.38 Super questions

[Aguila Blanca]

I am about to embark on my first attempt at loading .38 Super. If any .38 Super owners/shooters out there have some factory ammo, I would like to ask if you would measure up the cartridge overall length and post that, along with the make of the ammo and the bullet type and weight.

Many thanks.

 

[DavidAGO]

I am not at home, but if no one else gets back to you before tomorrow afternoon I will then. I have not seen a box of factory ammunition for the super in a long time, but I have two old boxes

David

 

[WIL TERRY]

I just checked seven loading manuals and all the information you seek is in all seven manuals. It'll be in yours too as that is an old pistol cartridge going back to near when Moses was a corporal.
And so it goes...

 

[NoSecondBest]

I owned and shot 38Supers in three gun shoots for several years and have fired thousands of rounds out of those guns. I'll just make one suggestion: go to MidwayUSA and get a cartridge gage to check your reloads in. If they fit in there, they'll probably fit in your gun. If they fit in there and drop easily into your gun they're probably fine. Next up is tuning the spring to the load. Get some extra springs in various weights. Find the load that shoots the best groups and get the spring into the gun so that it cycles reliably.
http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/257442/le-wilson-max-cartridge-gage-38-super

 

[Aguila Blanca]

I owned and shot 38Supers in three gun shoots for several years and have fired thousands of rounds out of those guns. I'll just make one suggestion: go to MidwayUSA and get a cartridge gage to check your reloads in. If they fit in there, they'll probably fit in your gun. If they fit in there and drop easily into your gun they're probably fine. Next up is tuning the spring to the load. Get some extra springs in various weights. Find the load that shoots the best groups and get the spring into the gun so that it cycles reliably.

Thanks, but I think I'm after something other than what's important to you. I already have a cartridge gauge. I have to test a .38 Super Colt for feeding, and I've pretty much struck out finding commercial JHP ammo. But I was able to come up with Starline brass and several different makes and weights of JHP projectiles, so what I'm after is to make some reloads that are the same COAL as the factory ammo using those same bullets. The goal here isn't (at least not at first) to optimize anything for the gun, the goal is to test how the gun works with factory [replicated] ammo.

 

[Hunter Customs]

Winchester USA (white box) 130 gr FMJ measures 1.265.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Thanks, Bob

 

[Hunter Customs]

You are welcome Sir.

I've built a lot of 38 super 1911s, my favorite was a commander model.
Test firing that gun was so enjoyable that I hated to have to call the gentleman to tell him his pistol was ready.

 

[pbcaster45]

I think this will have exactly what you need (and then some!)

http://38super.net/Pages/Technical%20Specs.html

 

[Lurch37]

From my stash:

1. Remington 130 gr. FMJ Ball, +P Nickel Case, Index No. R38SUP, 1.265 OAL.

2. Aguila 130 gr. FMJ Ball, +P Brass Case, 1.265 OAL.

3. Winchester 130 gr. FMJ, +P Nickel Case, 1.275 OAL, This has a flat point or what some call a truncated cone and is not the traditional ball type bullet.This has an Index No. Q4205.

4. Winchester 125 gr. Silvertip Hollow Point, +P Nickel Case, Index No. X38ASHP, 1.238 OAL.

5. Remington 130 gr. M.C./ Ball, Brass Case, Index No. 1438, 1.258 OAL.

6. Winchester 130 gr. FMJ Ball, Brass Case, Index No. W38A2P, 1.275 OAL.

7. Winchester 130 gr. FMJ Ball, +P Brass Nickel Case, Index No. 38AIP, 1.275 OAL.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

 

[Aguila Blanca]

I think this will have exactly what you need (and then some!)

http://38super.net/Pages/Technical Specs.html

Excellent info. Thanks very much.

Too bad they didn't include some JHP, but maybe it's safe to assume that JHP would probably follow the same trend as flat-point.

@Lurch37 - Also very helpful. Thank you.

 

[pbcaster45]

Oh! The JHPs and SD loads are on another page.

http://38super.net/Pages/Factory2.html

 

[Will-j]

.38 Supers

WIL; N S B: Got a good one for you.

In '95, A couple years after a level 5 prison opened up in SW Ga. and at which I was a resident Firearms Instructor, we had our annual firearms recert.

One female officer , upon approaching the head Trainer/Instructor, asked if she could use her personal weapon for the course. Being from the same unit as the head trainer, she got the go-ahead to do so.

I was just two positions down from her and noticed the recoil and rise every time she fired. Looking at her target, her grouping was good and tight and well-centered.

After the final string was fired and the next line was preparing to line up, she was still looking for "her" brass. When told that all the brass was the same and went into the barrel she opened her hand and said she still had 5 more cases to find for husband to reload for her. When she showed the empty brass to the trainer, I thought he would have a stroke. She was holding empty .38 Super brass and was firing it in a Model 10 Smith. The head trainer asked her if she was putting him on, she went to her bag and produced an empty box marked REM. .38 Super +P 130gr RN FMC.

Needless to say, she was never allowed to use her personal weapon after that, and was checked to ensure she was shooting dept. ammo.

Hand to the MAN upstairs this is true.

Curious after that, I loaded some Supers in my GP 100 and they fired okay but I wasn't too thrilled with the accuracy. However, I keep a box or two on the shelf in case of (emergency).

WILL