Its very accurate too, I was easily hitting a bowling pin at 50 yards repeatedly. Both use the same Wilson Its previous owner was a Texas county sheriff. Texas Ranger Colt .45; Texas Ranger Matt Cawthon's M1911; The Guns of the Dillinger Gang; WWI Navy and Marine 1911's; Historic 1911 Pistol Visual Display; Historical Articles On The M1911 Pistol . To front for Old Lucky, Capt. , Your email address will not be published. Colt Paterson. According to one of the posters, the reason that the Texas Rangers liked the Super 38 was that it would penetrate car bodies better than other calibers. Great 3 cartridge pistol for defense or hunting. and quality ammo. Then acquired a Colt Defender and that, I thought, settled it. However, it certainly wasn't his only one. As for the loads, the .38 ACP Super is a bit hotter than the 9mm at the top end. I have heard all the bull about the 9mm. GA Sales: 3370. Colt designed the .38 Super with its Government 1911 platform in mind. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt! I know lots of times my Super rides to the range right beside my G20. So if the ammunition is marked .38 Super +P, it is still a .38 Super. I accidentally bought 38 super rounds through the mail and realized my mistake. The young lawyers following those two Texas legends saw groups of armed men standing all around the street. cartridge. At about 9:15 AM just after the thundering torrent of lead subsided, Frank Hamer, Sr. approached the 1934 Ford V8 with his 1911 style .38 Super drawn. After shooting M9s in the military I was a decent shot. A black Ultralight trigger and an Ultralight burr hammer are part of the system that provides a crisp 3-1/2- to 3-3/4-pound trigger pull. It took a few years to solve that problem, but by then the .357 Magnum becames the Cats Meow, especially among Law Enforcement (Colts original target market). He tuned and polished up the feed ramp and removed some burrs, no issues now. To me, affinity for those two rounds would go hand in hand. I am just an old-timer that really likes my .38 Super, but shoots and reloads 10mm also. It was well known in Texas that Hamer had killed fifty-three men, been wounded seventeen times and left for dead more than once. I bought this pistol off a table at a small gun show in Custer, WA. I have been shooting 38 super for over 15 years. Ive shot it a few times but have semi-retired the gun because of age and value but its still a good shooter. Always carried 1911 in .45 cal but when I tried the .38 super it was an instant change of heart! Colt 1911C Government ,.38 Super, 5" Barrel, Blue, Semi-Auto . Love the gun and the round and have no I think the fact that during the 60s 38 Super kinda faded and like I said the ammo wasnt really easy to get. If so, Ill take it off your hands. Okay, here are the generals I think people will say about the Super: its an accurate, well developed round with an extensive commercial and handload database. I souped it up with night sites and custom grips with finger grooves. Guns International #: 101277151 Seller's Inventory #: 219948. Factory ammo as you are likely aware is pretty expensive. It only made sense to chamber the 1911 Government Model in a .38 caliber cartridge. Fortunately, the Texas Ranger Museum and Hall of Fame in Waco, Texas would prove to be a valuable resource. Description: Belgium Texas Ranger 38 COLT SPL. Belgian made six shot revolver. A round in Barrows left temple laid him out dead. I haven't had any issues whatsoever and have a good 3k rounds of this stuff thru my 2 guns. Since Capt. Have a EAA Witness Compact converted to 38 Super and it is a tack driver. The abandoned V8 spoke volumes to the able lawmen of Dallas County and to the Rangers. Barrel is marked "Texas Ranger". colt .38 Super head space 1911forum site:www.1911forum.com - Google Search. I reload for mine so ammunition is not a problem, All loads are made up in rimless Starline match brass and with a load the pistol likes I can get 2 groups at 25 yards. This is a neat cowboy revolver from Europe! *Colt Style Belgium ''Texas Ranger'' 38 RevolverThis *Colt Style Belgium ''Texas Ranger'' 38 RevolverThis is a Belgium made Colt western style single and double action revolver. ATF understands the importance of this historically significant firearm, Guy Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the ATFs Boston field division, said in a news release. The Mission of Cheaper Than Dirt! Traces Professional has everything to make it distinctly his own. What these stories contribute to the readers world view needs no exaggeration. One of a kind 1 of 1 done by the Colt custom shop for the Texas Ranger Foundation to auction at their annual fundraiser. The Pre-War Colt .38 Super or "Super 38" were produced from 1929-1945. No single model could offer every feature every Ranger might want. He resigned in 1908 to become the Marshal in Navasota, Texas, a violent boom town in which shootouts on the main street were so frequent that in two years at least a hundred men died.. At the beginning