38 Super for defense.

[STCM(SW)]

Is the 38 Super a good defense round?
I like my 1911 in 38 Super, has more rounds than my M640 357 Magnum.

 

[Univibe]

All the service calibers work the same on bad guys. 38 super is fine; no better or worse than 9mm, .45, etc. Ammo costs are at least twice that of 9mm. It's a nostalgia cartridge for most. And a niche cartridge for certain types of competition.

 

[Cdog]

It's a caliber I fell in love with soon after discovering the 1911 in my early 20's.

After being introduced to handloading the affection grew stronger.

As posted earlier, there are many excellent more accessible calibers for defense.

Mine are basically range/target pistols whose physical size and weight, (Government Model) not the caliber keeps them designated as such.

As a side note, I can and do use .355, .356 and .357 projectiles for the Super, making it an exceptional choice for handloaders.

 

[tops]

Is the 38 Super a good defense round?

I can't think of any reason why it isn't a good defense or offense round. I shot one in the 60s and decided I liked the .45 the best but just because I like the .45 doesn't take anything away from the .38 Super. Larry

 

[ContinentalOp]

Don't really have any famililarity with .38 Super, other than reading an article here or there. Off the top of my head, I don't see why it wouldn't be a good self defense round. All the typical service calibers have about the same effectiveness in actual shootings, and I don't see .38 Super as being any different. My concerns would be reliability (it's semi-rimmed, isn't it? And I think I read somewhere that OAL can be a potential issue...) and availability of good JHP ammo, but that could just be due to my ignorance of the caliber. I would say if you could find a good JHP load that's reliable in your gun of choice, and you can shoot it well, it should work well in that role.

Just my (relatively uninformed) opinion.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Some friends use to shoot it in USPSA in the 90s.... made major in 9mm.

IIRC developed in the 1930s to shoot through car bodies.................also "popular" in countries where one can't have guns in military calibers.

 

[chief38]

The .38 Super is a SUPER round! If we lived in a place like Mexico where you can't own a Military caliber gun, the 38 Super would be my first choice. In todays market there are not many guns still chambered in that caliber - and that is the biggest challenge.

 

[JcMack]

My concerns would be reliability (it's semi-rimmed, isn't it? And I think I read somewhere that OAL can be a potential issue...) and availability of good JHP ammo, but that could just be due to my ignorance of the caliber. I would say if you could find a good JHP load that's reliable in your gun of choice, and you can shoot it well, it should work well in that role.

Just my (relatively uninformed) opinion.

Originally Colt .38 super barrels established headspace using the base rim. Complaints about the semi rim being able to maintain accuracy led Colt to begin using barrels that headspace on the front of the case rim, and they continue to do so.
1911's used to have some trouble feeding long, skinny, non tapered bullets like the .38 super. I "think" that was overcome by ramped barrels. Or maybe I'm full of baloney.

 

[Old Corp]

Being a little bit of a M1911 nut, I have various 1911's in .22, 9mm, 10mm and .45. Had wanted something basic in .38 Super and got a good deal on a new RIA .38 Super 5" last year.

Factory ammo is quite limited, and like many calibers the .38 Super is at it's best as a handloader's round.

Got dies, brass and bullets and enjoyed researching.
Having a supported chamber allows the round to be loaded with quite a bit more zing than basic factory stuff.

It can move a 124/5 gr JHP along at .357 Mag velocities easily.
I'd put a set of Novak carry sights on it and it shoots those rounds exactly to POA.
I routinely CC this gun now.

 

[saemetric]

I feel protected carrying this in a belt slide owb holster .

 

[JcMack]

My RIA super is a clunker compared to that UB Stainless Colt.

 

[redlevel]

Earl Swagger carried one, so it has to be good!

Great article by Stephen Hunter, author of the Bob Lee Swagger novels.
American Rifleman | The Super .38

 

[Texas Star]

I had a Colt Super Match grade made about 1935, in excellent condition. Fixed sights, but a honed action. Very smooth and well made.

It was reliable but gave horrible accuracy and I sold it. Colt didn't solve the accuracy issue until the 1970's, I think.

My son has a modern Super and it shoots well. Finding good factory ammo that is really hotter than 9mm Plus P is a problem.

The .357 SIG does give the ballistics that people want in a .38 Super, with a good choice in modern guns. A P-226 in .357 SIG is probably a better carry gun than the venerable Colt Super. I was surprised not to find .357 SIG in the poll. I do think the .357 SIG is harder on guns than a 9mm.

 

[Grayfox]

I'm a 1911 kinda guy, so I have a great fondness for the .38 Super. I currently own four. Three Colts and a RIA.
Factory ammo selection is somewhat limited. But good defensive ammo is out there and it would be an excellent choice.
Think of it as a 9mm on steroids.

 

[LEO918]

I have a couple of Colt Pre Series '70s Super .38s that I'll never part with. The blue gun is unbelievably accurate...

 

[STCM(SW)]

My 38 super

This is the one I CC sometimes..

 

[UncleEd]

Ir the .38 Super is what you like
and are confident in it, that's just
fine.

Standard bullet weight is 130 grains
if I recall correctly. At 1,100 feet a
second or so, don't see how that's much
different than a 115 grain or 124 grain
9mm.

Being a revolver guy, I remain confident
in the .38 and .357. Others would argue
for the .45 or .40.

They are all good.

 

[DWalt]

For many years I have had a special fondness for the .38 Super. My first one was a Llama "Special," basically a M1911 knockoff. While it was actually chambered for the 9mm Largo, it also handled the .38 Super cartridge just as reliably, and it performed very well. My second one was as a caliber for my Colt M1911 .45. With a 9mm slide, .38 Super barrel, ejector, and magazine, you have a two-caliber capability on the Colt frame. My third one is an EAA Witness, also set up to handle 9mm and .45 ACP. If you want .357 performance, simply use a stronger recoil spring and fire 9x23 Winchester ammo. No real trick to producing handloads reaching 1500 ft/sec MV with 124 grain bullets (using AA #5). You can use Starline 9x23 SuperComp cases for the same purpose. The 9x23 Win works fine in the Colt and Witness .38 Super barrels (both of which headspace on the case mouth).

 

[Texas Star]

Ir the .38 Super is what you like
and are confident in it, that's just
fine.

Standard bullet weight is 130 grains
if I recall correctly. At 1,100 feet a
second or so, don't see how that's much
different than a 115 grain or 124 grain
9mm.

Being a revolver guy, I remain confident
in the .38 and .357. Others would argue
for the .45 or .40.

They are all good.

Ed-

You're a little off on velocity. Try 1300 FPS with a 130 grain bullet for original specs

You may be speaking of the old std. .38 auto, not the Super.

 

[Rule3]

Will a 38 Super go through De Fence?