.38 Super in 9mm 1911 with only barrel change?

[Dudedog]

I did not have a chance to talk with them but I heard someone at the range the other day saying he did this. Just curious. .38 super is semi-rimmed would it work with the 9mm slide? I am guessing different mags most likely, maybe a heavier spring.

Anyone have any experience with the conversion?

 

[srawl]

Yes, different barrel and mags.

 

[smalls]

It's my understanding that a different ejector will be needed.

 

[srawl]

I wouldnt do it but I have read of people shooting 9mm in a 38 super gun with no changes and somewhat reliably.

 

[golden]

May need a new extractor or ejector

DOG,

The .38 Super, at least the ones that COLT produced for many years headspaced on the rim of the case and were known for inconsistent accuracy. If this is an older gun, you can have a problem right there with the extractor.

The ejector may or may not be a problem, but the recoil impulse for a .38 Super could mean that a standard velocity 9m.m. ball will not have enough recoil to operate the slide as well.

You can try it, but do not be surprised if it is not reliable.

Jim

 

[earplug]

38 Super Comp

Look up 38 Super Comp as used by Open class shooters in USPSA.
They have taken the projecting rim off the old Super cartridge so it feeds better and enables the 9MM extractor to work.
Same loads just a change of the rim.
Starline makes and sells the brass.
Now that major PF has been reduced for Open class, 180 to 165 ? many are hot loading the 9MM Luger.

 

[bannockburn]

The ejector for the 9mm. is too long for the .38 Super case. By shortening it or replacing it with one for the .38 Super you'll be able to use both cartridges in the same gun, provided you have another barrel assembly and mags for the new round. I have done this for years but I start out with a .38 Super then add the 9mm. barrel and mags. My current convertible is a Colt Commander in .38 Super with a 9mm. Storm Lake barrel assembly. Works fine with just about any 9mm. factory load I have run through it.

 

[WC145]

You can fit a .38 Super barrel and bushing to your 9mm 1911 and all you'd need would be Super mags. The standard recoil spring rates are the same for both - 14lbs. Your extractor may need some tweaking but that's all it takes. I have a custom Colt .38 Super that has 9mm and 9x23 Winchester barrels fitted to it as well, it runs great with all of three of them. Personally, I like a little heavier spring for Super, 15-16lbs, but I run a 14lb for 9mm.

 

[scaevola]

Except for the grips, your Commander looks just like my .38 Super. I also fitted a 9mm barrel and bought quality 9mm mags. The barrel bushing works with both barrels -- that may not be the case for others. The pistol works great in both calibers but, since I began reloading for .38 Super the 9 doesn't get a lot of use.

The ejector for the 9mm. is too long for the .38 Super case. By shortening it or replacing it with one for the .38 Super you'll be able to use both cartridges in the same gun, provided you have another barrel assembly and mags for the new round. I have done this for years but I start out with a .38 Super then add the 9mm. barrel and mags. My current convertible is a Colt Commander in .38 Super with a 9mm. Storm Lake barrel assembly. Works fine with just about any 9mm. factory load I have run through it.

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z334/TailoAltera/guns2037_zps6010dc72.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Rock185]

My experience with these conversions is consistent with what some of the others have posted. As has been mentioned, the Colt 9MM ejector is too long. Not a big deal to address. Other than that, in spite of a lot of the stuff I see on the internet about having to change and/or adjust a bunch of stuff, these conversions have been trouble free within my humble experience. I have done these with some Colts and a Kimber. A minority of manufacturers, like STI IIRC, do use dedicated 9MM and 38 Super breech faces, but with most this is not an issue. My 38 Super and 9MM Kimbers for instance all had .40/10MM dimensioned breech faces and worked 100% with the Super and 9MM factory and reloaded ammunition......ymmv

 

[Dudedog]

Good info, thanks everybody.

 

[Walkalong]

I got a 9MM barrel for my Series 80 Enhanced Colt and it shoots great. Just use 9MM mags.

 

[bannockburn]

scaevola

One of the reasons I like to go with a dedicated 9mm. barrel assembly is that I can fit the bushing to the barrel and then the whole assembly to the gun, rather than swapping out parts from the .38 Super barrel when I want to switch calibers. Just makes it a bit easier and definitely more like a drop-in conversion. The one thing I haven't changed is the recoil spring; works fine for both cartridges.