What can you tell me about .38 super?

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kimberman

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I thinking about a pistol in .38 super. I've got a .45acp, and a .357 mag and was shopping for a 9mm until I discovered the .38 super. From what I understand the .38 super is more powerfull and more accurate than 9mm, what I'm wondering is;

what is the availablity of .38 super ammo?
what is the availabilty of reloading components?
what is optimal bullet weight for this cartridge?
who makes pistols in .38 super? (other than STI)
Is it worth owning a .38 super over a 9mm?
Should I skip them both and get a .40 s&w?

I will just be using the pistol for light competion at the gun club maybe the occasional match at other clubs and informal plinking at the range targets, steel and paper. Basically just another toy, but I like nice toys that are a bit different than everybody else's.:)
 
Short answer, if it gets your #### hard, go for it.

For the long answer, the cartridge won't give you anything that you can't get from the cheaper and more available 9mmx19.

The ammo and brass is available, just less so than 9mm and at slightly higher cost.

The barrels generally have the same twist, and nearly the same velocity, so the same range of weight 115-147 apply.

In a current factory chambering, accuracy should be equal, not better than, a 9mm.

With a ramped barrel, and judicious handloading, it is possible to get higher velocities with the .38 super than the 9mm, and if you are shooting Open in IPSC, this is a signifigant factor. However, as the power factor in IPSC has dropped to 160, 9mm isn't an also ran.

Also, due to the straight case, flush mounted single stack 1911 mags can hold 10 rounds, vs 9 for the 9mm, although I believe Metalform do make a slightly extended 10 round 9mm mag now.
 
it's well super... like Cannuck says its' basically a 9mm on steroids...

It's a nice cartridge but factory ammo is harder to find... It reloads like nine.. but there are hotter powders you can use in it...

But for IPSC it doesn't matter how hot you make it.. and you might as well keep the 9mm...
 
I have a Kimber Stainless Target II in .38 Super. It's a real tack driver out of the box. I can put 5 rounds into one ragged hole, 'freestyle', at 7 yards without a whole lot of effort.

I reload with 130 grain .356" dia bullets and VV N340 powder. (can't recall the charge weight)
 
I have both and like them equally well. I use standard 9mm bullets (355) in all my reloads just to keep things simple, if I was using factory ammo I would stick with the 9. If you want some wow factor at the range look at the 357 sig.
 
I had a .38super made in 1936. I heard it was developed because anything over .38 was not allowed in Mexico.
It's what the 9mm should have been AFAIK.
Not so much as it is more of a "man-stopper" but in that it functions better in the 1911 platform.
 
I've got a Colt Combat Commander in .38Super...love it...
It's got the shorter, 'handier', length...the beauty of a 1911 trigger..the functionality of a 45ACP.....and cheap to reload and shoot.
What's not to like?
 
there USED to be 2"problems" with the 38 super- 1 the published loads were too "hot"( at the time) and were loaded to 357 mag velocities- 2- it USED to heaspace on the semi-rim, and could slip off, making for poor accuracy- the solution for both was realitvely easy- calm the load down,( like a 9mmx23, largo, or browning long) which it really is- kind of a 9mm "magnum" if you will- but not a near 357 mag, and 2, install an aftermarket barrel from bar-sto or somebody that DOES SPACE ON THE SHOULDER- some guys used to use a 9mm barrel rechambered for the longer case-with the rim-headspace , you could expect dinner-plate accuracy
 
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