Questions for .38 Super owners

[FALAR]

I've owned the caliber before, I had two really nice Colts in .38 Super once upon a time. I only got out of it because these days I'm double stack or nothing.  At the time, I wasn't even aware of any hi-cap .38 Supers in existence and I was gaining nothing just shooting the limited factory .38 Super ammo there is that varies from 1150-1220 fps with a 130gr bullet.  Not even much hotter than 124gr +p 9mm.

 

I never handloaded it though and just used factory ammo since the Colt barrels were unsupported.  I'm aware that to get ammo that is hotter than 9x19 I would have to handload.  I thought I'd check and see how these guns in .38 Super run before jumping in though.

 

1.  Has anyone fired 9x19 from their .38 Super Tanfoglio?  Did you use the .38 Super mags, how reliable was it?

2.  I've read that the semi-rim is problematic for doublestacks.  For 100% reliability should I just use Super Comp brass?

3.  To go with #2, does the extractor need modified for Super Comp brass?

4.  How reliable is 9x23 ammo?  I see Buffalo Bore still offers some.

5.  Is the short chamber issue from 9mm Tanfoglios just a 9mm issue (since they are likely using a NATO chamber) or is it present on the .38s as well?  I'm assuming it is limited to 9mm guns.  Both of mine are recent production (within last 6 months) and pass a plunk test with any FMJ or FP ammo I have but will not pass with 147 gr HST hollow points which run long.

6.  Running the full-power loads (1350fps with a 147) would it be beneficial to use something like the Sprinco Recoil Reducer (like some of the 10mm guys are using) or just use a heavier recoil spring like 20lbs?

 

Thanks, sorry for a bunch of noob questions but before jumping in on a $900 dollar pistol that I'd then modify and get setup to load for I thought I'd go in fully aware of everything.

 

 

[kneelingatlas]

1. I've fired 9 from a 38 Tanfoglio without issue using K9 mags, 9mm from 38 mags is problematic with Tanfoglio.

2. I used regular super cases in my 2011 without issue before I switched everything to supercomp.  My Tanfoglio was supercomp only as I used a 9mm slide.

3. I never had extraction issues, even shooting 9mm in a 40 slide.

4. Never bought factory ammo

5. It's the throat which is short, not the chamber, but I didn't see as many issues with the 38 as with the 9s

6. I'm not a fan of the sprinco nor the dpm.

 

Now I have some questions:

 

1. Which Tanfoglio are you considering?

2. For what purpose?

[Hi-Power Jack]

3 hours ago, FALAR said:

 before jumping in on a $900 dollar pistol  

 

Not sure what you plan on doing with it, but sounds like you might be much better off

buying a 9mm …. ???

[FALAR]

4 hours ago, kneelingatlas said:

1. I've fired 9 from a 38 Tanfoglio without issue using K9 mags, 9mm from 38 mags is problematic with Tanfoglio.

2. I used regular super cases in my 2011 without issue before I switched everything to supercomp.  My Tanfoglio was supercomp only as I used a 9mm slide.

3. I never had extraction issues, even shooting 9mm in a 40 slide.

4. Never bought factory ammo

5. It's the throat which is short, not the chamber, but I didn't see as many issues with the 38 as with the 9s

6. I'm not a fan of the sprinco nor the dpm.

 

Now I have some questions:

 

1. Which Tanfoglio are you considering?

2. For what purpose?

 

A Stock III for general plinking and fun, ringing steel at longer ranges (for a pistol).

 

I have a Stock III in 9mm and just thought man, this thing is begging for a more powerful round.  The mags have spacers in them, the ejection port is oversized......I liked my .38 Super 1911s and thought I'd be a fun project to work up some powerful .38 Super loads in a doublestack gun that can take them.  I guess I'm just looking at the potential of the "large frame".

 

Reading about the 9mm short throats itself was an exhausting topic.....found posts saying it was addressed a few years back (my gun was made in 2018 and like I said, HSTs fail the plunk test) and others saying it was due to a NATO spec chamber being utilized, others that it was worn tooling.  I'm sure there are differences between the CIP and SAAMI chamber, I wonder if Tanfoglio just uses a reamer that is at the bare minimum because I'm not aware of this in any other European guns.  In .38 Super I wouldn't likely be utilizing any long hollow points anyway, as it wouldn't be a carry gun of any sort.  I may try to load some 158 FMJs though.

 

Before taking the plunge to an all new caliber (mags, dies, components, etc) I thought I'd gather as much info as possible.

 

I read this article and it got me thinking about it:

 

http://www.shootingtimes.com/editorial/super-powders-for-the-38-super/99160

 

 

I've been reading up on the 10mm Tanfoglios too but it seems the only ones currently available are the 6" guns.  I wouldn't rule out a 10mm Stock III in my future either.  I like that the barrels are fully supported unlike 1911s which can't run the full power ammo.

 

Edited December 31, 2018 by FALAR

[kneelingatlas]

If you want power from a double stack, I suggest the 10mm.  Why settle for 147s at 1,350 when you can sling 180s that fast?!?

