Frank G

I don't know anything about 38 super and am looking for a couple of answers. I have a Gold Cup and a Delta Elite, but have never fired (or even seen) a 38 super.

1. Please describe the felt recoil of the 38 super as compared to the 45ACP.

2. How does the 38 super compare to the 45 ballistically? Compared to 9mm?

3. Would a 38 super be a good home defense gun?

4. Would this be a good platform for barrel/spring/magazine swaps to a different caliber? If so, which ones?

My apolgies if these seem like "stupid questions", but I don't have anyone local to ask about this.

Thanks,
Frank G.

Stephen A. Camp

Hello.

Felt recoil is subjective, but to me .38 Super has "sharper" but lighter recoil than .45 ACP out of 5" 1911 pattern pistols.

Here are some observations on the 9mm vs. .38 Super:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/38SuperTo9mm.htm

Best.

Brian Hawley

The only caliber change you can do, other than the 9 and super derivatives, is the 41AE. Kinda like the .40S&W but it had a 9mm-sized rim so 9's could be converted to 40 caliber. Fell out of favor for the most part but there may still be some stuff around.

Albert Shear

A Kimber 38super Procarry is the most accurate out of the box handgun I have owned. It is my 24/7 carry piece. Recoil as staed is subjective butI find the super 'mild" compared to the 45 with factory ammo. PMC 115gr is like shooting a 38sp while my carry load of CorBon 115gr hp is a`straight back push, no rise.

Frank G

I want to say thanks to all of you who responded!

An opportunity came up for a Colt .38 Super to purchase. After some thought, I decided it might not be the smart thing to do right now. But, after reading your comments and Stephen's web page, I may have to get a pistol in this caliber at a more opportune time!

I really appreciate everyone taking time to respond. As always, I really enjoy the pistolsmith forum. I always learn a lot and get good answers to my questions. And, it's civilized!!!

Thanks,
Frank G.

jakes10mm

I have to agree with Mr Camp: recoil is a pretty subjective topic and I personally find the 38super a bit more sharp. The "weight" of the recoil is less, but the "speed/velocity" is greater. Conversely, I find the 40S&W to be much harcher than 38super or 45acp. The 40S&W has both bullet weight and slide velocity working against it. Again, these are personal opinions.

Frank G

jakes10mm:

Thanks for your input. Yours and Mr. Camp's explanation of the felt recoil make sense to me. Well the opportune time hasn't come about yet. But, I'm still looking for it!

Frank

Peakbagr

I have a Les Baer .38 Super being built. I should find out myself in another 6 or 8 weeks or so.

DJMJR

the super is one of my fondest cartridges, and has been for over twenty years. when i was younger and shot more competetively i discovered the super could be what ever you wanted it to be, kinda like a 38 special versus 357 mag loads from the same gun. my favorite handload in my clark comped gun for bianchi matches was a 147 grain lead bullet at slighlty less than 950 fps. this felt more like a 38 special load in a 6 inch model 19, lite powder puff loads but had a power factor of about 140, which easily took over the plates. when i peeled the scope mount off my gun and went back to ipsc style matches i still used a 147 grain bullet and used AA#7 around 1200, which just made major caliber, this load was a little sharper but nothin like the hardball loads in a 5 inch gun. today i shoot mostly for recreation and still use the 147 grain bullet, now out of two 5 inch baers, and it runs around 925. both guns function flawless and will easily do under 3 inches at 50. the one gun is an 1.5 inch gun and it is hard to tell one from the other. i have on a good day, with either gun, put 6 or 7 out of 9 in one small cluster at 25. that load shoots great with any of my supers. over the years i have had the opportunity to talk with Mr. Baer about supers,also one of his favorite cartridges, and he told me this one time. for just a good plinking round use a jacketed 130 grain bullet and 4.6 231 (if you look at Baer's website he is now building a commander size super for carrying). on another ocassion i spoke with a barrel manufactorer in South Dakota, he told me to use 231 and and a 124 grain bullet around 1100. the super is a wonderfull cartridge, it is not a 44 mag therefore i never explored the max you could take this cartridge too. i have heard of and knew a couple guys using 100 grain bullets as fast as they can for comped guns that have ended up with split comps. just was never my thing! i think everyone will agree you can spend a lifetime looking for a perfect load in a gun but i place more faith in time spent at the range to improve ones ability rather than experimentation with different loads for increase in ability, just go shoot the darn thing. one last thing, if money were not an object i would shoot all 124 & 147 xtps through my supers, great bullet by me. if you think about converting it, don't! thats the reason why they make more guns.

retDAC

Welcome Aboard!

HiPowerLover

Being a 38 super fan, I just had to add to this post.
I have three 38 super 1911s.
I do not have a favorite as one shoots as accurate as the next.
I have one Colt in blue(Cost $1000), one Kimber is stainless (Cost $1200) and one RIA in blue (Cost under $400).
There is however one thing that I might add....
The 38 Super is the same diameter as the 9mm, or .356"
I use 9mm bullets in reloads.
Then there is the 357 which is .357" or .358".
Here is where the fun begins.
I have two S&W model 60-14's and one S&W 686-4 which are 357's
I shoot 38 supers in them more that I shoot the 1911's.
If the extractor grabs the rim, then it works for me.
I often get this: Oh! You will foul the cylinder shooting such a short bullet in the S&W's.
Bunk! if that were the case, then shooting a wad cutter would have fouled every gun at the range.
The trick is only in a 357 and only if the extractor catches the rim.
BTW my info says the 38 super is 36,000 psi and a 357 is 38,000 psi.