38 Super vs 45ACP?
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0,38 super is fast, great penetration, straight shooting, hits like a .357 . I carry Super almost exclusively. Fast and true, I love my taco shooter for carry and self defense. Not much recoil, muzzle flip is minimal to nonexistent.
.45 is a great , accurate, hits like a hammer ,round.Moves at a little more than half the speed of the 0,38 Super . It's an outgrowth of the the old .38 ACP (look at the rounds, the skinny cousin and the linebacker ) The .45 acp never shrinks . And yeah, I love the .45 .
You cannot lose with either caliber in spite of my Super prejudice .
.45 is a great , accurate, hits like a hammer ,round.Moves at a little more than half the speed of the 0,38 Super . It's an outgrowth of the the old .38 ACP (look at the rounds, the skinny cousin and the linebacker ) The .45 acp never shrinks . And yeah, I love the .45 .
You cannot lose with either caliber in spite of my Super prejudice .
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12,686 Posts
I'd get the Super. IMHO, it's one of the MOST effective, LEAST appreciated calibers on...the planet. :yup:
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10,763 Posts
+1 to above I carry at times a sig 220 in 38 super ..Love it ..Hits like a freight train no flip to speak of and I mean it was made to go though the 1930 steel vest and car doors from the ganster days ..Whats not to love
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5,814 Posts
Tienes tanta razón, amigo mío
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5,814 Posts
Not having more than one?
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10,763 Posts
At one point I had two in 38 super but sold one ( but I still have the 30 luger /38 super 220 on hand) lol
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3,321 Posts
Well, since you have heard from what I think is the >38 Super
expert on DC forum.
My Ruger 9mm is tamer than my old DW .38 Super.
That said. Load selection goes a long ways in recoil reduction with
any caliber.
The Guardian is a good buy if less than $1,600 in 2016 dollars.
They will probably go up 10-14% in Jan so jump on one soon.
I did find that both 9mm and .45 ACP were cheaper to buy than .38 Super.
If you find the Super isn't to your liking, they offer the Guardian in 9mm
and .45 as well.
I still like .45 Commanders, like my old CBOB, but the 9mm is easier on my hands and since
I have a range membership these days and shoot at least 100 rounds a
week, much easier on my ammo fund.
A 9mm 1911 is also lighter to carry than a Super or .45 ACP pistol.
The Ruger was also half the price of a Dan Wesson, not to mention..
a Wilson 1911.
expert on DC forum.
My Ruger 9mm is tamer than my old DW .38 Super.
That said. Load selection goes a long ways in recoil reduction with
any caliber.
The Guardian is a good buy if less than $1,600 in 2016 dollars.
They will probably go up 10-14% in Jan so jump on one soon.
I did find that both 9mm and .45 ACP were cheaper to buy than .38 Super.
If you find the Super isn't to your liking, they offer the Guardian in 9mm
and .45 as well.
I still like .45 Commanders, like my old CBOB, but the 9mm is easier on my hands and since
I have a range membership these days and shoot at least 100 rounds a
week, much easier on my ammo fund.
A 9mm 1911 is also lighter to carry than a Super or .45 ACP pistol.
The Ruger was also half the price of a Dan Wesson, not to mention..
a Wilson 1911.
38 super over 45 and assume you reload !! Now think about this You could buy the 9mm version as a shorter 4" or 4.25"barrel when running at 9mm+P with some of the better ammo or hand loads leave's little to nothing for the 38super to better . I have some underwood 124gr that manages 1241fps from a 4" barrel and still have leo spec 9MM +P+ ammo out there . Consider to that the LW commander was designed for the 9mm . Easier and cheap ammo to buy and a reloaders cost is less for 9mm .
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223 Posts
Thinking of selling mine
Have too many toys in my gun safe.
Check your PM. Have an almost new one with 8 magazines, about 500 rounds of ammo, snap caps, box an papers, as new, for less than the price of a new one.
Have too many toys in my gun safe.
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5,814 Posts
Sure , keep thinking that . 9 mm has improved greatly over the past thirty six years , a great round now. Everything else has as well . Including good ol' Super . You are right about reloading, Super can be jacked up nicely
Best solution is to shoot all three , 9 mm,0,38 Super and .45 ACP. Decide what works best for you.
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6,661 Posts
That's what I did and I love all three calibers.
A small number of years ago I was given very good advice (.38 Super) and I took it. I have never regretted this decision, not for one single moment.
Not even in one of those low end, no good, made in the Philippines, piece of junk Rockies. This one's in .38 Super.
It is very easy to compare it to 9mm, as I also have a 9mm barrel for it, so I can easily switch barrels at the range, starting with 9mm, then switching to .38 Super.
