Super 38?

[insanebikerboy]

Or 38 Super if you will.

Anyone have experience with this round? I remember my uncle having a pistol chambered in it when I was little but I've never given it much thought or study until recently. It seems like it could be a great round and it looks to be popularly built on the 1911 frame (which is always a plus).

Thoughts, comments, goods, bads?

 

[MasterBates]

I've shot it a couple times out of Bullseye 1911s at GRPC.. Liked it, but no real opinion otherwise.

 

[A4sForever]

I got a whole bunch of shit re: the .38 Super ... I need to put it in order ... more later.

 

[ChuckMK23]

.38 Super is strictly in the realm of USPSA/IPSC competition shooting in Open Division guns. We are talking Wide body 1911 type firearms with ported, compensated barrels and enhanced chambers to support the 40,000 PSI + that this ammunition generates. It is certainly not something for the casual plinking or for the casual gun owner - it's elite ammo for elite competitors.

 

[A7Dave]

What ChuckMk23 said. This is strictly a round for competitors. Almost no one fires it except for those folks. Unless you are one of them, you'd be wasting your money and time. Ammo is expensive enough as it is.

 

[A4sForever]

Sorry ... forgot to get my 'stuff' together & respond -- been busy.

But quick & dirty: I agree w/ what the other gents said ... it's now something of a semi-expensive 'novelty' cartridge who's time has passed it by (opinion). It regained popularity @ 20 years ago as it enabled one to make 'major' with a minimum power factor for IPSC and had more manageable recoil than, say a .45 ACP. It's similar to a 'hot' a 9mm +P when considering recoil management.

It's still pretty popular south of the Border with 'legal' gun owners, as it gets around the restrictions in many Latin countries that prohibits civilians from having 'military' caliber chambered weapons ... like that bothers 'em ... right ???

 

[A4sForever]

By the way ... John Dillinger liked the .38 Super, too ... this is a photo of his 'Super' w/ a few interesting modifications. Full auto, of course ...

 

[busdriver]

I remember reading an article that mentioned "super face" apparently due to the very high pressure in the chamber, race guns so chambered had a tendency to blow-up, scarring the face with frag.

 

[gaijin6423]

There's a guy who shoots (very well) with a .38 super race gun at the local USPSA matches. He's dead on and blazing fast...when his gun works. Seems to be finicky as all hell.

This concludes my knowledges of the caliber.

 

[nittany03]

this is a photo of his 'Super' w/ a few interesting modifications. Full auto, of course ...

:icon_long

 

[Hozer]

My father in law has a low serial number super in his vault at the gun shop...I'll take a photo and post it. The blueing on it is fantastic.