38 super.

[tj3006]

I am a 1911 guy. I have a custom commander 45 now , and am thinking a commander in 38 super would be cool. I checked the web sights from Colt Springfield Limber and more but can't find one. I have 2 9mms now and I might end up with another say a lightweight Colt. But the super would be an excellent all around pistol. For plinking carry or whatever. Any body know who makes one ?...tj3006

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[Alexx1401]

I am a 1911 guy. I have a custom commander 45 now , and am thinking a commander in 38 super would be cool. I checked the web sights from Colt Springfield Limber and more but can't find one. I have 2 9mms now and I might end up with another say a lightweight Colt. But the super would be an excellent all around pistol. For plinking carry or whatever. Any body know who makes one ?...tj3006

The round was a great idea, they just never could get it to catch on in the US. That has always been the problem with it, finding ammo. It's also why it's rather rare to see them for sale. There is some on the auctions but you will have to be willing to pay a premium. If you buy one and you reload they can be great.

 

[nammac]

Interesting, as I've been kicking around the idea of a Commander sized 38 Super as well...

They seem to be pretty scarce, I found several on Gunbroker, starting around 2K, that's for a used lightweight Commander...

 

[tj3006]

I do reload. And it I het a 38 super I will also get a Dillon square deal. I saw the same adds you guys did and that 2000.00 is to much for me. If I was going to spend 2k, I think I would spend a little more and have Led Baer build me one.
likely I'll end up with a Lightweight Colt 9mm. I have. 3 to 500 factory rounds already and it's cheap to shoot.
Who knows maybe someone will do a special run....tj3006

 

[Diamondback]

It also helps to consider that what modern .38 Super loads you find are considerably watered down from the original, which was hot enough to be the original "armor-piercing round"--it was originally developed to end-run Mexico's ban on .45ACP as "military caliber" and then became a favorite of cops and gangland muscle alike because it'd go through a typical 1920s-30s auto body (ya know, back when things were BUILT?) like hot knife through butter.

Basically a .45ACP cartridge necked down for a 9mm bullet, IIRC.

 

[Alexx1401]

It also helps to consider that what modern .38 Super loads you find are considerably watered down from the original, which was hot enough to be the original "armor-piercing round"--it was originally developed to end-run Mexico's ban on .45ACP as "military caliber" and then became a favorite of cops and gangland muscle alike because it'd go through a typical 1920s-30s auto body (ya know, back when things were BUILT?) like hot knife through butter.

Basically a .45ACP cartridge necked down for a 9mm bullet, IIRC.

It was most popular in Mexico where they could not own Mil caliber, back when they could still have guns. It's pretty much strait wall cartrige. Win still loads is in a few 125 to 130 at over 1200fps list. You may be thinking of the 38 auto which was far weaker. Back when Mexico took the guns away from the people you could buy a LOT of nice 1911's chambered in .38 Super. Rare to see them now.

 

[Diamondback]

I may be misremembering shape, but I do recall the Super as much hotter than the archaic .38 ACP that started the evolution of the 1911's ancestors.

Today's Super is basically a .38 Special +P, the original was just short of a .357 Magnum - 130gr at 1300fps in 1929, the .357 being same at 180gr five years later.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Armscor/Rock Island Armory makes them.

 

[Brutus57]

.38 Super was, and maybe still is, popular with Texas Rangers I have heard. Specifically for it's car door busting abilities.

Brutus Out

 

[Medic!]

38 super is built for the larger .45, 10mm, frame guns.
But 357 Sig. Gives you a 125 grain bullet at over 1500 FPS from a smaller .40/9mm frame sized gun.

I would go that direction.

 

[Alexx1401]

Armscor/Rock Island Armory makes them.

Looks like all they are cataloging right now is the 70 Series Government Model in this caliber. The OP was wanting a Commander. Hard to come by now days in this caliber. That's why the few there are going for a pretty high price. When the .357 Sig hit many years ago I was expecting it to get more of a following than it did. Figured those who wanted a hotter .38 caliber in the 1911 package would like it. It too seems to have never been able to come up with much following in these.

 

[nammac]

Armscor/Rock Island Armory makes them.

Commander Length?

 

[Alexx1401]

Commander Length?

Doesn't look like it right now at least. All I can find in their catalog is 3 different choices in a 70 Series Government model. Even those would most likely be something you would have to get a dealer to order for you.

 

[tj3006]

I would hand load 115 grain hard cast at 1350 and more. The super is the same dimensions as the 38 ACP

 

[RVTECH]

A few years ago I was in a local pawn shop/LGS and a guy brought in a series 70 Colt Commander in .38 Super. Gun was beat to sheet but seemed tight and shootable. Long story short they offered him $150 for it and he declined so I kept my eye on them and was going to follow the guy out to the parking lot and offer him like $350 for it but I somehow missed them leaving.

 

[fxdc]

Great base gun to build an open Class uspsa gun.

 

[bbbass]

Great base gun to build an open Class uspsa gun.

Well, the .38super round yes... it's the best because of quick cycle time and flat recoil yes? But I don't think I've ever seen anyone shoot USPSA with a Commander length gun. Mostly 5" STIs and SVIs.

STI with 5.5" barrel:

 

[tj3006]

Not to interested in competition. I just like to murder pop cans and such.

 

[mrwolfe]

I just fitted a 6" 9x23 barrel into a double stack frame. Commander ejector and a 9mm/38 super slide from fusion, probably cheaper than buying a whole new pistol...
Though, I guess you can never have too many pistols.

 

[tj3006]

Mr Wolfe. Are you a smith ?