.38 Super non +P cast boolit load in an aluminum Commander

[pan957]

I picked up a .38 Super Colt Commander with an aluminum frame made in 1952. I want to shoot it sparingly and don't want to crack the frame. I remember an article in "Shooting Times" magazine back in the 1970's where they torture tested an aluminum frame .45 ACP Commander and they cracked the frame within 2000 rounds. I am looking for a lead bullet load that will not unduly stress the frame. Has anyone played with such a lightweight Commander and have a load recommendation? I will replace the recoil spring and fit a recoil buffer as added insurance.

[unclemikeinct]

No need to order extra parts. Most cast bullet loads are less potent than the factory stuff it was made for. That said , just use your best judgement w the reload [cast bullet] with the least amount of your powder of choice that will function properly. unclemikeinct

[oso]

My wife and I are kind to both our heavy steel and lightweight polymer Supers. We prefer sub sonic loads. What weight bullets are you planning on using and what powders do you have available?

[RJM52]

You have nothing to worry about... I have two 1952 Commanders in .38 Super as well as a 1951 and a 1956 and the lowest velocity loads through any of them is 1240 fps...most have been in the mid-1300s..

One of the 52s was my carry and duty gun from 1980 to 2007...it has 7K+ rounds through it. The second 52 is now my daily carry gun and has a hard chrome finish and TruGlo night sights. It was worn today and shot in an IDPA match a couple of weeks ago. It has well over 2K rounds through it. The 1956 used to be my IPSC gun and also has a couple of thousand rounds through it...

If you have never had a Super before, do yourself and the gun a favor...buy a new correctly headspaced barrel. Colt made Supers from 1929 to 1990 has chambers that headspaced the round on the tiny rim...this caused major accuracy problems... It can also cause blown primers.

https://www.1911forum.com/threads/th...arrels.182030/

Buy one from BarSto, KART, FUSION, Nowlin, Wilson...you will like the gun much better...

The frames are made of Coltalloy...which accirding to championship shooter Chuck Taylor was an alloy of aluminum and titanium that had just been developed for the aircraft industry in the late 1940s. The Skeeter Skelton article was a .45 Commander and cracked the frame in a 1000 rounds...it still ran just fine however... Many steel frame guns crack the frame just above the slidelock pin hole also...I had one.

Some reading on the Super:

https://web.archive.org/web/20170624...//38super.net/

https://hipowersandhandguns.com/Corb...mo%20Tests.htm

https://www.gun-tests.com/ammo/38-su...acketed-hps-3/

Reloading:

https://www.shootingtimes.com/editor...r-loads/326242

https://www.shootingtimes.com/editor...38-super/99160

https://www.handloadermagazine.com/38-super-automatic-p


1952..carried daily for 27 years...



10 rounds at 10 yards...BarSto barrel...




Second 1952...carried daily since 2007..




1951...




1956... SAECO 383 140 grain bullet with 6.0 Unique...1240 fps...very accurate...my favorite cast bullet for Supers




Bob

ps...all .38 Super loads are called +P regardless of the velocity or pressure to dissuade people who own Colt 1903 Automatics in .38 ACP from shooting Supers in their guns... It isn't "dangerous" but will beat the guns up... Really .38 Super is .38 ACP +P...loads from Buffalo Bore, CorBon, Underwood would be .38 ACP +P+...they all run 1350-1650 fps depending on the bullet... SAAMI changed the name to protect the stupid...

[ddixie884]

I knew Bob would be along to give up the strait skinny. They don't call him SuperMan for nothing.........

[Cosmic_Charlie]

With the improvements in alloys you would think there would be more of these made lately.

[Larry Gibson]

You might start using a buffer on the recoil spring guide. As to light loads try some of the loads for the older 38 ACP [same case as the 38 Super but with lighter loads] as a startting point or start loads for the 9mm Largo. You can work up to 100% reliable functioning if they don't function the action of your 38 Super.

[Rapier]

I love folks that do not do their homework. It bet I had one super blown all over the range once a week. The 38 Stupid is not a learning curve, it is the curve. They make a distinctive sound when it starts raining parts off the concrete firing line.

[gwpercle]

I picked up a .38 Super Colt Commander with an aluminum frame made in 1952. I want to shoot it sparingly and don't want to crack the frame. I remember an article in "Shooting Times" magazine back in the 1970's where they torture tested an aluminum frame .45 ACP Commander and they cracked the frame within 2000 rounds. I am looking for a lead bullet load that will not unduly stress the frame. Has anyone played with such a lightweight Commander and have a load recommendation? I will replace the recoil spring and fit a recoil buffer as added insurance.

