Bullseye Load For The Colt .38 Super

steyrlp10 · Post by **steyrlp10** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:20 pm

I have a few reloads left for this gun before it was sent to a gunsmith to repair a bad sear. The brass is stamped ".38 special" and they're wadcutters. These wadcutter reloads fed fine through the gun and fit in the magazine.

Here is my point of confusion and hopefully, one of you in the Bullseye world will be able to answer this: can I buy .38 special WCs for this gun and if so, is 148 grain sufficient as a Bullseye load?

A local ammo store told me that the .38 super is not interchangable with the .38 special. (They're suggesting I go with .38 super rounds.)
Being female, I probably didn't ask my question clearly enough or the store doesn't have enough Bullseye experience with the .38 Super in a 1911 to get my brain out of the fog.

I know I definitely don't want to feed +P loads through my Colt!

Thanks for any input you may have.

Philadelphia · Post by **Philadelphia** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:25 pm

steyrlp10 wrote:I have a few reloads left for this gun before it was sent to a gunsmith to repair a bad sear. The brass is stamped ".38 special" and they're wadcutters. These wadcutter reloads fed fine through the gun and fit in the magazine.

Here is my point of confusion and hopefully, one of you in the Bullseye world will be able to answer this: can I buy .38 special WCs for this gun and if so, is 148 grain sufficient as a Bullseye load?

A local ammo store told me that the .38 super is not interchangable with the .38 special. (They're suggesting I go with .38 super rounds.)
Being female, I probably didn't ask my question clearly enough or the store doesn't have enough Bullseye experience with the .38 Super in a 1911 to get my brain out of the fog.

I know I definitely don't want to feed +P loads through my Colt!

Thanks for any input you may have.

It's a good idea to ask the question.

Do you know what is stamped on the chamber hood? .38 special and .38 super are indeed very different. I've never heard of a .38 special semi-auto . . . but then again there of lots of things I've never heard of. ;)

2650 Plus · Post by **2650 Plus** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:07 pm

No matter about the stamp on the barrel, It may have been rechambered by a bulls eye gunsmith as were many 38 supers. Jim Clark was famouse for setting up 38 suoers as 38 wad cutter guns. George Elliason was another and George worked for Colt trying to get their 38 special on a modified 1911 shaped pistol to shoot more accurately. He even talked Colt into installing one of his sight designs on the pistol. The USAMU had a rimless desighed 38 special called the 38 AMU used by many shooters assigned there. Its likely that you have one of these pistols and if it functions with the 38 special wad cutter that would confirm my best guess. Good Shooting Bill Horton

steyrlp10 · Post by **steyrlp10** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:44 pm

Thanks much for your help. My husband confirmed that it says, ".38 Super" on the chamber hood, but since it feeds .38 special wadcutters without a problem, you're probably right that it's been rechambered. The accuracy job was done by Giles.

The local ammo store confirmed too that 148 gr would be sufficient as a Bullseye load. I told him I'd take a day off from work and spend some money in his store. He wants to see my gun, so I can't resist being Student of the Week and attending Show and Tell.

Between buying .45 ammo and the .38, I should be able to help our lagging economy - lol

Much appreciation everyone!

Rover · Post by **Rover** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:03 pm

Time to start loading your own so you can tailor your loads to the gun for optimum accuracy and reliablity.

steyrlp10 · Post by **steyrlp10** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 11:30 am

Reloading isn't an option. All the Dillons went with the advent of divorce. Not a bad price to pay for freedom.

steyrlp10 · Post by **steyrlp10** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:57 am

After digging around on the Internet (how did we survive before its invention??), I finally figured out why I was so confused, which is pretty typical - lol

The base of the magazine is also stamped ".38 Special." Luckily, Clark sells the magazines, so I'll have fun at the range. Being paranoid, I didn't want to just have the original magazine to deal with and feel better about having back ups to back ups (as in you can never really have enough 1911s!)

Let other women buy shoes and purses -- I'll stick to guns!

I've read some past posts on the 1911 Forum; the guys mentioned that .38 wadcutter magazines aren't all that common for the Colt. I guess the S&W Model 52 is more widely known. I used to have one of those too, but for my dinky hand, the 1911 grip is better suited for me.

Again, thanks for all your input and help!

pistol1911 · Post by **pistol1911** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 5:33 pm

I have a 1911 .38 Amu that was converted to shoot .38 Special by Jim Clark in 1967.The standard load is 2.7 grains of bullseye with 148 gr hollow base wadcutter seated flush with case mouth with a roll crimp to prevent feeding problems.Very accurate pistol.

steyrlp10 · Post by **steyrlp10** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 12:32 am

Thanks 1911!

JamesH · Post by **JamesH** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:21 am

Do you need to check how your individual pistol is set up for headspacing?
In all probability it spaces on the rim but you never know, roll crimp could give a problem.
1911s normally headspace on the case neck.

K38 · Post by **K38** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:15 pm

Giles was considered one of the great Bullseye gunsmiths of all time. I am sure your gun is set up to shoot .38 special wadcutters seated flush. You can use Federal 148 grain HBWC as a place to start. Do not try to use .38 super ammo as it is very different. Has the hood of the barrel been stamped or restamped .38 special? You may want to show the gun to a Bullseye gunsmith if you can find one.

Dwight

ppcnut · Post by **ppcnut** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 1:25 pm

pistol1911 wrote:I have a 1911 .38 Amu that was converted to shoot .38 Special by Jim Clark in 1967.The standard load is 2.7 grains of bullseye with 148 gr hollow base wadcutter seated flush with case mouth with a roll crimp to prevent feeding problems.Very accurate pistol.

I'm with 1911, I have a Colt National Match in 38 spl, and it loves 148gr HBWC seated flush with 2.7gr of bullseye or WST (I prefer WST because it is not as 'snappy' as bullseye)

I shoot bullseye with many guys who have model 52's who use this same load.

good shooting

steyrlp10 · Post by **steyrlp10** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 3:00 pm

My thanks again to everyone for his/her helpful tips. I have an appointment in two weeks to meet with the local ammo shop that will be supplying the .38 special ammo. The guy who handles their Bullseye ammo agrees with you about the 148 gr HBWC.

It'll be fun to take it out to the range afterwards.

Next week, I'm going with three other GFs to a range that holds 2700s. Since we're four women, that would make us a Conventional team, right? I think our experience will provide plenty of good laughs when we're done for the day.

Again, I appreciate all your help and input!

stipo · Post by **stipo** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 7:28 pm

2.7 Bullseye was also the standard load for PPC revolvers. I used 2.1 of WW231 a few times but the load was so weak it barely went "Bang!"
LOL

IF you get back to reloading, accuracy doesn't suffer with cast 148 double-ended wadcutters (they are not hollow based like swaged bullets). They are also not as soft a composition as the HBWCs....and do not lead the bbl as quickly. Three words for lead removal....Lewis Lead Remover!
Hope you make it back to reloads....the savings mount so quickly in light of today's prices. And you don't have to have a 550/650/1050 to load. The square deal is not convertible, and I don't personally own one, but friends say it does one caliber very well. I have all three of the others and the 550 is the one I'd most hate to do without if one was all I could keep.
Too much to say, sorry!
Stipo

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