory grips.
I have alot of fun shooting my 1006, 10mm at a distance. Something to be said about a handgun that will throw good bullets some 1200- 1400 fps. when the ranges open up. Not nearly as hard to do as you might think. E

E - You know, you and I aren't too far away; we ought to do some lead transfer sometime.

Would love to. Name a date and time in a PM and we'll make it happen. E

Next time I run to Sacramento, I'll see if I can carve out a little time to hook up with you; that's on the way.

"Buffalo Bore loads a 147 JHP that's just awesome and would be an ideal LE cartridge."

I was able to score a good supply of Georgia Arms loaded with 147s with a stout charge behind them. They're running about 1200 fps. That's what I carry.

Recoil of the 45 was beginning to bother me after a range session. Just the ergos of the 1911 I guess. I have much less problem with the S&W model 58 in 41 mag than I did with the 45acp. The 41 is now my heavier alternative to the Super when that might be called for.

I agree with Kevin about the irrational aspects of becoming a 38 Super slut. I'm beyond saving.

Bored again, eh Kev?????????

I haven't had a 38 Super in a very long time, but there seems to be lot of them available right now........ unfortunately, the ammo & brass supply, especially JHP, SD ammo, is just too limited to make it very attractive to ME to jump into that caliber in a meaningful way.

1911's are my favorite pistol & I'd be very happy with a nice one in 38 Super, but it's just not going to happen, so I'll just have to continue with my 45 ACP's.........somehow, I don't feel too handicapped.

MM

You know me all too well. My son was nice enough to bring home a bout of stomach flu home from school. Yeah, I'm bored.

Here is a 38 Super you can drool over. A friend was gifted this. It appears to be unfired. He asked me if I thought it would make a good carry gun...I said yes but....check out the serial number






And yes he is a big guy with big hands

Unfortunately that would be a very bad choice for a carry gun. That's a SERIOUS collector's piece. (assuming it all checks out)

Very nice Colt.

That is why I told him but.......

I get hot and bothered just looking at that thing.

I did too... I took the pictures poor as they are...I offered him $1500 for it, that is when he realized I was serious. I told him he needed to find an Colt expert and have it appraised and then a reputable auction house if he wanted to sell it.

...that starts at $5K and works up....

Bob

If its really legit and truely in the condition it appears to be in, it will go for over $10k. Pre war Supers just go for big money. A two digit Super is a big freakin deal!

Let me just say it is legit and let it go at that he is keeping it for a while to decide what to do. I told him my offer was still good...he laughed at me but that is what friends do...

That one would be highly prized, by any Colt collector

I played around some with a Springer in .38 Super. It was perfectly reliable; and in fact would even function with .38 ACP ammo.

I even still have a bunch of new cases for the Super, but have not owned one of the pistols in a few years. I also had a barrel marked "9x23" for it, and worked a little with that fire-breather. Factory ammo clocked 1525 fps with 125's - and pierced more than a few primers

These are fun rounds, but for defensive use I'm not sure what they buy you versus a 9mm, with modern, top-notch ammo. Kimber made a few target models in the Super, as well as a Commander-length gun. They used ramped barrels, which adds some safety margin for warmish loads

Kimber made more than a "few" Stainless Target II and ProCarry HDs...they are still in their line. I had a HD and still have a STII. One of the best out of the box 1911s I have ever owned regardless of caliber.

STII with Kimber .22 Conversion Unit instaalled..



The 9x23 is a very hot round. .357 Magnum and .38 Super run 35K psi...9x23 runs at 60K. All of my Supers will run 9x23 but to do it right a 22-24# recoil spring, buffer and a square bottomed firing pin stop all need to be installed.

This Commander is set up for 9x23. The original barrel chamber is so match tight it won't even run a .38 Super reload if the case is at all bulged. I bought a second barrel from a friend with Colt XSE Commander that had converted the gun to 9mm and the guy he sold the gun to didn't want the Super barrel. It had the same match tight chamber so that one was opened up to run 9x23. It will also run all the out of spec reloads. Fitted a square bottom firing pin stop, 22# spring and a Kings Recoil Buffer it is light, reliable powerful carry gun. Winchester Silvertip 9x23 runs 1440 from a 5" and the soft point white box 1460. PowR"Ball upper 1500s.

9x23 barrel has the silver bushing of the XSE Commander...the black is the original Super barrel...



10 yards with the Super barrel...





As usual Colt marketed the 9x23 all wrong and also got sued for stealing someone else's idea.....

Bob

Can someone explain the square bottom firing pin stop and how/why that's different than normal etc.?

Not versed in that.

The square bottom helps delay unlocking of the slide, which is desirable with the higher pressure cartridges, like the 10mm, Super, 9x23, etc.

They are available from Brownells.

From what I read the original 1911 had a square bottom firingpin stop. The Army complained that because they carried with an empty chamber and hammer down racking the slide was "difficult". Brownings answer was to bevel the leading edge of the stop for greater mechanical advantage when pulling back the slide with the hammer down.

Bob

And, all things being equal, with normal cartridges especially, allows you to use a somewhat lighter weight recoil spring.

In all my 5" 1911's, I use 16.5 or 17lb variable rate RC's for all loads, with the square bottom FPS & a 21 or 22lb mainspring (23 is std)

In 4.25" guns, it's the same setup with an 18 or 19lb variable rate recoil spring.

As you probably can conclude, I'm not a big fan of heavy recoil springs & prefer to use the lightest weight that will consistently function correctly.

The original standard recoil spring weight is 16.5lb.

MM

Wanna sell that barrel?

It's long gone, along with the pistol, I'm sorry to say.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=400108457

Be still my heart!!! Why do I just go so weak in the knees for those pre-war guns? Oh yeah, because they're so dammm cool!!

The Calvary complained. So JB changed it.

Buy directly from Wilson Combat or EGW. Depending on whether you have a 70 or 80 series. It is supplied oversized so it will take some fitting. very easy.

Kevin-

I have two S&W DK's. Love them. Like you, I go out and see how far away I can hit $hit!

Ever see a Colt Black Army?

I guess not!

Yes, but I like pre-war Supers better.

Ha! Ha! I knew you would know Kevin.

I guess a 1918 45 would not work here. I still like it.

Kevin- I put the 9 x 23 on hold. Had to dish out quite a bit to get my Wilson hunter. But later I am think'n about a long slide 9 x 23 . I'm like you, I want something for long range critters.

Have any ideas on the slide/barrel?

Instead of a long slide try a long barrel... Dropped a SARCO ROTO 4M barrel in a standard 5" GM and it shoots great with both Super and 9x23...



One could also get a SA Rangemaster in 9mm and buy a second 7" barrel from SARCO and have it rechambered to 9x23... Barrel is like $60.00 and $25.00 to have someone run a reamer into it...

Bob

Is it available already in 9 x 23? Or was it for 9mm only? I am not clear on that.

How did the drop in turn out? Did you have to change links? Fitting?

My base gun will probably be a National Match S70. I have an extra.

Sounds like a very inexpensive and practical way to switch over. I'm fine on the 38 Super with my DK's. I would not mess with them.