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Please tell me I'm not as stoopid as I feel...

Colt Super
I tell people: "NEVER fall in love with something you want to buy, 'cause your reasoning goes out the window - just like it does when you fall for a Woman".

Heedless of my own advice, I met and fell in love with one of the most beautiful pistols I had ever seen, and put it on layaway.

It is a Colt Stainless Lightweight Commander with double diamond rosewood grip panels...in .38 Super.

I've never owned a Super before, and haven't been much of a fan of the 9MMP either. I just always "knew" that the Super was a hotter round.

So, this morning,as the time is coming to redeem the layaway, I decided to do some research on the two rounds.

Well, it IS hotter with similar bullet weights and etc. But, I doubt that the human getting hit with either would be able to tell the difference. And Super ammo is harder to find and more expensive.

Dumb Doug.

I am paying a lot of money for this love (as I have for the two legged loves I have had). So I'm looking for ways to fix my mistake.

With appropriate mags, can I put a .45ACP or .40 S&W barrel in the pistol, or do other changes need to be made as well ??

If so, what changes ??

Springs, slides (hope not) ??

Please Experts, tell me I didn't screw up TOO badly.

Thank you.

Doug - older now, but wiser
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Comments

17 comments

Date Votes
  • ruger41
    Bad guy will be DOA after being hit by a .38 Super--I'd leave the gun alone or if you really have to have a .45 then sell that gun, make a profit and find what you want or at least try it before you change it as you might like it--it was good enough in the 1930's for bad guys and good guys alike[;)] I think ya did just fine.
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  • Colt Super
    Thanks ruger.

    I was just contemplating have a multi-caliber, single frame.

    Whattaya think about that ??

    Doug
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  • rsnyder55
    G&A did an article in the 70's or 80's regarding Colt conversions and the 38 super was the most adaptable frame for caliber conversion. If someone could look it up, I think you would find it an interesting read.

    I can try to look to see if I have it, but it is warehoused and it may take awhile for me to find but I will take a look.
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  • dcs shooters
    To change to 40or45, you need to change slide, barrel, recoil spring, and ejector in frame. Along with mags.
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  • Colt Super
    I was afraid of that.

    rsnyder - If you would do that, I would greatly appreciate it.

    Perhaps you could email it to me, or maybe I could look it up in the pubs archives, if I had the title of the article ??

    Thank you, guys.

    Doug
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  • He Dog
    .38 super is a great round. Whoever said love should be easy, had no experience. Leave it as is, and love it![:X][^]
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  • rsnyder55
    I was told it was June 1982. If this is true, it might cut my search time abit.
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  • ruger41
    I think it would be cool to change calibers at will-kinda like that new SIG--at least you might be able to change to a .22 for cheap practice with a conversion kit-just don't know if they have them for the Commander.
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  • CS8161
    The 38 Super is a potent round for self defense...loaded with the right hollow point bullets...the FMJ will just poke a small hole thru someone without slowing down. I would not change it out, leave it as it is and buy some reloading dies for it!
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  • grumpygy
    Don't seem that expensive . At least compaired to other ammo right now.

    http://www.ammoengine.com/find/ammo/.38_Super


    Hope the link stays, also would try the auction side.

    http://v4.beta.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=129136320
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  • CapnMidnight
    Doug,
    Your Washington neighbor here, the 38 super is a heck of a defense round, I've owned severial 1911 style guns in this caliber. Perhaps the most famous person to use this round was John Dilling, back in the day 45ACP rounds wouldn't always go through the door of a model A Ford, however the 38 Super would. I'm in the process of buying a new Taurus 1911 in 38 Super.
    For what it's worth.
    W.D.
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  • leeblackman
    .38super 115gr goes just under 1400fps with almost 500ft lbs of energy.... Thats a whopper of a cartridge.

    Compare it to the 9mm para, its another 100fps faster and about 50ft lbs more energy.

    I'd say ballistics wise, its just between a 9mm Para and a .357sig.
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  • He Dog
    Please tell me I'm not as stoopid as I feel...


    In retrospect, I cannot believe we let a straight line like that go by without the usual gunbroker tongue-in-cheek attack![B)][:p]
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  • Colt Super
    Thanks to all of you.

    As usual, coming over here makes me more smardur.

    I'll keep it, as is, and save up for a .1911A1 in .45ACP, I think - maybe .40 - no .45 - well 40 is good - yeah but .45ACP is
    classic - 40 is more moderner - yeah but ded is ded...mumbling off into the distance.

    Doug
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  • v35
    The 9mmx23 will also go on that frame, slide and magazine.It's hotter than the Super. I believe conversion to 9mm Luger just needs barrel, spring and mag.
    9x23 and 38 Super chambers are similar except the Super is semi-rimmed.
    I've not been following Super developments but original chambers headspaced on the rim were found not to be as accurate as chambers headspacing on the case mouth.
    Good choice for a flat, hard shooting pistol.
    I hope the recoil wont bother you.
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  • Colt Super
    Thanks v35.

    Do you know where I would go to get more information on these two conversions ??

    I once had a 1911 in 9MM, but I know nothing about the 9X23.

    If the topic gets locked, please email me.

    Thank you.

    Doug
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  • David Nunn
    You have a cool pistol. Why not just enjoy it? I have a Colt Lightweight Commander in .38 Super, made in 1952, same year as me, and I wouldn't give it up for anything.
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