current preference 9 mm major or 38 super/super comp?

[itchy]

Is the current trend in "open" guns to build in 9 major or do people still prefer 38 super/supercomp?

A friend of mine heard that a major ammo manufacturer is thinking about producing a 38 load at "winchester white box/federal american eagle" type prices. Not sure if it's super or supercomp.

Thanks,

Seiichi

[boz1911]

If brass costs were no object, I'd shoot 38sc but since it is, 9major for me.

Edited October 8, 2010 by boz1911

[Joe4d]

this same question has been hashed out many times, there are also a couple polls, answer is alwasy the same, just like boyz1911 said.

I wouldnt hold my breath for a 38 super WWB, or if it does come out it wont be priced like 9mm, just not enough demand.

[rupture]

No , no not the same question again, noooooooooooooo.......

[user293]

im gettin a gun made in .38 supercomp. ive found brass for 5-7 cents more (per case) than the .45 brass ive been getting. ive been shooting the game since may of this year and have seen more failures of 9mm major in open guns than supercomp so comp it is. more choice of powder, good luck getting a case to blow (with loads that arent rediculous), and you get to use that brass about 10 times. ill suck up the 7 cents per case than ive been paying. i know 9mm is virtually free but still needs to get shipped from where you KNOW its once fired or new. my 2 american pieces of copper. may have also poked the 9mm bear on this?

[1911Prof]

I feel as though I have always move backwards against the stream, but I recently sold my 9 major and moved to 38 super. I really didn't like the limited powder selection (HS6 is really dirty) or compacting loads. I had a case failure and decided that I had spent a lot of money in the sport and the price of brass was not worth the ease of the extra case volume. The 38 super cases were designed that way for a reason, which is why most people (if cost were not an issue) would use 38sc. Trust me, I hate grubbing around on the ground looking for brass as much as the next guy, and if they drop the major power factor down to 160 then I may reconsider going back to 9x19. In the mean time, the cost and availability of 38 super is not that much more compared to the ease and reliability of the cartridge. Just my backwards opinion.

Edited October 8, 2010 by 1911Prof

[user293]

i dont think your opinion is backwards, thats the way alot of people (includng me) look at it. nothin wrong with it.

[Religious Shooter]

I had my new Open gun built for 9MM. I've previously had 9x21, 9mm and 9x23(Largo).

If I load 9MM long I doubt .38 will have a significant powder capacity advantage.

[G-ManBart]

I don't think anybody will question that it's easier to get a Super/SC gun to run 100%. Yes, 9s can be made to run reliably, but even in perfectly built guns, with perfect ammo and mags, it's probably not quite as reliable, as a Super/SC....it's simply more on the edge for a number of reasons that all go back to case size, overall length etc. I have a Major 9 gun that's run 100%, but I can't say I like it nearly as much as my 38SC guns from a performance standpoint (similar slide and comp setups).

If you get free 9mm once-fired (LE buddy or similar), don't want to, or can't, recover your brass, cost becomes an issue, and 9 is going to be cheaper.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=113106&view=findpost&p=1283149

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=113072&view=findpost&p=1282798

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=99607&view=findpost&p=1138286

[BMartens]

I shoot 9 major because I want to.

There, end of story.

[Jaxshooter]

Sold all of my 38 super comp guns and had 9mm guns built. If I order another open gun this year I would have to seriously consider going back to 38 SC. All of my 9mm guns run 100% but the load options are much better for 38 SC. I found an old Starline invoice today, the price in 2007 for 1M 38 SC brass was $124.85 delivered. The current price on Starline's web site today is $124.85. It is higher than 9mm but I am beginning to think it is worth it. No more spilled powder on loader etc.

[GrumpyOne]

38 super for me....for all of the reasons listed above.

Edited October 8, 2010 by GrumpyOne

[XD Niner]

.38 Super for me as well. The cost of brass is pretty small compared to all the other costs associated with USPSA shooting.

[calishootr]

old school for me, been a 38 super shooter since waaay back, not changing now...never have had probs with mags(rounds stacking) never had 'mag envy'(lookingfor that 1 more round to fit in the mag, gimme 2 steps an ill load a fresh one) main thing i have ALOT into 38 super...it load ok, an im currently up to my neck in brass...i can get 10 loadings on it(thanks casepro) vs. what im hearing about 9mm major is 3ish??? not moving with the current times??? hell i have working 8-track decks around here somwhere

[itchy]

Thanks for all of the replies. Hopefully this company will come through and have enough market to keep it selling. It would be another source of brass for us. Hoping they make sure it makes major PF.

Seiichi

[G-ManBart]

Thanks for all of the replies. Hopefully this company will come through and have enough market to keep it selling. It would be another source of brass for us. Hoping they make sure it makes major PF.