I got plenty loads ... what Powders do you have or can get .
Cast boolit weights - 90 gr. , 115 gr. , 124 gr. , & 158 gr. ( RCBS mould designs)
Powders are the usual suspects : 231/HP38 , Bullseye , Unique , HS5 , 7625 & Acc. #2 .

What cha got to work with ?
Gary

[charlie b]

FWIW, I also swap out recoil/main springs and use a buffer with my light Commander in .45 depending on the loads I am shooting.

[Tazman1602]

Sorry to top post, 35 years ago I *might* have lusted after a relative, today, those guns make me drool

VERY-COOL!

Art

You have nothing to worry about... I have two 1952 Commanders in .38 Super as well as a 1951 and a 1956 and the lowest velocity loads through any of them is 1240 fps...most have been in the mid-1300s..

One of the 52s was my carry and duty gun from 1980 to 2007...it has 7K+ rounds through it. The second 52 is now my daily carry gun and has a hard chrome finish and TruGlo night sights. It was worn today and shot in an IDPA match a couple of weeks ago. It has well over 2K rounds through it. The 1956 used to be my IPSC gun and also has a couple of thousand rounds through it...

If you have never had a Super before, do yourself and the gun a favor...buy a new correctly headspaced barrel. Colt made Supers from 1929 to 1990 has chambers that headspaced the round on the tiny rim...this caused major accuracy problems... It can also cause blown primers.

https://www.1911forum.com/threads/th...arrels.182030/

Buy one from BarSto, KART, FUSION, Nowlin, Wilson...you will like the gun much better...

The frames are made of Coltalloy...which accirding to championship shooter Chuck Taylor was an alloy of aluminum and titanium that had just been developed for the aircraft industry in the late 1940s. The Skeeter Skelton article was a .45 Commander and cracked the frame in a 1000 rounds...it still ran just fine however... Many steel frame guns crack the frame just above the slidelock pin hole also...I had one.

Some reading on the Super:

https://web.archive.org/web/20170624...//38super.net/

https://hipowersandhandguns.com/Corb...mo%20Tests.htm

https://www.gun-tests.com/ammo/38-su...acketed-hps-3/

Reloading:

https://www.shootingtimes.com/editor...r-loads/326242

https://www.shootingtimes.com/editor...38-super/99160

https://www.handloadermagazine.com/38-super-automatic-p


1952..carried daily for 27 years...



10 rounds at 10 yards...BarSto barrel...




Second 1952...carried daily since 2007..




1951...




1956... SAECO 383 140 grain bullet with 6.0 Unique...1240 fps...very accurate...my favorite cast bullet for Supers




Bob

ps...all .38 Super loads are called +P regardless of the velocity or pressure to dissuade people who own Colt 1903 Automatics in .38 ACP from shooting Supers in their guns... It isn't "dangerous" but will beat the guns up... Really .38 Super is .38 ACP +P...loads from Buffalo Bore, CorBon, Underwood would be .38 ACP +P+...they all run 1350-1650 fps depending on the bullet... SAAMI changed the name to protect the stupid...

[gun toting monkeyboy]

You might start using a buffer on the recoil spring guide. As to light loads try some of the loads for the older 38 ACP [same case as the 38 Super but with lighter loads] as a startting point or start loads for the 9mm Largo. You can work up to 100% reliable functioning if they don't function the action of your 38 Super.

^THIS^
Start with .38 ACP loads, and work your way up from there. If you are worried about your gun, just keep going up in powder until you reach the point where your gun cycles reliably. You should be able to find that point somewhere between the lowest loads in .38 ACP and the standard .38 Super loads. Probably close to the point where they overlap. Maybe a bit before that. If you can't find .38 ACP load data, look in some of the older manuals. Failing that, 9mm Largo data will work, as he mentioned. The Largo was interchangeable with .38 ACP in many of the non-Colt pistols that used it. I load all my 9MM Largo using my .38 Super dies. Let us know how it works out for you.

-Mb

[RJM52]

As I said above...not to worry...put in a headspaced on the case mouth barrel and proper springs and shoot to hearts content...

Besides the above 50s vintage Colt Commanders I also have this one that was a TALO exclusive a few years ago...





The second barrel is in 9x23 Winchester...124 grain bullets at 1450 fps...55K psi... The bottom target is a mag full at 10 yards...the small holes in the forehead are .22s... There are several guys on the 1911 forums who carry/shoot 9x23 on a daily basis in a Commander...

If you want a simple load that should function the gun with stock springs and barrel, try 5.0 grains of Unique with any lead/plated/jacketed bullet from 115-160.

Bob