STI 9mm conversion to 38 super

[zero_down]

I've got an STI Eagle in 9mm and I love it, but if I ever wanted to shoot USPSA with it I would have to go Limited "minor". So I was thinking about getting a 38 super barrel. My question is "Would I have to get a whole new slide, or would I just have to get a barrel fitted to the 9mm slide?" I know that I can already use the same 9mm mags, all I have to do is take the spacer out and "what'a know" I now have 38 super mags. I know the mags would work cuz I've done it before with my 38 super race gun. I was in a pinch and had to run my 9mm mags, and much to my surprise, they worked! I know the right thing to do is just get a whole new dedicated slide, or even a whole new pistol would be better but I'm just trying to convert back and forth with the least amount of money.

Edited August 24, 2009 by zero_down

[BrianATL]

38 super would still be minor in limited

[gm iprod]

Brian is right, still going to have to shoot minor. So you might as well leave it as 9mm.

But to answer the technical part, you can just drop a new barrel in and it is 38Super. I would personally buy the extra set of mags just to ensure that there were no problems with feeding etc.

You canof course see if the 40cal cases will fit into the 9mm breech face and change to that calibre. BUT you will certainly need new magazines for that effort.

Now to be really stupid, IF, the 40cal cases fit the 9mm breach face, you could have all three on two sets of magazines, if we revert to your idea of ripping the spacers out of the 9mm mags.

[G-ManBart]

But to answer the technical part, you can just drop a new barrel in and it is 38Super.

You canof course see if the 40cal cases will fit into the 9mm breech face and change to that calibre. BUT you will certainly need new magazines for that effort.

Not necessarily. Not too long ago STI made different slides for 9mm and Super. The 9mm slides have a ledge on the breachface that could cause issues when trying to run Super. I haven't gone and measured any of mine, but I doubt a 9/38S slide would work with .40 since the case head diameter is so different. R,

[gm iprod]

G-manbart

I was not sure about that, thats why I suggested they check. I have a couple of old slides kicking around and one was 40Cal the other was 38Super, and they both will accept both cartridges. Now these are old slides and no longer in use one is Nowlin the other is unknown.