.38 SUPER revolver

B

Babychief

Moderator
Looking to buy an 8round .38 super revolver new/used custom. Can anyone refer a good smiths website link who makes custom .38supers?



Thank you

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Talk to Mark Hartshorne at Pinnacle High performance Guns, he rechambers .38spl and .357mag guns to .38 Super. So does TK Customs. However, if you're interested in something like the S&W PC gun you pictured I think you'd be better off finding one, new or used, rather than having something built. You can also call Hamilton Bowen, he can probably make you a .38 Super using a blank cylinder, just be prepared to pay.
 
So... I'd be the last person to ever question having a custom gun built or bought...

but what if any advantage would the 38 Super have over 38 Special or 357 magnum with the revolver machined for moon clips ??? ( other than perhaps the owner has a 38 Super auto & is looking to share brass or ammo ??? )

anything I'm missing ???
 
Not suggesting that you do it , but I worked with a guy that fires 38 Super in his Smith 640 .357 . Never had any troubles that I'm aware .
 
I've fired .38 Supers out of a Ruger Speed Six to.

Extraction was the only problem in that the rim of the super round is a bit little.

I'd love to see a 640-1 set up for .38 Super and ring clips.

I suspect only a little facing off of the cylinder and a special moon clip would be all that is needed.

Deaf
 
.38 super vs .38spl vs .357mag

I compete and want a compensates revolver,since the .38super has more higher pressure it works great with compensated firearms.

Since a 357sig and .38super are all basically close to 9mm,i choose the .38super for its characteristics that are great for target accuracy.

The .38super is a great cartridge,

how did you have it headspace on case mouth in pistols not intended for a .38super without issues?

I want a used .38super compensated,anyone finds one shoot me a PM please.

Thank you B.C.
 
IIRC, the 627 .38super's weren't known for their accuracy. The round itself was fine, but the bore on these guns were a tad oversized, as S&W simply used .357 barrels.

As far as a custom build, I agree Hartshorne is likely a good place to start. Another would be Randy Lee at Apex Tactical. He's the go-to gunsmith for competitive wheelgunners.

Magnum Wheel Man said:
but what if any advantage would the 38 Super have over 38 Special or 357 magnum with the revolver machined for moon clips ???
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The shorter round makes for quicker reloads. Given the issues above, coupled with the scarcity of the 627 .38 Super, most competitive shooters who use an uncompensated 627 loaded to minor power factor simply load .38 Short or Long Colt cases, or shorten .38spl cases to some custom length between the 2.

Also the OP mentioned they want a compensated gun, and the .38Super (loaded hotter than the loads mentioned above) works well in this regard.
 
The shorter cartridges thing I get ( got a 610 that shoots 40 S&W, 10mm, & 10 Mag... the 40's are definitely easier to stuff in a hurry )

but... ( & I haven't looked ) you're saying 38 Super is loaded to higher pressures than 357 Magnum ??? I would have never guessed that
 
Magnum Wheel Man said:
but... ( & I haven't looked ) you're saying 38 Super is loaded to higher pressures than 357 Magnum ??? I would have never guessed that
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I think they run at about the same pressure, but the Super does so in a shorter, quicker-to-reload cartridge.
 
OK... I guess I learned something... from the SAAMI pressures...

38 Super (+P) is 36,500 PSI & regular 357 Magnum is 35,000 PSI

so... what are the chances these would "shoot loose" quickly if used in competition, putting a lot of rounds through them, unless the conversions were done on a large frame ( talking S&W's )
 
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I wouldn't have guessed that .38 super is hotter than .357. I learn something new here every day.
How do the velocities compare?
If .38super is a shorter case, so I assume it uses a faster burning powder, and doesn't maintain peak pressure as long (though I could be wrong). If that's the case .357 seems like it might wind up being faster - at least out of a longer barrel.
Either way I'd like to more about it.

I have to confess I know basically nothing about .38 super.
 
I'm certainly not into PPC type guns and their mechanics/physics. But I wonder what advantage a compensated N-Frame Smith would have over say, a K-Framed Smith, or an L-Framed Smith, if any?

The old K-Framed Smiths were hot items among those shooters awhile back, and as far as I know, still are. Those who did participate in such matches were always very complimentary of the control of a K-Frame vs. the L-Frame, and especially the N-Frame.

Though I've absolutely no experience in this field of revolverology.

Bob Wright
 
38 Super (+P) is 36,500 PSI & regular 357 Magnum is 35,000 PSI
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But with the flash gap and longer chamber of the revolver I doubt the pressures in a .357 Magnum, using .38 Super ammo, are even equal to that of the .357 Magnum round.

But gang, can you visualize a top break stainless revolver using moon clips and .38 Supers?

Or, since the round is shorter than the .38 Special, a 640 centennial with shorter frame and cylinder than the original Centennial but in .38 Super and moon clips?

That would be one heck of a CCW pocket gun! And DPX .38 Super ammo is available!

Deaf
 
Or, since the round is shorter than the .38 Special, a 640 centennial with shorter frame and cylinder than the original Centennial but in .38 Super and moon clips?

That would be one heck of a CCW pocket gun! And DPX .38 Super ammo is available!
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In the '90s, when the S&W 940 (9mm Centennial style J-frame) came out it wasn't uncommon for 940 owners to have the cylinders reamed to accept .38 Super as well as 9mm. Of course with what 940s are selling for today you probably wouldn't want to do it.

Obviously, S&W never offered a short framed J-frame but Taurus did offer their 9mm snubby with a shorter frame and cylinder. It was called the 905 Instant Backup and in addition to being shortened, it had a bobbed hammer and was DAO. I had one for a while and, to be honest, the difference in frame size and cylinder length wasn't enough to make the gun more concealable and when compared side by side with a 940 there was no accuracy or velocity advantage. Also, the weight savings were negligible, both the 940 and the regular 905 were about 22oz, the 905IB weighed only one or two ounces less. So, IMO, a short 9mm J-frame is a great idea in theory, a lot of wasted effort in reality.

However, a top break 9mm/.38 Super as you described would be pretty cool and very fast to reload.
 
2 options are shortening the 38 spl case to 38 super length size or shoot 38 short colts. Most folks shooting ICORE are doing what I have stated above. Short colts make for some fast moon clip or speed loader reloads plus I do not know of anyone making 38 super moon clips and who knows if speed loaders will work on a 38 super case.:confused:
 
Just noticed that Winchester AutoComp powder is especially formulated for use with compensated revovlers to deliver the volume of gas to make the compensator work well.

Dosen't that open up a volume of snide comments!

Bob Wright
 
Short colts make for some fast moon clip or speed loader reloads plus I do not know of anyone making 38 super moon clips and who knows if speed loaders will work on a 38 super case.
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I thought Jerry Michlic's fast shooting and reloading were done with custom .38 Supers and Moon Clips. :confused:
 
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