.38 Super "Commander"?

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ApacheCoTodd

ApacheCoTodd

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In looking into getting a couple of replacement main-springs for my Kimber Pro Aegis II, I see that they offer an 18 lb spring if it is in .38 Super.

I LOVE that and 9x23 in Colt architecture and got to wondering how many folks might have a .38 Super or 9x23 Commander style 1911 platform.

Might hog out a barrel for this Kimber as a carry pistol. Might beat me up a bit but could be a fun little hot-rod too.

Insight?
Damn, I miss RC! IMG_0440.JPG

Todd.
 
I was considering building a 9x? On a 9x19 Ruger Commander. Use the 9x? With hot loads for woods type carry, and the 9mm factory barrel for plinking/carry

I still might...
 
Have a 38 Super built on a Caspian aluminum frame. The chamber has been reamed for 9X23 so it will run either round.
 
gotboostvr said:
Use the 9x? With hot loads for woods type carry, and the 9mm factory barrel for plinking/carry
Click to expand...
Just what I was thinking too. I am figuring the 9x23 for coyote and Mexican Grays rather than one of my .357s though I'd lose my first round of snake-shot since that classically will not cycle a semi-auto.

Todd.
 
Todd

I have a Colt Commander in .38 Super and I love it! Have been hooked on .38 Supers for a very long time, going back to the days when Colt use to make the barrels head space on the rim instead of the case mouth. Very frustrating at the range when you were trying to dial your handloads in and all of a sudden your group size just doubled or tripled!

They finally got around to making the barrel the "right way" and it's been smooth sailing ever since. I also like to add a 9x19 barrel assembly so I can shoot less expensive ammo at the range. All that's required is the barrel assembly (I have a Storm Lake one), and 9mm. magazines.

I have had the .38 Super in a Colt Government Model but for some unexplained reason I have always preferred it in the slightly shorter Commander Model.

gd9AjQ0.jpg
 
tipoc

Nice! A very early version and it looks to be in great shape for it's age! I like how the slide has "Super .38 Automatic" while mine has "Automatic .38 Super" on it!
 
I've had a Kimber Pro Carry II in .38 Super for years.... and it has never failed to function. It's a great gun - heavy by today's standards, but it's a joy to shoot. I can't tell you the weight of my spring, but it's a flat-wire recoil spring from Wilson, expressly made for the Commander-sized .38 Super. I remember talking to them and asking whether it's suitable for hot .38 Super rounds and they said "no problem". It was worked splendidly for at least something more than a decade now, and roughly 2,000 rounds. They estimate a longer life than any other spring.
 
My first 1911 was in the Commander size back in Feb. I have not been disappointed. My next may be in 38 Super, and of course in the Commander size again, it just feels right to me.

Almost 2000 rounds in the "new" one since Feb. Yeah, I like it a lot. :)


-Jeff
 
RainDodger said:
I've had a Kimber Pro Carry II in .38 Super for years.... and it has never failed to function. It's a great gun - heavy by today's standards, but it's a joy to shoot. I can't tell you the weight of my spring, but it's a flat-wire recoil spring from Wilson, expressly made for the Commander-sized .38 Super. I remember talking to them and asking whether it's suitable for hot .38 Super rounds and they said "no problem". It was worked splendidly for at least something more than a decade now, and roughly 2,000 rounds. They estimate a longer life than any other spring.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that. Ill give them a call. Do you have a full length guide rod?
Todd.
 
I'm interested in 38 Super, but own a 9MM STI and run a 12 LB recoil spring.
I'm frankly surprised that a 38 Super requires a 18 lb spring. I'd ask what open/ported highly modified 38 Supers and limited class unported typically 40 S&W shooters are using in USPSA.
I'm curious if anyone is using the same magazines for both 9MM and 38 Super?
 
earplug said:
I'm interested in 38 Super, but own a 9MM STI and run a 12 LB recoil spring.
I'm frankly surprised that a 38 Super requires a 18 lb spring. I'd ask what open/ported highly modified 38 Supers and limited class unported typically 40 S&W shooters are using in USPSA.
I'm curious if anyone is using the same magazines for both 9MM and 38 Super?
Click to expand...

