Colt 38 super

[salvadore]

Anyone own a recent Colt 38 super? Comments?

[USMC Vet]

Don't have a Colt, but do have a Kimber target model. Really enjoy it.
USMC Vet

[country gent]

What do you consider recent mine is pre series 70 govt model 1911 in 38 super.

[BCgunworks]

I had a customer just bring one in. New in the box. Rattle trap loose. Barrel pushes down when locked up. And bushing play.

Typical colt quality

[salvadore]

The one I handled appeared tight had nicely checked grips and nicely blued. I believe the super headspace on the case mouth like other auto calibers. Does anyone know if RIA headspace their supers on the mouth or the semi rim?

[ReloaderFred]

RIA, and most other modern .38 Super makers, headspace off the mouth. I recently purchased an RIA and it's pretty accurate, after I replaced the factory sights to something move visible.

Of the several .38 Super pistols I own, my Witness Elite Match is the most accurate of the bunch.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[salvadore]

ReloaderFred, do you own a Colt super and is it as bad as BCgunworks experience?

[country gent]

Colt used to eadspace on the rim and accuracy could be iffy. Almost all modern are set up to headspace on the case mouth now. Its a great round and alot of fun

[ReloaderFred]

salvadore,

I don't have a Colt brand 1911 in .38 Super, but I do have the RIA 1911 in that caliber. I've also got several Tanfoglio Witnesses in .38 Super, along with the Witness Elite Match. My Colt 1911's are in .45 acp and 10mm.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[wv109323]

I have a Gov't Model and a Combat Commander(70 Series). I had replace the barrel in the Commander because it headspaced on the rim. The chamber was so loose that the cases were rupturing. I used a Bar-sto barrel.
The cartridge is fun to play with. It has a lot of energy and would be good for SD. But the .45 ACP is much more common,more reloading components available, and only 1 or 2 rounds less in the magazine. The price of brass is 2-3X more expensive and you loose just as much as the .45.

[salvadore]

wv109323, I know. I currently own 3 1911s and a Brazilian crest 1917 and I also swore I'd never set up for another cartridge I didn't already load for. For some of us this is a sickness.

[OTThomas]

Picked up a gov't model colt in 38 super this past Christmas. Fit and finish is definitely not on par with my Dad's pre-series 70 but that's expected and it's mechanically sound which makes it hard to complain. The mainspring housing is plastic which is a bit of a bummer but like I said the handgun is still very reliable.
The only trouble we had was with the factory colt magazines, or rather the followers in the mags. The tab of the follower barely sat on the very edge of the slide stop and would sometimes slip over, failing to lock the slide back when empty and making it difficult to remove the magazine. We sent the gun back to colt and received it a couple months later with replaced "checkmate" brand magazines which have a two tier design follower instead of colt's single piece bent metal style of follower. Since we got the gun back from colt we have had zero problems and have grown very fond of the .38 super cartridge.

Hope this helps,
Thomas

[oger]

It took me 3 brand new ones to get one that was even close to being tight. I'm not talking about a little loose but really bad. The only new weapons I have ever refused to except.

[MGD]

Got a new stainless 1991 in 38 super about 4 years ago. Out of the box the trigger broke clean at 4 3/4 pounds. It shot great with lead, never shot any jacketed with it. Good accuracy, I shot IDPA with it for a year. But my brother was looking for a 1911, and seeing how he isn't a active shooter I showed him the 38 super. He loved the accuracy and controlability. Colt is still making pistols, but I only have one brother; so I am looking for another Colt.

[deepwater]

Salvador,

What is: "bad as BC Gunworks experience"?

[wv109323]

He was referring to post No. 4 in this thread.