The 38 Super, I bought a 1911 Colt 38 Super today from a freind that needed some cash, I own several 1911's all are 45 ACP, ammo looks kinda like a 9mm, Looks like it's hasen't been fired, are these things worth messing with? Rio7

IMO any 1911 is fun to shoot.........

Looks like it has been taken care of!

Mine liked the Corbon 140 grain FMJ match. Hoping that I can come up with a hand load that it likes as well because the Corbon ammo is kind of hard to find.

Piece of garbage.
Hard to get shells for, they are expensive, just a glorified 9mm.

I might could give you a $150, since I got my refund check.














Nice gun.
It will be fun to shoot.
The only truth in the above is ammo is not everywhere,
And it's not cheap in bulk like some.
But it is easily available.

Looks like fun to me! I've never owned a 38 Super but that one looks like it would be worth the extra effort and expense to procure ammo for.
Enjoy!

...best semi-auto caliber made....extremely accurate, low recoil, high velocity...and if you don't reload one can always get a 9mm barrel for cheap shooting...

https://web.archive.org/web/20170624164255/http://38super.net/

https://hipowersandhandguns.com/Corbon%2038%20Super%20Ammo%20Tests.htm

Have been carrying one daily since 1980.....just took it off when I came home a few minutes ago...

Bob

Couple of mine....

Commanders...

Combat Commanders...

RJM, Thank You for the information, the magazine had 3 rnds of what looks like ball ammo, need to check what I can find for ammo. Rio7

it will fit rite in on your air strip gun range have fun with it

One thing you need to check is the barrel chamber... Colt manufactured .38 Supers made from 1929 to 1990+- had the original headspace on the case rim chamber...gave very inconsistent accuracy... Guns made after that were headspaced on the case mouth just like a .45 ACP and give terrific accuracy...

To check the camber take a scribe or a sharp pencil and sloly go down the chamber wall. If the pencil tip stops dead then it is one of the later guns... If it goes right on up into the bore then for top accuracy you should have a new barrel fitted...

You can get tons of ammo off GunBroker....

Slide roll marks are of the NRM era. "New Roll Mark" as opposed to to the "billboard" 1991 roll marks previous. This pistol was made in 2003 or later.

Edit:

Colt has a link for SN lookup.

https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup

I'm at work and blocked from most gun related web content.

That is what I was thinking also...

You post those Commander's and I get the "I wants".

Been watching for a Lightweight Ruger 9. With a Super barrel fitted,
that might just be the perfect gun............for now.

Doesn't get any better than a Commander in .38 Super...light weight, perfect balance, points where you look, plenty of power and not much recoil...

Also flat trajectory, and more capacity.


Not that I've been pondering this!

I have one of these...was a TALO exclusive and was about $1200 new...just saw one sell just like it last week for a grand... Mine is now my dedicated IDPA gun... Had it fitted with a 9mm and 9x23 barrel and it is a great shooter...

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/808818497

Black Creacote slide and nickel Teflon aluminum frame...

Bob

..or something a little more fancy...

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/810595496

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/812417647

According to Colt's web site this gun was built in 2013, called my friend John, at LGS he has several 38 super loads in stock, now I need to find a couple more mags. Thank you all for your comments and help. Rio7

There are .38 Super loads and there are .38 Super loads....

Those made by the Big Three are basically .38 ACP +P...those made by CorBon, Buffalo Bore, Georgia Arms, Underwood, Reed's Ammo and other small makers are loaded to the full potential of the case and still well within the safe operating limits of any Super .38 ever made...

The Big Three are still worried that someone will stick a full bore Super round into one of the old Colt 1903 Automatics...won't blow it up but will beat it to death... In 50+ years of going to ranges I have never seen anyone with one... Federal's latest offering of a JHP is going less than many 9mms... I wrote and asked them why...got back the nebulous answer about being within SAAMI Specs....

I carry the Underwood Xtreme Defender 90 grain at 1560 from a Commander and 1660 from a 5"....

SIG 125 JHP/1230
SIG 125 FMJ/1266
CorBon PowerBall 90 gr./1592
CorBon 124 JHP/1375
CorBon 115 JHP/1450
PMC 115 JHP/1135


Magazines... MetalForm makes the mags for Colt. They are a lot less without the Pony stamped on the bottom. I also use a lot of MegGar mags from Italy...they are the OEM for Beretta and many other European manufacturers. Don't really care for the 10 round mags...they are expensive and have had more problems with them than any of the plain 9 rounders...

Bob

might be able to find mags with cdnn.com there in texas.
https://www.cdnnsports.com/1911-38super-9rd-stainless-metalform-o-e-mag.html?___SID=U#.XNtGuo5KiUk

https://www.cdnnsports.com/1911-38s-9rd-bl-w-holes-metalform-o-e-mag.html?___SID=U#.XNtG445KiUk