of her second term, she fired all the Rangers that remained and appointed replacements for them. Out of stock View . Why so popular South of the border? The Colt Walker, sometimes known as . Texas became a proving ground and nearly the only market for Colt's revolutionary product. And Its got plenty of rounds. . Colt Officers Model "King Super Target" .38 Spl PRICE DROP. By doing so, Johnsons legal team got the case in front of Associate Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black. For general use, I most often practice with a FMJ loading. He hated political corruption as much as he hated murder and the other lawless activities that characterized Texas in the early Twentieth Century. Ferguson had proven that she was corrupt. Gun #: 962326740. And an interesting thing that I hope is pure BS was that my FFL dealer told me when I got the .38 Super that buying it was going to cause the ATFE to keep a close eye on me because its such a popular gun south of the border, used by the drug cartels, and since I live in Arizona, the ATFE folks would be watching me, as though I was gun dealer or drug runner, I guess! Hamer left the Rangers and then returned again in 1921, transferring to Austin where he served as Senior Ranger Captain. The Wilson Combat Texas Ranger Professional on Ranger Trace McDonalds belt works, as our range outing proved. Bonnie Parker was just 24 in 1934 when she and Clyde Barrow died in a hail of gunfire after being ambushed by authorities in Louisiana. Captain Frank Hamer, two other rangers and a police sergeant escorted Hughes to trial where a crowd packed the entire area of the courthouse. In 1911, Hamer started working as a special investigator in Houston. The guy swung the axe and Hamer blasted him. It features straight-to-the-rear trigger compression, a low bore axis, a grip that fits most hands well, and excellent speed into action. The .38 ACP Super was a sensation noted for its high velocity of 1,300 fps and nine fast shots. When the posse assembled in a hurry in a Louisiana hinterwald small town, three of the men could not bring their own long arms, and were outfitted from Hamers personal rolling arsenal Gault got Hamers .25 Remington Model 8 semiautomatic rifle, Alcorn his .30-30 Winchester M1894 carbine, and Hinton his .30-06 Colt R80 Monitor machine rifle (a variant of the M1918 BAR which was the chosen armament of the outlaws). Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson who spent the later part of his illustrious career looking after the harsh, massive Texas Big Bend Country, packed a Colt .45 auto throughout his distinguished career. Scared him 1/2 to death at a Dennys one day. Today, Texas DPS issues Sig Sauer pistols in .357 Sig, undeniably robust, and potent, equipment. However, as an elite division, the Rangers are allowed some latitude in what they carry, and a large number choose the 1911. Burley Auction Group * Caspian Arms. Those are Supers, and they were the better choice for a while. Long story short, its a cool OLD round thats still relevant among competition shooters. It proved an effective and easy to shoot defensive cartridge. Colt .38 Super sn 44602 - shipped August 22,1947 to Peden Iron & Steel Company, Houston, Texas in a 50 gun shipment. Disenchanted with the Democratic Party, Coke Stevenson supported Republicans for the rest of his life, including John Tower for the Senate and Nixon and Goldwater for the presidency. Frank Hamer, had its serial numbers obliterated in the heyday of Bonnie and. Shot at point blank range, Hamer snatched the jammed gun out of the assassins hand when a second assailant started blazing away at Hamer. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Such a reputation is in itself a most intimidating weapon and Hamer never slowed down as he approached Parrs gunmen. It was customized with Wilso Combat grip safety, skelontized trigger and green fiber optic front sight. With right loads, all of the above, print 1.25 2 @ 25 yds, (Ransom rest).Just my two cents. Born in Rowena, Texas, Parker met Barrow at the home of a mutual friend in January 1930, according to the most credible accounts. Most were marked " For .38 Colt Special " which is nothing more than the S&W .38 Special but with a flat nose. The gun men fell back but then they tried to follow Stevenson into the bank. Have mounted a red dot as my eyes are weaker. This is a well-known gun in Texas as it was displayed in several major museums (including the LBJ Library in Austin) for a two-year exhibition in the early 1980s, a listing at RR Auction reads. Some nations, notably Mexico, prohibit military calibers such as the 9mm and .45, but not the .38 Super. It has its niche of followers among competition shooters. The answer would be yes. It is made to use Colt 38 Colt Model 1889 U.S. Navy Revolver. Midwestern banks were easy picking for a gang that outgunned the cops with fully automatic 30.06 Browning Automatic Rifles and fast cars. BELGIAN TEXAS RANGER .38 SPECIAL 1920S REVOLVER. In 1839, the Republic of Texas