 

I had a Hunter in 10mm and loved it!  You can also buy a conversion kit for your 9mm Stock III.

[Mlussoro]

38 super great round brass expensive for super comp. really the reliable way to go but even at that a lot of us had issues getting everything tuned to run.

 Yes  can be shoot 9 out of them, they run better with  9mm extractor , and x power spring, I have had 0 issues firing from a k38 mag or even the stock eaa 170s  it’s all up to you on whether you plan to to go down the rabbit hole or not lol

[arkadi]

+1 on 10mm.

[Catmanduex]

Buy a Coonan.  That otta be hot enough.

[Fo0]

13 hours ago, Mlussoro said:

38 super great round brass expensive for super comp. really the reliable way to go but even at that a lot of us had issues getting everything tuned to run.

 Yes  can be shoot 9 out of them, they run better with  9mm extractor , and x power spring, I have had 0 issues firing from a k38 mag or even the stock eaa 170s  it’s all up to you on whether you plan to to go down the rabbit hole or not lol

 

Did you leave your 9mm extractor stock or tune it as Henning suggest

[Mlussoro]

My was 38gun had major issues until I installed new 9 Extractor  with xtra power spring , It is stock

No tuning needed for super comp brass , I wouldn’t even mess with super plus p ,or  factory ammo .  

      Doesn’t feed well at all the rim causes issues when stacking in mag

[HSO]

Sorry to revive a year old thread, but I was trying to find a 9mm barrel for a large frame .38 Super (or the complete upper)...until I stumbled on this and other threads saying that the 9mm shoots just fine out of the .38 Super barrel. 

 

So I tried running 9mm through the gun and it ran fine.  It even ran fine on a variety of cheap and quality factory 9mm. THANKS!  Yet, I see some details in this thread about extractors and extractor springs with 9mm through .38 Super. 

 

What I gather is that the extractor on the gun may need to be replaced with a 9mm extractor and a Wolf XP spring to get reliable extraction/ejection.   Is that still the case if different factory 9mm ammunition ran fine through this particular .38 Super or should I expect a problem to develop?   

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited January 13, 2019 by HSO

[Mlussoro]

It has to do with how well the holds it holds case to breech face. Most of the gold team issues come from feed issues not extracting from mag , double feeds, FTE etc.  by changing to  9mm and wolf xpower spring it helps situation a ton. 

[HSO]

Thanks, that makes sense. 

 

Possible stupid sounding question...do I need to swap extractors back and forth to shoot the two calibers or would adding the XP Wolf spring be sufficient?

Edited January 13, 2019 by HSO

[Steve RA]

If it runs the way it is, don't mess with it.   

[HSO]

5 minutes ago, Steve RA said:

If it runs the way it is, don't mess with it. 

 

 

OR

 

If it ain't broke (yet), don't fix it? 

[Steve RA]

Equally applicable  

[arkadi]

40 out of 10, and 9 out of 38 works good enough for action shooting. Yet check how they groups, for me they were slightly larger then with the proper caliber cartridge.

[Mlussoro]

Point of aim may change, but accuracy shouldn’t 9mm 38 same projectile as is 40 and 10 mm at least  what I load 

[FALAR]

I ended up pulling the trigger.  Sadly I don't think any range time will be possible within the next few days but after getting them cleaned up (man, one had been in the box/baggie for at least 2 years and the preservative was really thick and gunky, took a bit to get it clean and smooth) I was able at least run some 9mm dummies from the mag.  Looks like 9mm may be a go even from the .38 Super mags.  Being able to potentially fire three separate cartridges (9x23, .38 Super, 9x19) from the same gun would be pretty cool.

[Hi-Power Jack]

Can't wait for the results   …..    we've been waiting seven months, now.     

[shabodah]

20 hours ago, FALAR said:

Being able to potentially fire three separate cartridges (9x23, .38 Super, 9x19) from the same gun would be pretty cool.

I need more people on board to get 22 tcm barrels made. Any interest?

[FALAR]

No, because that would require switching barrels AND I have two Five SeveNs already.

 

Here are my new .38s right out of the box:

 

 

 

 

 

I have grips and front sights coming already.  I'll be removing the magwell from the Limited.  Strangely the Stock III has the much more positive safety (and it will never be used) and even a lighter SA trigger (3.75lb vs 4.5lb) than the SAO gun.  Since .38 Super isn't very popular anymore the Limited was sitting in a warehouse a while....it is a 2016 make/import.  Both guns have better checkering and overall fit and finish than my 9mm Stock II and IIIs.  I need to order a box or two of Buffalo Bore 9x23 and see if it will chamber.

 

I'll definitely get some trigger work done at some point too, just undecided what yet.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2019 by FALAR

[shabodah]

9x23 Chambers and fires great in my .38 stock III.

[shabodah]

Although it functions fine and is plenty accurate, my father's 5-7 just doesn't feel like my stock III.

[FALAR]

On 8/3/2019 at 10:10 PM, shabodah said:

9x23 Chambers and fires great in my .38 stock III.

 

What recoil spring do you use with 9x23?