Grail gun. Not a S&W

[Grayfox]

Ok, I confess. I suffer from more than one addiction.
Obviously, I'm addicted to S&W revolvers or I wouldn't be here. However, my other addiction is just as bad if not worse. I just can't stop buying 1911s!
While I am primarily a .45 kinda guy, I also have a great fondness for the other 1911 caliber. I speak of course of the Colt Super 38 Automatic. I have a Government Model and a Combat Commander, but alas the ever elusive lightweight has always escaped me. You rarely see 'em. Its even rarer for one to come up for sale. Even when one does, the prices are usually outrageous.
But about ten days ago the stars finally line up and the auction Gods smiled upon me. It arrived today.

1952 Colt Commander .38 Super!

A little bit of edge wear and a couple of very small dings, but overall in darned fine shape to be 60 years old!
Now I don't own anything I won't shoot. You can bet yer butt that I'm gonna shoot the dickens outta this one!
Already got a couple of things I'm going to do to it. Replace all the springs and the grips. Probably going to put a long trigger in it just because it'll make it more shootable for me. But fear not, I ain't about to do anything that can't easily be undone.
I can't wait till the weekend so I can try it out!

 

[Badkarma 1]

Now that's a SWEET one! Good catch GrayFox.
One thing though, some of those old Supers don't shoot as good due to the head spacing arrangement. So you might want to invest in a new barrel from Bar Sto, or Wilson. Other than that it's good to go!
I had a newer stainless LWC in Super .38 and it was a good shooter. Dale

 

[forresth]

I am embarrassed to say it, but I want a Desert Eagle for some stupid reason.

 

[A10]

Nice rare commander! I don't think I've seen one in .38 super before.

 

[pawncop]

Cool, the .38 Super is a caliber I have read about, but never had the opportunity to shoot.

 

[Lee Barner]

lee, i think you need to bring that to jackson saturday. i bad need to see it in person. let me know if you're coming to help jessie. i've a feeling he will be busy. i probably have a long trigger and maybe some grips and such. PM me. lee

 

[bushmaster1313]

What grips will you put on?

 

[Grayfox]

Thanks for all the nice comments.

Badkarma 1: I'm aware of the headspacing issue with the older guns. But we'll see how it shoots first.

bushmaster1313: I already have a nice set of factory sandblast grips with silver medallions that I'm gonna put on it.

Lee Barner: Yep, I'll be at the show in Jackson most of the day Saturday. I will bring the pistol with me. You know where I'll be.

 

[Class III]

GF, I may have to sneak away from deer hunting up near Huntingdon to take a look at that one. Are you going to be at Jessie's tables?

Class III

 

[feralmerril]

Years ago I went home to wisconsin from california and seen three commanders, one each in .45, 9mm and .38 super. They were drasticaly marked down yet looked new. When I inquired I was told they were stolen out of the store, quickly recovered and had to be sold as used! I wish I had bought all three but didnt have the money. I could have got my dad to buy them. This was back in the mid 60`s to 70s but I remember one was nickle and they werent far from half price!

 

[fat tom]

This is a Combat Commander that I picked up off of the "other" forum about a year ago. It was offered by a new member and only had a description. He started it at $1400 and gradually reduced it to $1000,WITH NO TAKERS! I called him,got a very good description with gun in hand,offered $900 shipped and it was mine. When it came in,I 'bout fell out. It's 99%! I have the original grips,but liked these better.

f.t.

 

[M29since14]

Wow, that is one old .38 Super Commander! I have had one since 1969. When I bought it, I thought of it as a redheaded stepchild since I really wanted a .45 and couldn't find one. Over the years, that has changed and I am quite happy to have it.

Watch out removing those stocks. I took mine off and put them in storage because I preferred smooth wood, at that time. When I tried to re-install them on the gun years later, they had shrunk so that the hole centers for the stock bushings were no longer correct and they would not fit on the gun. The stocks were stored in a cardboard box in my basement under what I would have thought to be nearly ideal conditions. I don't think I did anything to cause that other than removing them from the gun.

You will probably find your gun is only "annoyingly accurate." Mine was a poor shooter and I eventually sprang for a Bar-sto barrel. Now, with 147gr XTP-HPs, it thinks it is a little target pistol. I imagine you will want to keep it as-is, anyway.

Nice gun. Thanks for the pictures. Brings back old memories.

 

[Grayfox]

Class III: yes, I'll be hanging out with Jessie. Come on by. It'll be a pleasure to meet you.

29since14: The "Coltwood" plastic grips are noted for that shrinkage. I don't think it matters much how you store them.

 

[SASABERANGER]

This past weekend at the Scottsbluff, Nebraska club show there were no less than three Colt Supers.
One Mid 60s Government with the top of the slide needing to be refinished , but the rest seemed to be in pretty good condition. Second Government was a 1947/48 reblue and wearing stags. Python type blue job, but not overly buffed. The third was a 1967 vintage LW Commander, again with the top of the slide rubbed down to the metal in spots, but no pitting. Frame looked great. Reblue went for $1K, down from the $1400 asking price. Government model with bad slide went for $1000, and The Commander was still sitting on the table at $900.
Really strange seeing three at one small country show at one time.
Commander came out of Scottsbluff, NE, Reblue came out of Torrington, WY 25 miles away, and the Government with the bad slide came out of Cheyenne, WY. And within that same circle I can put my hand on several more from the 40s through the Series 80s.
One of my all time favorite calibers.
Thom Braxton
SWCA #1474

 

[Captain Beyond]

Being an old ground pounder in the US Army I was issued the 1911 to go with my M-79 grenade launcher. The 1911 being an old refurbished worn out piece of **** I didn't pursue the newer ones when I mustered out. That is until a few years ago when I bought a used Series 80 in 45. I started shooting the 9mm in the Berettas and liked the cartridge until I purchased a Colt enhanced model Series 80 in 38 Super. That's when all things changed in the government model 1911 for me.
Since it is newer than yours the head space/accuracy problem has been solved. It's is a superior cartridge to the 9mm or 40s&w for that matter. I shoot the 40 also in an FN model.
You have to love the 38super in a 1911 though.