ordered 180 of the .36-caliber Holster model revolvers for the Texas Navy, but most significant were the revolvers issued to the early Texas Rangers. Originally (and this was a biggie), it headspaced on the cases semi rim, which affected its accuracy compared to the 9mm and the 45ACP. While I like the Para very much, if you are interested in a .38 ACP Super, the readily available Rock Island 1911 is a better choice than hunting down an out-of-production handgun. Adding to the appearance, as well as function, Trace had the normally coated single-side Tactical Thumb Safety, Bullet Proof slide stop, and High-Ride Beavertail Grip Safety replaced with polished stainless steel versions. In the 1911, there is no penalty for using the .38 Super over the 9mm. Soon only the walls and the vault remained. The 1911 is a good home for the .38 Super. There in the case was a Kimber Pro Carry II in stainless, she was a beauty to say the least. Frank Hamer, had its serial numbers obliterated in the heyday of Bonnie and Clyde's reign of terror, prompting Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) officials to issue a new number to make the handgun legal. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Very Fast. Regular Price Oak Hill Price Cash Price. Joined: Oct 2004. Perusing the museum, which is an absolute must for anyone living in Texas or simply traveling Interstate 35, I found one sole surviving 1860 Army full fluted cylinder Colt. I never got around to installing a Bar-Sto barrel, so my hand loading bullet choices were limited. Editors note: This post was originally published in January of 2020. Guy I worked for said to try this, a Colt Combat Commander in .38 Super. . Add to Wish List. A 2.5 to 3-inch group for five shots at 25 yards is the standard. Stainless hex head grip screws secure the grips he chose: Black/grey G-10 with a Starburst Pattern. In 1971, they received an out-of-court settlement. The 38 Super is a great cartridge which has been kind of left behind with the popularity of 9mm Plus-P loadings. Local Storage seems to be disabled in your browser. Kimber Custom Shop made only 260 Stainless Gold Match SE II in .38 Super in 2001. They were later gunned down in 1934 on the outskirts of Bienville Parish, La. In 1948, Hamer accompanied Gov. Talk about a tack driver, fun to shoot gun. A few ago I traded for a RIA 22TCM/9mm combo. Long ago (early 1970s) I purchased a Colt Combat Commander in Super 38 from a Pawn Shop. The Colt .38-caliber Detectives Special revolver, which was recovered from Parkers body by Texas Ranger Capt. There are a fair number of barrels available from several manufacturers at a price point from $51 up too the $250 range. He had to pull it on several occasions, but only used it 3 or 4 times. One often hears that the Texas Rangers and other Texans were among Colt's best customers for the early Super .38. 100 Texas Ranger Trail Waco, TX 76706 (254) 750-8631 [email protected] 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Last guest admitted at 4:30 p.m. Interstate 35 at Southbound (from Dallas) Exit 335C or Northbound (from Austin) Exit 334B in For nay sayers, look at the ballistics compared to a 9mm or .38 Special and you will understand. In 1928, The Texas Bankers Association gave rewards to officers that set up certain petty criminals to be killed so that corrupt police officers could collect the rewards and pay finders fees. The penetration of the cartridge and reliability of the 1911 gave law officers a great advantage. This new pistol was called the Walker Colt. I have three .38 Supers and enjoy them very much. The Professional was developed to mate a full-size frame to a compact (4-inch) slide. I used Glocks exclusively for carry went through models and calibers, ending up with the G30 and 45ACP. This is easily my favorite caliber to shoot and i have guns in .357 magnum, 9mm 45acp 50ae 44 magnum 10mm 380acp 38special. , Colt revolvers with detachable shoulder stocks, 1873 Colt Single Action Revolver, Ranger Cal Aten, 1873 Winchester Rifle, Ranger J. Adding a stainless-steel Tactical Ambidextrous Thumb Safety accommodated his left-handedness. But the ideal is not to get yourself so close that no one can miss hitting you with whatever they have to threaten your life, hence the 38 super at 1400 fps you can make shots well past 50 yards and plenty of power to stop just about anything. It was given to the museum by Mrs. Clyde Decker in honor of Sheriff Bill Decker and offers an early example of the standard Commander. Clean burning I found that using 9mm bullets expanded the available range of bullets without affecting accuracy. Choose the best gun for you needs with respect of your physical and shooting abilities and select the caliber best suited for the most likely application you could find yourself in. Out of stock. We are pleased we were able to work in partnership with RR Auction to make the gun legally compliant.. It is possible to handload a 115-grain bullet to over 1,400 fps and a 124-grain JHP to a solid 1,350 fps. Previously sold. Secondly, a slide short enough to help with concealment, yet long enough to reduce the whippiness found on many truly short-barreled pistols, and still providing a good sight radius. Haha But if its your bag and you can hit what youre aiming for with it, then go for it. But, ammo is not plentiful and 9mm+P is. Trimming, taper crimping, careful selection of bullets, everything still resulted in many rejects that didnt chamber properly. Shot the 9mm and after cleaning put in the 38 super and havent changed it back. Love the gun and love the round. I use the Colt Combat Commander. 