Seiichi

I would be beyond surprised if a major ammo manufacturer made Major Super, much less at WWB prices. Cor-Bon is the only "major" company selling hot Super and that is barely Major...right at 165PF. But hey, I'd like to see it, so I hope somebody does! R,

[dansy]

38 SC brass is pretty small compare to airfare, if I could make the 9mm to work 125% at all time like the 38SC then I would.....note that I would also have to buy the 9mm brass and probably need to rezise and clean it before loading which mean corncobs polisher and more of my TIME....

[Sean Gaines]

you can always try 9mm, and if the gun doesn't run for you, or you just get frustrated. Then ream the barrel out to a .38super. You can always try, and if you don't succeed, try something else.

My oppinion, if you are going to take competition real seriously, most of the big dawgs use 38super comp,and thats what I would reccomend. If you are just going to be a weekend warrior then try 9major. there are a couple of exceptions of gm's that shoot 9major, but most of them are gunsmiths or have close access to a gunsmith

[G-ManBart]

you can always try 9mm, and if the gun doesn't run for you, or you just get frustrated. Then ream the barrel out to a .38super. You can always try, and if you don't succeed, try something else.

My oppinion, if you are going to take competition real seriously, most of the big dawgs use 38super comp,and thats what I would reccomend. If you are just going to be a weekend warrior then try 9major. there are a couple of exceptions of gm's that shoot 9major, but most of them are gunsmiths or have close access to a gunsmith

If you ream a 9x19 barrel for Super, it's going to beat the heck out of the cases and they won't last as long. 9mm has a larger rim diameter, so the chamber is super oversized if you try to use Super in it (after lengthening it). R,

[THM7]

I believe the 90 degree mount really eliminates most of the reliability issues with 9mm major....so I do not believe that is even a issue. If you like the straight up mount then I can see some merit to .38SC. I enjoy shooting our weekly steel matches in addition to USPSA...I can load up whatever brass I have laying around for steel...however shooting USPSA Major I use once fired brass and only reload it once at Major PF. I have have a Matt Mclearn and Bedell in 9mm...never one issue with either.

[G-ManBart]

I believe the 90 degree mount really eliminates most of the reliability issues with 9mm major....so I do not believe that is even a issue.

Most, but not all. I watched a 9 Major gun puke today after 8 prior stages with no problems (over two days)...it was a failure to extract, double feed. The short case poses problems to extractor tuning, beyond ejection angle, because it has a relatively long period where the case is being held by the extractor, but isn't still partially in the chamber. That can let the case come out of the extractor if things don't happen just perfectly, which is far less likely with the longer cases. I also remember shooting Area-2 with one of the big name proponents of 9 Major...blew out a primer (as in melted), locked up the gun and zerod the stage. It's simply that much more on (sometimes over) the edge. I've got a 9 Major gun that's extremely reliable, but I know it's not as reliable as my SC guns. I'm keeping an exact (seriously) round count on my new Open gun (38SC) and after 15K, it has never had a malfunction. R,

[RoryW]

In Jamaica we use winchester factory 9x23 loads, in our Infinity IMM, which work out to be the same as supercomp. would be nice if it was available here in the US. Cost wise, it's not that much more than 9mm.

[TerryO]

I don't think the cost argument is that strong for 9mm. Gun $3000, 4 tuned mags $500+, holster $150+, mag pouches $35 each - new .38sc 1 1/2 cents more than 9mm. I know that once fired brass will be cheaper but I don't think it makes that much difference especially when you start counting the number of times more you can reload .38sc as compared to 9mm.

As previously stated, the .38 just runs. I was totally shocked last Saturday when my Brazos started to stove pipe. Found cheap Armscor brass was spliting from the web all the way to the mouth,. however it had been reloaded about 9-10 times.

I'm sticking with .38sc.

[Fireant]

The savings I find are on my back and being able to focus on the match instead of where my brass went. When I shot super comp I was always looking for brass and not happy when I'd go home with only 20 pieces after a 150 round match. In my case where I'd loose most of my new brass I save a ton, I can buy a years worth of 9mm for what 1K of super comp cost. I don't have time to practice, so my match brass was mostly new stuff. Now I can get a stage plan, help RO and paste targets and not do the brass hunting dance.

[user293]

The savings I find are on my back and being able to focus on the match instead of where my brass went. When I shot super comp I was always looking for brass and not happy when I'd go home with only 20 pieces after a 150 round match. In my case where I'd loose most of my new brass I save a ton, I can buy a years worth of 9mm for what 1K of super comp cost. I don't have time to practice, so my match brass was mostly new stuff. Now I can get a stage plan, help RO and paste targets and not do the brass hunting dance.

mark your brass. its funny how easilly your brass sticks out when you have a red or blue ring around it against the grass/dirt or whatever you stand on at a match.