Super Vel

[Revolver-time]

I bought a box of SUPER VEL way back in 1974 when I first turned 21. The sticker on the box says $14.50. Somehow I never shot the stuff and just moved it with me from home to home. It is .357 Magnum, 150 gr. JHP and is labeled H & H cartridge corp., Greensburg, Indiana.

Should I just finally shoot it, sell it, of keep on holding it? If I shoot it would use one of my Blackhawks because I like my 27 too much.

 

[ralph7]

It's worth more as a collectible than something to shoot.
It should adorn somebody's reloading/gun room.

 

[LDM]

I found a box of Selbyville SuperVel 9mm while cleaning out a closet. Still has 18 rounds left in it and some fired brass. Will hold on to that. That was the hottest thing going in the 70s and really barked out of my HiPower. Totally vaporized a bullfrog once.

 

[kaaskop49]

With all due respect, don't know how much you're going to get by treating it as a collectible. $50? $75? $100? So what? Check the prices of new mfg .357 ammo for comparison...

I'd simply treat it as part of my ammo "stash." During the next ammo "crunch," an additional box of ammo might be handy to have. During the previous crunch, some folks were extremely frustrated when they could not obtain their preferred brand of carry ammo, or even ANY ammo in that caliber.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[KSDeputy]

I have part of a box of .357 also. That was THE ammo back then.

 

[ralph7]

I like having a shelf full of discontinued/collector stuff in my gun room.
Super Vel is at far left bottom...

 

[kaaskop49]

I like having a shelf full of discontinued/collector stuff in my gun room.
Super Vel is at far left bottom...

ralph7: I hold to my above opinion on cartridge collecting, but that is an absolutely MAGNIFICENT display!! I love it. With all good wishes,

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[Watchdog]

I bought a box of SUPER VEL way back in 1974 when I first turned 21. Should I just finally shoot it, sell it, of keep on holding it?

I'd hold on to it. It might not have much monetary value to a collector, but it's a nice reminder of the seventies for some of us older shooters.

If you don't want it, I'll buy it from you at a fair price.

Seriously.

 

[Homie]

Does anyone have any info on the "new" Super Vel operation that was supposed to have released ammo last year?

 

[federali]

Supervel

I too have some Supervel and I'm also a cartridge collector. First, unless the ammo was stored in a hole in the ground, it is fine to shoot. A full box of ammo appeals primarily to box collectors. I would have to agree that the box isn't with much more than what an equivalent box of currently produced ammo would cost you.

 

[Texas Star]

Better the 150 grain than the 110 grain.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If it were mine I would sell it only if I could get enough money to replace the 50 rounds with 100 rounds on my current carry ammo. If not I would hold on to it.

 

[DWalt]

SuperVel was at the forefront of light bullet/high velocity ammunition development, with jacketed expanding bullets. At that time, the big boys offered only, for the most part, either lead bullet or FMJ bullet loadings in handgun ammunition. SuperVel changed all that, as it rapidly became very popular and was costing Remington and Winchester a lot of sales. I think many shooters who were active in the 1960s and 1970s still have some of it around. I know that somewhere, I have a box each of SV .38 Special and 9mm packed away.

 

[CTG_COLLECTOR]

Does anyone have any info on the "new" Super Vel operation that was supposed to have released ammo last year?

Here ya go! Just found it last night.

supervel

 

[kaaskop49]

The original S-V did not solely produce hot JHP ammo. I bought a box of 158 grain full jacketed (IIRC) SWC (or perhaps it should be called 'truncated cone') .38 ammo at standard service velocity.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[DWalt]

One little-known factoid is that Super Vel produced the Mk 144 9mm round for use by Navy SEALS in Vietnam during the late 1960s-early 1970s. It used a heavy subsonic FMJ bullet (I think maybe 158 grains) in a highly modified S&W Model 39 pistol with suppressor, christianed the "Hushpuppy." Ostensibly, its purpose was to silently kill NVA/VC guard dogs, but in fact it was used on far more people than dogs.

The Hushpuppy was mainly used in locked-breech mode, using a latch to block the slide so that it did not function in other than single-shot mode to avoid action clatter noise.

If you want rare SV ammo, try finding some SV Mk 144. Very limited production (later made by others besides SV), and I have seen only one such round. I'd like to see what the box looked like if anyone has a picture. The S&W Hushpuppy itself is probably more rare - only about 150 of them (several estimates exist of the number) were ever made. I have seen only pictures of those.

 

[Homie]

Here ya go! Just found it last night.

supervel

Thanks for the link. I had emailed the Nevada Cartridge Co. last week with no response.

 

[BE Mike]

Shoot it! That is what it was made for! I carried 137 gr. soft point SuperVel .357 ammo in my S&W model 28, back in the mid-70's. I had the opportunity to deer hunt with the same rig many years later. That cartridge did a job on the Texas deer.

 

[nyeti]

Thanks for the link. I had emailed the Nevada Cartridge Co. last week with no response.

May want to try West Side Armory in Las Vegas. Same owner of both companies. I am testing the new Super Vel now. For the small CCW pistols like the Shield, the 90 grain load is smoking fast without much recoil.

 

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

In my "collection" of ammo, I have both loaded SV 357 and unloaded new heads.

As I recall they were kinda Barky when fired.