. I fired some Winchester 130 grain FMJ over my Chroney and got 1080
This got me thinking, even with the availability of chronographs at reasonable cost today, are we not once again (or STILL?) basically at the mercy of what ammo makers SAY they are producing, vs. what we actually get??
I do agree that for generations (US produced, anyway) .38 SUPER used nickel cases, .38ACP came in brass cases. Might not have been any kind of industry "standard" but it was what everyone did, back then, anyway...
SO, out of curiosity, I went to the Midway site, to see what they had (and was looking for pictures of the rounds, which Midway often has..)
Found some interesting, and somewhat conflicting information.
Fiocchi lists their 130gr FMJ at 1180fps, and it comes in BRASS cases.
Rem-UMC is listed at 1215fps for 130gr FMJ, and while the picture shows a nickel case, the data section says the case is brass.
Winchester also listed at 1215fps for 130gr FMJ, and nickel cases.
The Fiocchi box says "38 SUPERAUTO"
Remington and Winchester boxes say "38 SUPER AUTO +P"
There is also the question about the accuracy of the 1920s and 30s claims of MV for both .38 ACP and Super rounds. Not about what is in print, that we can see, but about what was actually coming out of the muzzles back then.
Ammo and gun makers of the past have a long established ..."tendency to embellish" their claims. It was, after all, part of the culture of the era.
Add in the real world results we get today, differences in velocity (as much as 100fps between individual guns with the same barrel length, while not common, does happen), and differences in barrel lengths between test guns and "street" guns, and nearly any variation of velocity is possible.
I was impressed with the data section for the Buffalo Bore ammo (on Midway) they gave velocity of their ammo in 3 different actual guns (not test barrels), 2 were 5", one was shorter, 4.3".
124gr JHP, 1356fps, 1359fps, and 1329fps. Their ammo is brass cased.
No matter what the maker prints on the box, if you don't get 1200fps + with a 130gr from a 5" (1911A1) I wouldn't call the ammo "Super" anything.