I think much of the spring issue is that classically, "Commanders" are aluminum framed.
As to the magazines, while some go on about being able to get a pistol to fire 9x19 from .38 Super/9x23 mags it's wishful thinking to do it on a regular basis.
.38 Super and 9x23 are too long for 9x19 mags and 9x19 can wallow around in .38 Super/9x23 mags.
Here's Kimber's spacer to accommodate the length differences. IMG_0446.JPG
 
earplug said:
I'm interested in 38 Super, but own a 9MM STI and run a 12 LB recoil spring.
I'm frankly surprised that a 38 Super requires a 18 lb spring. I'd ask what open/ported highly modified 38 Supers and limited class unported typically 40 S&W shooters are using in USPSA.
I'm curious if anyone is using the same magazines for both 9MM and 38 Super?
Click to expand...

You can go to Wolff Gun Springs and look up the make, model, and caliber of the gun you are interested in and see what factory standard is for them and the variations for that.

https://www.gunsprings.com/SEMI-AUTO PISTOLS/cID1

It is exceptionally poor practice to try to feed 9mm ammo from a mag for the 38 Super. ApacheCoTodd shows why above. It's like trying to feed 380 acp from a 9mm mag. may do it for a bit but it will cause issues eventually.
 
Have always gone with using 9mm. mags when running 9mm. ammo through my .38 Super. Colt also uses the spacer in the back of the mag and have never had any sort of problem with them.
 
Compensated 38 Super pistols used in competition are very different than non-compensated pistols. Compensated guns require low weight recoil springs because the compensator reduces the rearward slide/barrel movement. A compensated 38 Super might require a 8 lb spring where using that same ammo in a non-compensated gun might require a 16-18 lb spring.
 
fxvr5 said:
Compensated 38 Super pistols used in competition are very different than non-compensated pistols. Compensated guns require low weight recoil springs because the compensator reduces the rearward slide/barrel movement. A compensated 38 Super might require a 8 lb spring where using that same ammo in a non-compensated gun might require a 16-18 lb spring.
Click to expand...
Could you explain that? It is not obvious to me. I have a compensated .22 1911 type gun and it required no change of spring when the compensator was added.
 
There is some explanation here: https://americanhandgunner.com/compensators-do-they-really-work/

Gas pressure hits the baffle plates in the comp and this applies a forward pressure on the comp/barrel. This slows down the rearward movement of the barrel. An effective comp can slow down the barrel speed enough that it might not cycle unless you reduce the weight of the recoil spring.

Compensated guns made for competition generally use very light recoil springs, light hammer springs, and many have lightened slides to reduce their weight to keep the gun running reliably. https://stiguns.com/guns/dvc-open/

The folks at the Brian Enos website have many discussions on how they equip their guns to make them run. https://forums.brianenos.com/forum/32-open-pistols/
 
fxvr5 said:
There is some explanation here: https://americanhandgunner.com/compensators-do-they-really-work/

Gas pressure hits the baffle plates in the comp and this applies a forward pressure on the comp/barrel. This slows down the rearward movement of the barrel. An effective comp can slow down the barrel speed enough that it might not cycle unless you reduce the weight of the recoil spring.

Compensated guns made for competition generally use very light recoil springs, light hammer springs, and many have lightened slides to reduce their weight to keep the gun running reliably. https://stiguns.com/guns/dvc-open/

The folks at the Brian Enos website have many discussions on how they equip their guns to make them run. https://forums.brianenos.com/forum/32-open-pistols/
Click to expand...
What rearward motion of the barrel? Doesn’t the barrel stay put while the slide moves backward?
 
rpenmanparker said:
Could you explain that? It is not obvious to me. I have a compensated .22 1911 type gun and it required no change of spring when the compensator was added.
Click to expand...
The .22 is a completely different ball of wax. Being a straight blow-back it doesn't have a locked barrel to worry about timing, and the cartridge doesn't make enough gas volume to change how it works. The Super running a comp will blow both up and back which reduces the recoil force needed to unlock and cycle the action....hence the lighter spring needed.
 
RecoilRob said:
The .22 is a completely different ball of wax. Being a straight blow-back it doesn't have a locked barrel to worry about timing, and the cartridge doesn't make enough gas volume to change how it works. The Super running a comp will blow both up and back which reduces the recoil force needed to unlock and cycle the action....hence the lighter spring needed.
Click to expand...
Okay. Thanks.
 
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