Anyone who has shot a 5 in., all steel 1911 in 9mm knows how soft-shooting that combination is. .38 Super is nearly the same. one of my favorite calibers.
In fact, I'd have to say it IS my favorite caliber - and I do love the 9mm and the .45. In a DW Guardian, I'd have to guess that it would be the Cat's meow.
Just besure 50fps if worth it for a 38super . Of course you can also buy a 9mm barrel or the other way around . A 9mm +P+ can manage 124gr at 1300fps and a 38super +P can manage 1350fp in comparable barrels . At least push come to shove I can buy 9mm in ole shop that sells ammo and more than likely have a choice of ammo .
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8,125 Posts
38 super compared to 45 acp. the 38 Super was designed to defeat body armour. Body armour of the day was a tin or steel plate worn under the jacket. It would also shoot through the car body's of the day. At its highest loadings it "may" defeat modern body armour. The modern stuff is designed to stop lower velocity pistol rounds.[ as compared to rifle rounds that would be considered high velocity] 38 Super at its high end falls on the border between Low and high velocity.
I have tested 38 super against well worn bullet resistant vests , and bullet resistant glass. This was with a high end load and used a very strong FMJ bullet. All of the bullets defeated the bullet resistant glass and 40% of those fired at the vests passed through. What I don't have is a way to test is how much energy was left after passing through.
None of the 45's passed through either the glass or the vests. It takes velocity to defeat both of them. And velocity is not what 45 acp was designed for.
You can call it apples to oranges but that's what they are. DR
I have tested 38 super against well worn bullet resistant vests , and bullet resistant glass. This was with a high end load and used a very strong FMJ bullet. All of the bullets defeated the bullet resistant glass and 40% of those fired at the vests passed through. What I don't have is a way to test is how much energy was left after passing through.
None of the 45's passed through either the glass or the vests. It takes velocity to defeat both of them. And velocity is not what 45 acp was designed for.
You can call it apples to oranges but that's what they are. DR
Kenny53 45 ,acp , baa humbug . None of today defense cartridge are that good at dispatching a BG with out follow up shots maybe a pile of them . Yea , yea the 45 was around for a 100 years , so was the 9mm para /nato/ luger. When nothing but fmj was used you had few options , big was bitter . But not today .
Did you read the story of the leo that placed 14 45acp hp rounds in a bad guy . Hit every major organ but the brain and the BG stay lived until he got to the hospital . Maybe more rounds in a mag , more control and fast follow upshots is the reason behind him changing to 9mm after the shoot out .
dangeranger Don't forget the 7.62x25 as an early armor penetrator .
Did you read the story of the leo that placed 14 45acp hp rounds in a bad guy . Hit every major organ but the brain and the BG stay lived until he got to the hospital . Maybe more rounds in a mag , more control and fast follow upshots is the reason behind him changing to 9mm after the shoot out .
dangeranger Don't forget the 7.62x25 as an early armor penetrator .
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8,125 Posts
Once I leave ca I plan to build a carry gun with complete top ends that I can swap to give me 9mm, 38 Super, and possibly 40 cal. If I can make the 40 reliable Ill also add 357 sig. They will all be fitted to the same 1911 trigger frame.
I have been wanting to do this since the 80's. I had a 38 super and a 9mm barrel. Swapping was as easy as changing barrels but I want one on the same lines as the old Dan Wesson revolver set! DR
I have been wanting to do this since the 80's. I had a 38 super and a 9mm barrel. Swapping was as easy as changing barrels but I want one on the same lines as the old Dan Wesson revolver set! DR
And the wound channel is just unbelievably undeniable hence the .85 - 1.00" expansion.
Now those of you have or can borrow a 9mm or 38super comparable to there 45 . Do some draw a fire drills on a timer . Assume the target is on angle dust and really po'ed now try to place a mag full of 45 rounds in the A zone at 12 yards and see how it works out for split times and accuracy compared to a 9mm/38super . You might find your faster , as in more rounds on target with better shot placement with the smaller cartridges . Enough to make you rethink how great your 45 is or isn't . Got to be more than a few reasons why Bill Wilson prefers a 9mm over the 45 that made his name today . Or why les beer prefers a 38super over a 45 . And why many other respected 1911 instructor and "experts" have moved to 9mm or 38 super over the 45 .
Then theres the problem that , Sometimes even 14 solid hits from a 45 is barely enough , good thing a bg can be a bad shot some times .
Then theres the problem that , Sometimes even 14 solid hits from a 45 is barely enough , good thing a bg can be a bad shot some times .
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