Found Two boxes of 50 "Super Vel" .38 special cartridges, one is 125 grain JHP, other is 110 grain JSP. I remember these back when I was involved in Law Enforcement but not familiar enough to know whether these are something collectable or just Old .38 Special Cartridges. Does anyone here know if these are worth anything or should I just shoot them? Boxes are nice and well preserved too! They are marked differently, First says Police Only (110 grn. JSP) , second box has no such markings about Police but is 125 grn. JHP. Someone mentioned that the major cartridge companies put this company out of business by starving them for brass, not sure of the truth but it does make a good story! Any of you old cartridge experts wish to set me straight and share your expertise? I'd really appreciate it!

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Sam
S&WHF 333 S&WCA 2198

If they're full boxes and in good shape I'm sure they're worth more than you paid to a collector. It's just a matter of finding the guy who wants them and is willing to shell out for them.

I really like old stuff like that. I'm not a collector but when I come across old ammo boxes for a good price I buy. I wouldn't shoot them and would keep them old boxes full of the correct ammo. I would think they would be worth more if you do find a buyer.

Be careful with them.
I cracked the frame on the first (and only) Mdl. 39 I owned with less than a single magazine full. They are very stressful on alloy framed guns of any type, if memory serves.
I think they were eventually found to be at the root of the "legend" of the Mdl. 19's being weak framed and shot to junk in short order.

Go on Wikipedia and search Lee Jurras/Super Vel Ammo.

I've got a bunch of it in the powder magazine. Some from back in the day, significantly more from purchases since then. I don't shoot it up, but I have a lot of confidence it in.

My gun show pard, Joe, has a unique skill for sniffing out boxes of old ammo. At our down home style shows the good ole boys seem to all have a few boxes of old ammo up for sale. Joe scores it pretty regularly. Some good, some I kind of scratch my head as to why he'd buy it.

Back a few years ago when Obammy was getting himself elected, ammo was in real short supply. Some enterprising guy came in with cases of ammo. It all looked new (as in unsold) but it clearly ranged from the 1960s up to nearly current. Ole Joe came back lugging more than he could carry comfortably, and was goin' out for more. So I followed him and must have picked up a half dozen full boxes and even some of the "ammo wallets" they packaged Super Vel in back then.

In the 1970s we shot some of it up. I never saw what I consider to be excessive pressure signs from firing it. Its admittedly hot stuff, but not gun breaking bad. The M19s problems were pretty well traced to firing 125 gr bullets at high velocity. It was also pretty well limited to some limited sequences of M19s, so the conjecture was bad metal. Notice that the M27s didn't suffer from any kind of forcing cone cracking. Bigger barrel diameter resulted in thicker metal and no problems.

If I were the OP, I'd put it back up on the shelf. 3 years ago I didn't pay as much as Wallyworld was trying to extort out of folks. It was premium ammo back in the day, and hard to locate at any price.

I've even got a box of 44s in 180gr size. I'm thinking of firing it in my 329 to see if it tames the recoil a little. From experience I know the 300 gr loads make it much worse, and the 240s barely tolerable. Maybe the 180s will make it a pussycat.

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Dick Burg

I remember "Super-Vel" from the "Day". Didn't care for it as its POI was LOW!
However a friend using a Model 19 2.5" and Super-Vel 110gr. JSP could keep all his shots in the "Kill Area" of a B-27 target at 100 yards-standing position.

I do not ever remember using any of it or owning any of it but it is familiar in that a bunch of people (Police) were clamoring for it as a duty ammo, not sure what they were carrying but it had a really good reputation if memory serves correctly. Thanks for all the replies and useful information, I do not plan to shoot it so it will likely be given away by my wife when they have my estate sale!

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Sam
S&WHF 333 S&WCA 2198

Good find Sam. I remember it and found some 180g 44 Super Vel bullets for reloading in my attic last year.



Charlie

4 boxed of super-vel before Abercrombie was a clothing store

/c

Could you imagine Abercrombie & Fitch selling ammo today? All the little kids buying there would be shocked!

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

My kids were shocked a couple days ago when i told them that A&F used to sell firearms.

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I type. Therefore I am.

The Super-Vel 125gr .38's were hot stuff in the '70s.

They were probably loaded up around 21,000 psi. Good ammo for LEO's without a doubt. I have seen old test data that had those chrono at around 1100 fps out of 4 inch barrel.

Their .357 rounds were just brutal to shoot. I had a Model 27 that I ran exactly 12 rounds of the 125 gr SV's through.

Ouch.

The muzzle blast was so severe it wasn't even funny. Almost to the point of stunning you.

I'd fired 44 mag 240's that didn't make me feel shell shocked like those did.

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Take your time..quickly.

guys i found a factory box of 20 rounds of 45 acp tracer factory ammo.is this worth anything,and may i ask the price .
thanks

I live 8 miles from where they made Super Vel. It still appears at Indiana gun shows but the ammo is usually sold buy the round.

I never shot any of the Super Vel ammo, but I remember a Police Story episode where a high ranking police official was berating a captain or lieutenant about officers using "hot loads." He asked, "What's next? Hollowpoints? Magnums?" Of course, that was the Left Coast mindset back in those days.

ECS

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CPT, Armor (Ret)
Luke 22:36

You could get a complete safari booked and outfitted there in the old days. (Sigh!)

ECS

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CPT, Armor (Ret)
Luke 22:36

Yup, I looked at some mighty fancy double rifles back in the big store in NYC.
Bought a pair of hydro-foils to bolt on to water skis while I was there.

I thought bulls was snakey to ride. They din't hold a candle to them durn water ski stilts.

My father was a police officer from 1970-1994. He still has a complete box of Super-Vel .357 magnum and half a box of Super-Vel .38 Spl. I'll still bug him about shooting them at the range, but it's just a long running joke now.

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I type. Therefore I am.