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The High-Performance .38 Super

Talyn

Talyn

Emissary
Founding Member
Among the most interesting handgun calibers is the .38 ACP Super. A combination of superb performance, high velocity, good penetration, and versatility makes the .38 ACP Super an attractive caliber. Most refer to it as the .38 Super, and many affectionately call the cartridge the Super .38. They are one and the same.

midsouthshotreport.com

The High-Performance .38 Super - Midsouth Shot Report

Among the most interesting handgun calibers is the .38 ACP Super. A combination of superb performance, high velocity, good penetration, and versatility makes the .38 ACP Super an attractive caliber. Most refer to it as the .38 Super, and many affectionately call the cartridge the Super .38. They...
midsouthshotreport.com

.38 ACP Super — Reported Velocity Results
[th]Bullet[/th][th]Powder tested[/th][th]Reported velocity (fps)[/th] [td]Hornady 90-gr. XTP[/td][td]Titegroup[/td][td]1,319–1,541[/td] [td]Hornady 90-gr. XTP[/td][td]WW231[/td][td]1,290–1,366[/td] [td]Hornady 90-gr. XTP[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,399–1,470[/td] [td]Sierra 90-gr. JHP[/td][td]Titegroup[/td][td]1,433[/td] [td]Sierra 115-gr. FMJ[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,360[/td] [td]Sierra 115-gr. JHP[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,437[/td] [td]Sierra 115-gr. JHP[/td][td]True Blue[/td][td]1,366[/td] [td]Speer 115-gr. Gold Dot[/td][td]HS-6[/td][td]1,199[/td] [td]Hornady 124-gr. XTP[/td][td]Titegroup[/td][td]1,140[/td] [td]Hornady 124-gr. XTP[/td][td]Vihtavuori N105[/td][td]1,469[/td] [td]Speer 124-gr. Gold Dot[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,260[/td] [td]Speer 124-gr. Gold Dot[/td][td]HS-6[/td][td]1,220–1,290[/td] [td]Sierra 124-gr. V-Crown[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,250–1,278[/td] [td]Sierra 124-gr. V-Crown[/td][td]Titegroup[/td][td]1,155[/td] [td]Montana Gold 130-gr. FMJ[/td][td]Ramshot Zip[/td][td]1,170[/td] [td]Montana Gold 130-gr. FMJ[/td][td]True Blue[/td][td]1,188[/td] [td]Hornady 147-gr. XTP[/td][td]Accurate No. 7[/td][td]1,144[/td] [td]Hornady 147-gr. XTP[/td][td]HP-38[/td][td]1,005[/td] [td]Hornady 147-gr. XTP[/td][td]Vihtavuori N105[/td][td]1,190[/td]
The Speer 115-grain Gold Dot with HS-6 was described as an accurate, mild practice load. The Hornady 124-grain XTP with Titegroup was among the most accurate combinations tested.
4.25-Inch Bar-Sto Commander Barrel
[th]Bullet[/th][th]Powder tested[/th][th]Velocity (fps)[/th] [td]Hornady 90-gr. XTP[/td][td]Titegroup[/td][td]1,519[/td] [td]Sierra 115-gr. FMJ[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,414[/td] [td]Sierra 115-gr. JHP[/td][td]True Blue[/td][td]1,352[/td] [td]Hornady 124-gr. XTP[/td][td]Vihtavuori N105[/td][td]1,401[/td] [td]Sierra 124-gr. V-Crown[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,180[/td]
 
The Super was and is, quite popular here in the southwest because of the laws in Mexico regarding possession of military ammunition. It's an outstanding cartridge, but manufacturers have pretty much abandoned the cartridges because they can hotrod the 9mm and not have to make 2 types of brass.
 
ECS686 said:
The 38 Super deserves to be more popular than it is. It’s a great round.

Also funny what’s old was new again in 1995 what brought the 38 Super to being in the late 20’s is sort of similar to the 357 Sig and the ballistics are pretty darn close.
Click to expand...
Have an Astra 400 in 38APC/ Largo. But if given a choice would prefer a 357 SIG to the Super…
 
An interesting ctg , that l've always admired .... and haven't ( yet ) gotten one .

As noted , ballistically the the .357 Sig is just a shorter , bottlenecked .38 Super , that can be used in 9mm / .40 platform guns .
 
