Seminole1986
New member
Before joining this board, I'd seen vague references to 38 super autos in books. Mostly, they refered to pre-WWII pistols. Being on the periphery of handguns, I grew up knowing about 22s, 25s, 38specials, 380s, and, of course, the legendary 357M and 45. But, the 38 super just wasn't even on the radar screen.
Sometime in my very late adolescence, I acquired a vague understanding that the Eurpoeans prefered 9mm. Now, this really confused me because, not only was it a different round, it was also a different nomenclature.
But, throughout this time 38 supers remained deeply buried in the recesses of my mind. Until, that is, I joined this board and discovered that it is still in use.
It is here that I realized two things: one, the 38 super is alive and well; two, along with the 38 special, 380, and even the 357, it can be considered (in a very general sense) a 9mm too. So, this has raised a few questions for me.
First, if the 38 super is an American 9mm, why has it apparently not been as popular as other rounds? I understand the 45 captured America's imagination after WWII. But the 45 didn't eclipse other rounds, they remained in use as well.
Second, why did the 380 remain popular while the 38 super apparently did not? Is the 380 superior in some way?
Third, how does the 38 super compare the the 9mm? Is its velocity similar? How about the energy transmitted to the target? Are its numbers somehow superior to the 9mm or inferior?
Thanks in advance.
Sometime in my very late adolescence, I acquired a vague understanding that the Eurpoeans prefered 9mm. Now, this really confused me because, not only was it a different round, it was also a different nomenclature.
But, throughout this time 38 supers remained deeply buried in the recesses of my mind. Until, that is, I joined this board and discovered that it is still in use.
It is here that I realized two things: one, the 38 super is alive and well; two, along with the 38 special, 380, and even the 357, it can be considered (in a very general sense) a 9mm too. So, this has raised a few questions for me.
First, if the 38 super is an American 9mm, why has it apparently not been as popular as other rounds? I understand the 45 captured America's imagination after WWII. But the 45 didn't eclipse other rounds, they remained in use as well.
Second, why did the 380 remain popular while the 38 super apparently did not? Is the 380 superior in some way?
Third, how does the 38 super compare the the 9mm? Is its velocity similar? How about the energy transmitted to the target? Are its numbers somehow superior to the 9mm or inferior?
Thanks in advance.