.38 Super Newbie

[schmeky]

I have a Colt Custom 1911 (ELCEN series) on order in .38 Super. I have never owned or even fired anything in .38 Super. I know Super ammo will be more expensive (I do reload).

Just wondering what other 38 Super caliber owners think about this round? I know it is faster than a 9mm with potentially greater penetration, but with less energy than a .45

I plan on buying a Kart or Bar-Sto barrel and converting it to 9mm. From what I understand, the .38 Super magazine will work with the 9mm round, correct?

 

[Jim Watson]

If you reload, what is the point of paying $150-$200 for a new barrel so you can shoot cheap factory loads? A set of dies and a sack of .38 Super brass will be a lot less expensive; if you don't hotload it the brass will last until you lose it.
Maybe if you already load 9mm and have a lot of brass; and just don't want to be bothered picking up every single empty.

I have owned and seen such conversions.
Sometimes the extractor has to be adjusted or replaced to pull the rimless 9mm instead of the semirimmed .38; sometimes it doesn't.
Sometimes 9mm will feed from a Super magazine, sometimes it won't.
(I actually prefer the Metalform "round follower" .38 magazines for my 1991A1 9mm.)

 

[BullfrogKen]

I use Metalform mags for my 9mm barrel. All 10 of my 38 Super/9x23 mags will work well with the 9mm.

 

[Grayrider]

I would agree with just running Super. If you reload anyway, then there is little cost in adding the needed equipment. For that matter you could add a whole Square Deal in .38 Super for not much more than a barrel for your gun, and have yet another press ready to go for various calibers.



John

 

[Teutonic]

As the others have said you are best reloading, but you can run 9mm in the 38Super mags.

 

[Otherguy Overby]

If you really want to load 9mm, just step up to 9x23. It's substantially hotter than Super. Don't forget your ear muffs...

 

[BullfrogKen]

It is nice to have the choice to just go out and buy 9mm WWB at WalMart or where ever and simply go shoot. Additionally, 9mm is really nice for a high round count class - say 1000 rounds in a weekend. The shooter fatigue factor makes learning difficult in those extended shooting sessions. 38 Super doesn't recoil much more than 9mm, but my arm gets a little tired loading 1000 rounds.