Casual discussion: What's the deal with .38 Super?

[rintinglen]

Once I shoot a Crow or two, I am going to try the pan fried crow recipe.

However, I stand by my original assertion that the Super 38 was not originally intended to be a law enforcement handgun and was not designed with that in mind.

While Colt was manufacturing 37,835 Super 38's, the majority of which were shipped overseas per Kevin Williams in his article Uncommon but super: The Pre-WWII Colt Super .38 Automatic, they were manufacturing just about 250,000 38 Specials in the Official Police, New Service and Police Positive lines, while S&W was making just about the same number of M&P's in 38 special, as well as 30,000 odd 32-20's, 6,600 pre-war .357's and roughly 15,000 38-44's, not to mention a fair sized pile of I-frame 38 S&W and 32 S&W long's . I venture to say that there were probably more SAA's in law enforcement holsters than 38 Supers. It is an error to assert wide spread usage by police, or that law enforcement usage was a significant factor in the design of the Cartridge.

Likewise, I doubt seriously that the Super 38 had much to do with the development of the 357 Magnum, as neither Elmer Keith nor Phil Sharpe made mention of it in their writings, and they were the fellows who suggested that S&W develop a "magnum" 38. Certainly Major Wesson saw it as a hunting/outdoorsman weapon, though some Law Enforcement personnel were quick to adopt them. IIRC, J. Edgar Hoover got one of the first ones, and a goodly number of other Police type individuals bought them as well. However, the price assured that most were purchased by Hunters, and the well-to-do who fancied themselves as such.

[RJM52]

May I suggest Crow Pot Pie instead....I don't think you will like pan fried...it is going to be more than chewy...

[RJM52]

Was sorting through some .40 S&W range brass I ordered online and came across a shell with another skinnier and longer shell inside of it. Pulled it out and inspected it and it was a .38 Super shell. I thought it was pretty cool. First time I'd ever handled one.

...if you have never had one...you are missing something...

[beshears]

My Kimber and a Colt 1911 in 38 Super run both cases with no problem. I have found both mixed in my reloads and the guns never new the difference.

[Gunslinger1911]

I built a 38 Super off a cheap Auto Ord 45 acp - new slide, bbl and mags from Brownells.
Same as my 9mm boolets, size .358. Great shooter ! BIG muzzle flash with hot loads !
I have gotten 1450 f/s with a "certain 125g boolet and certain g powder" - nope, won't tell.
That's knocking on the door of the primo .357 mag 125 Rem "tulip point" .
I have been known to size down said rem 125 and load in the super - again, nope not tellin load data - safe in mine, maybe not in yours.
Gotta polish the heck out of the feed ramp, lots a exposed soft lead in that tulip point !
Maybe an "obsolete" round, but as shown in above pix, they are on the shelf !!!!!

[Hardcast]

I have not yet had time to read every post in this thread, but in case no one has mentioned it, you can go to Hicock45's channel on youtube and watch him shoot a Govt model 38 Super. IMHO, anyone who is interested but not shot a 38 Super, should watch this video.
I have seen it a couple times in the past, but I think I will watch it again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSevk49yokc

Edit: I skip through most of his jabber and watch the shooting part.

[Sailormilan2]

Comparing the 9mm to a 38 Super is like comparing a .308 Win to a 30-06. The smaller case of the 9mm makes it a bit better and more efficient with lighter bullets, while the larger case of the 38 Super does better heavier bullets and slower powders.
For those with a 1911 in .357 Sig, I think one would be better off ditching the 40 cal magazines , which limits bullet length, and go with a 10mm magazine. Then gets some od the Saeco 383 style bullets. Their bullet design would let them work very will with the larger capacity 357 Sig case and slower powders. If I can get 1350+ fps using that bullet in my 38 super, I'm confident that the 357 Sig case would do even better.

[Hardcast]

Sailormilan2: Excellent post ! However, your statement about using a 10mm magazine with long loaded 357 SIGS and the Saeco 383 will only apply to 1911 style guns. And, there are very few 357 SIG chambered 1911s on the market. I have an S&W M&P 2.0 with 357 SIG barrel, but there are no 10mm magazines for this gun. Everything you said about the 38 Super, is right on IMHO.