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I know that this is a naive question...

Colt Super
but, is there any way that 9MM Parabellum will feed and fire in a 1911 .38 Super.

Or even, could it be hand-fed as a single shot in that pistol.

Please don't beat me up too bad.

Thank you.

Doug
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • Hawk Carse
    No.
    A standard 9mm P cartridge will not go all the way in a standard .38 Super chamber.

    If "any way" includes a chamber reamer and a headspace ring, you could kluge something up in the manner of Major George C. Nonte.
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  • RtWngExtrmst
    Not smart to put anything into a firearm that's not stamped on the barrel. But why would you want to?
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  • XXCross
    If I'm not mistaken, the 9mm is shorter than the 38 Super. Since the the 9mm headspaces on the end of the case (mouth), it should drop in too far to be hit by the firing pin. Only an interference between the head size and chamber diameter of the two might work to keep the round at the back of the chamber. Bad idea.
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  • Colt Super
    It was just a random thought.

    I wouldn't do it.

    Just curious.

    And this is the "answer" spot.

    Thanks, guys.

    Doug
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    ACCUALY, YES IT WILL. THE 9MM WILL FEED JUST FINE AND IF THE EXTRACTOR CATCHES THE RIM IT WILL FIRE AND EJECT. PLEASE NOTE I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS UNDER ANY BUT THE MOST DIRE CIRCUMSTANCE
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  • BGHillbilly
    I had a 9mm that would handle .380's, unfortunatly it was stolen.
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  • donut77donut
    Mine does with the 9mm barrel
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  • Txs
    quote:Originally posted by XXCross
    If I'm not mistaken, the 9mm is shorter than the 38 Super. Since the the 9mm headspaces on the end of the case (mouth), it should drop in too far to be hit by the firing pin.On an autopistol the rim of the cartridge slides behind the extractor as it's stripped out of the magazine.

    The extractor hook will hold a 'too short' round tightly enough against the breech face for the firing pin to pop the primer.

    Over the years I've seen this happen several times where people have accidentally fired little stubby .380's through a 9mm. They won't successfully feed the next round, but will reliably fire a chambered round.
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  • machine gun moran
    Most .38 super chambers are too tight to take a 9x19, as the 9mm case is larger at the rear. There are exceptions. Some Astra 400's in 9x23 Largo (Bergmann) would accept a 9x19. The problem with firing a short case in a long chamber is that if the round slides in ahead of the extractor, rather than sliding under it, and the firing pin can still reach the primer, as is the case with the Colts, ignition will occur with way too much headspace.

    A couple of years ago, a technical writer for The American Rifleman stated in print that the Astra 400 was actually DESIGNED to function with everything from .380's to 9x23 Largos. LOL, and with elementary headspace questions aside, the Astra 400 was the world's most powerful straight-blowback handgun, and a .380 generates only about half the energy required to operate the action.
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  • Colt Super
    Interesting.

    So - you could chamber single 9MM rounds in it, and shoot them, if necessity dictated ??

    Doug
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