Scott...If you have an older, like 1989 or older, .38 Super look into having the barrel replaced if it is the original headspaced on the case rim instead of case mouth type chamber. Easy way to check is to take a sharp pencil and just run the point down the chamber wall. If it stops dead about where the end of the chamber should be then it is the new style, if it just keeps going then it is the original style. The difference in accuracy and how hot you can load the round has to be experienced to be believed. You can get barrels from Kart, BarSto, Nowlin, Briley, SARCO and several others. New Colt barrels also have the newer style chamber and can be found very reasonably.



As to loads, that is the nice thing about the .38 Super over the "other 9s". It doesn't make any difference what .355, .356 or .357 diameter bullet you use. Being a straight walled case bullets from 90-180 grains can be seated. All you have to worry about is wether or not they will feed. Hornady lists all their .355 and .357 bullets in their reloading manual.



When I shot a lot of IPSC my favorite load was a 158-160 grain lead round nose at 1150-1170 fps. For target work the 147 grain cast or jacketed bullets are very accurate and can be run at low velocity with still enough energy to work the slide withot having to change out springs.



My favorite and most accurate bullet is the Hornady 124 grain truncated cone flat point. Run with 5.0 grains of WW231 it runs about 1150 fps and with 7.0 grains of Unique it runs 1320. Extremely accurate at long range and very flat shooting.



I have carried a 1952 Commander with a BarSto barrel for 24 years. It runs 3.5" at 50 yards. At this point it gets loaded with the new CorBon PowR-Ball 100 grain load. For practice I use the Berry's Manufacturing 100 grain hollow base bullet with 7.0 grains of Unique which gives about 1400 fps.



Also when you get the new barrel you will probably be able to shoot 9x23 from the same barrel. I have a dozen Supers with 4 different makes of barrels and only two, one BarSto and a Briley are too tightly chambered to shoot the 9x23. Just use a lot heavier spring, like 24#, as the 9x23 runs at a greater pressure than the Super. You can also fit a 9mm barrel to your gun and have some real cheap shooting...



Bob

If you have a standard UNRAMPED barrel ... do NOT try to use IPSC major loads in your Colt.

Most of these loads were designed to be used in race prepared guns that are about as strong as a bank vault! They could be very, very dangerous in a stock gun! Could easily result in what is called "super face." (Brass spray from the bottom of the case where it is unsupported.)

Go mild with this piece. Lead loads from 125 to 150 perform well. Jacketed slugs in the range of 124 to 135 also work beautifully.

Most Super shooters use 0.356" dia slugs, though 0.355s also seem to work OK.


I personally like medium slow burning powders like #7 and 3N37 in Super, but most of my loading is in the IPSC major range. Have used those powders for steel loads though and they work fine ... with 3n37 being a little cleaner.

Yes, you want what is called a Nonte style chamber that headspaces on the case mount. Guns built this way can be very, very accurate ... yielding 50 yard groups in the 2 to 2 1/2" range.

Lots of great barrel makers out there. Nowlin and Kart are excellent. There are several I do not like ... either because they are too soft, or because the maker tends to be a bit of a pain.

Good luck.