1557 fps & 553ft lbs. $1,836.00. What drew me to the round was the cool history and the cool factor (and yeah, its cool, lol). You cant beat going online to find a gun that youre looking for, and I can just about guarantee that youd find 38 Supers on GunBroker, to name just one place. After shooting it, I wanted a smaller grouping and purchased a Bar-Sto barrel and bushing, when they were still located in Southern California. The 9 mm didnt make it through the first book. Finding specific guns right now is a be-otch. As for the Colt .38 Super . Over many lonely, weary years, he earned the absolute confidence of his neighbors hauling their goods to market. One is a Taurus and the other is a Colt. Read on. Today, many thousands own pistols reflecting the success of Bill Wilsons foray into pistolsmithing and his commitment to producing the best that Wilson Combat can offer. At about the age of sixteen Coke Stevenson began his career as the sole proprietor of a freight hauling business traveling back and forth across the rugged Hill Country of West Texas every week. How about compared to the .45 ACP? Black ruled that the federal district court lacked jurisdiction and that the question was for the Central Committee to decide. . In my youth I looked for a .38 Super, but in South Texas every time I got a lead on one, it was already sold. Colt Cobra TT 38 Special +P Rated Double Action Revolver with Black DLC Cylinder $749.00 $619.99; Notify Me When Available; Brand: Colt; Item Number: COBRA-TT2FO; Colt Cobra 38 Special Used Police Trade-in Revolver $699.99; Brand: Colt; Item Number: 169389LW; Colt Cobra 38 Special Double Action Revolver with Wood Grips . I happen to have a Colt 1911 National Match in the .38 Super Full Wad Cutter. *Last, but not the least: CDNN Sports (TX), used to sell genuine, ramped / supported SIG .38 Super bbls for 1.911. 1894 the family moved to Oxford in Llano County and Frank worked in his dads blacksmith shop. The smaller-diameter .38 Super in its hottest loads offer greater penetration against light cover than the .45 ACP or 9mm cartridges. Everyone i have let shoot my competition series 38 super have loved it, and likes how accurate it is. Trace brought the pistol, and I furnished the ammo (except the load from Atlanta Arms, a company he routinely uses) and targets, and snapped the accompanying photos. I find very few people casually shoot the Super. The gun, which has a 1926 patent date, remains in fine mechanical condition, with all original factory markings, and has moderate wear on its grips. The pistol pictured was presented to Highway patrolman Glenn Elliott in 1956. I could push a 100 grain Speer JHP downrange near 1500 fps using Blue Dot though I cant recall the powder charge. As long as I do my bit, its a straight shooter. The question is this. at the time. Ships from Tallahassee, FL, United States. The .45 SAA Colt was a mainstay until John Browning completed his 1911 project. defense as they sell hollow points as well. I always loved that pistol. Colt upped the power of the cartridge but used the same length cartridge case and chambered the .38 Super in the 1911 when it dropped production of the .38 ACP pistols. Paul Harrell has good things to say about the cartridge if you look him up. An advantage of this caliber is penetration. They took the opportunity to upgrade the performance of the .38 ACP. I have a personal love for both rounds, and if you were to give me a modern double action handgun chambered in either one, Id probably buy one in a heartbeat. It filled the gap between the .45 Colt and the .38 Special. Hamer spent 27 years with the Rangers. Historically, thats why it was created. My latest purchase was a Nighthawk Custom that I ordered, and they made me, in 38 Super. They cost me $35.00 a box, so $105.00 is nothing to sneeze at. One is the Colt Competition 1911, one is the Taurus PT and the third one is an EAA Witness, which holds 17 + 1 rounds. Nevertheless, Hamer used buckshot on the crowd and wounded at least two as they charged up the stairs of the courthouse. Seller: Cliffs Guns Safes Reloading. . Great caliber! Both can be purchased through the Texas Ranger Museum Gift Shop. Got my Star in 1970 and the Colt in the early 1980s. Some big news for trigger pullers recently from the Civilian Marksmanship Program. TriStar 85680 SPS Vista LNG 1911 Black/CHR 18rd. My carry ammo is loaded considerably hotter (think 923 Winchester level).