Talyn said:
Among the most interesting handgun calibers is the .38 ACP Super. A combination of superb performance, high velocity, good penetration, and versatility makes the .38 ACP Super an attractive caliber. Most refer to it as the .38 Super, and many affectionately call the cartridge the Super .38. They are one and the same.

midsouthshotreport.com

The High-Performance .38 Super - Midsouth Shot Report

Among the most interesting handgun calibers is the .38 ACP Super. A combination of superb performance, high velocity, good penetration, and versatility makes the .38 ACP Super an attractive caliber. Most refer to it as the .38 Super, and many affectionately call the cartridge the Super .38. They...
midsouthshotreport.com

.38 ACP Super — Reported Velocity Results

[th]Bullet[/th][th]Powder tested[/th][th]Reported velocity (fps)[/th] [td]Hornady 90-gr. XTP[/td][td]Titegroup[/td][td]1,319–1,541[/td] [td]Hornady 90-gr. XTP[/td][td]WW231[/td][td]1,290–1,366[/td] [td]Hornady 90-gr. XTP[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,399–1,470[/td] [td]Sierra 90-gr. JHP[/td][td]Titegroup[/td][td]1,433[/td] [td]Sierra 115-gr. FMJ[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,360[/td] [td]Sierra 115-gr. JHP[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,437[/td] [td]Sierra 115-gr. JHP[/td][td]True Blue[/td][td]1,366[/td] [td]Speer 115-gr. Gold Dot[/td][td]HS-6[/td][td]1,199[/td] [td]Hornady 124-gr. XTP[/td][td]Titegroup[/td][td]1,140[/td] [td]Hornady 124-gr. XTP[/td][td]Vihtavuori N105[/td][td]1,469[/td] [td]Speer 124-gr. Gold Dot[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,260[/td] [td]Speer 124-gr. Gold Dot[/td][td]HS-6[/td][td]1,220–1,290[/td] [td]Sierra 124-gr. V-Crown[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,250–1,278[/td] [td]Sierra 124-gr. V-Crown[/td][td]Titegroup[/td][td]1,155[/td] [td]Montana Gold 130-gr. FMJ[/td][td]Ramshot Zip[/td][td]1,170[/td] [td]Montana Gold 130-gr. FMJ[/td][td]True Blue[/td][td]1,188[/td] [td]Hornady 147-gr. XTP[/td][td]Accurate No. 7[/td][td]1,144[/td] [td]Hornady 147-gr. XTP[/td][td]HP-38[/td][td]1,005[/td] [td]Hornady 147-gr. XTP[/td][td]Vihtavuori N105[/td][td]1,190[/td]
The Speer 115-grain Gold Dot with HS-6 was described as an accurate, mild practice load. The Hornady 124-grain XTP with Titegroup was among the most accurate combinations tested.
4.25-Inch Bar-Sto Commander Barrel

[th]Bullet[/th][th]Powder tested[/th][th]Velocity (fps)[/th] [td]Hornady 90-gr. XTP[/td][td]Titegroup[/td][td]1,519[/td] [td]Sierra 115-gr. FMJ[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,414[/td] [td]Sierra 115-gr. JHP[/td][td]True Blue[/td][td]1,352[/td] [td]Hornady 124-gr. XTP[/td][td]Vihtavuori N105[/td][td]1,401[/td] [td]Sierra 124-gr. V-Crown[/td][td]Power Pistol[/td][td]1,180[/td]
Click to expand...

NOTE: When I hit the go button the tables looked good bit as you can see the TAL Ai didn't line things up, but going to the article via the link you can see them properly.
 
The Super is great. I’ve loaded and shot quite a bit of it. I’ve carried one, but not very much, although I probably should. A 1911 loaded with 10+1 Almost .357/125s* should be great.

I’ve got a couple of stock Colts and I should get one tuned up a little and carry it.

*Almost .357/125s:
I’ve chronographed some of the stiffer factory .38 Super ammo like Cor-Bon’s 125 JHP, and it comes close to actual chronographed 357 Mag 125s from a 4” revolver. The difference is 50fps or a little more.

If some factory would load it with a bullet of the latest bonded technology in one of the rimless .38 Super case variants, it should perform and sell well.
If the world was a fair place.

Georgia Arms used to load it with a 147 grain bullet at 1200 fps (or was it 1250?), and that was supposed to be a good one. I know it was popular with the two Super carriers I knew. The last I knew, they didn’t sell that anymore. That’s a shame. I wish they would load that one and a 125 version at around 1300-1350.
 
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