.38 Super
Type	Pistol
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Manufacturer	Colt's Manufacturing Company
Produced	1929
Specifications
Parent case	.38 ACP / .38 Auto
Bullet diameter	9.02 mm (0.355 in)
Neck diameter	9.75 mm (0.384 in)
Base diameter	9.75 mm (0.384 in)
Rim diameter	10.31 mm (0.406 in)
Rim thickness	1.27 mm (0.050 in)
Case length	22.86 mm (0.900 in)
Overall length	32.51 mm (1.280 in)
Case capacity	1.14 cm³ (18 gr H2O)
Rifling twist	406 mm (1 in 16 in)
Primer type	Small pistol
Maximum pressure	251.66 MPa (36,500 psi)
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type	Velocity	Energy
90 gr (5.8 g) JHP	1,557 ft/s (475 m/s)	485 ft·lbf (658 J)
100 gr (6.5 g) FMJ	1,450 ft/s (440 m/s)	467 ft·lbf (633 J)
115 gr (7.5 g) FMJ	1,395 ft/s (425 m/s)	497 ft·lbf (674 J)
130 gr (8.4 g) FMJ	1,305 ft/s (398 m/s)	492 ft·lbf (667 J)
150 gr (9.7 g) FMJ	1,148 ft/s (350 m/s)	439 ft·lbf (595 J)
Test barrel length: 5" Source(s): Accurate Powder[1]

The .38 Super or .38 Super Automatic (C.I.P. designation) is a pistol cartridge that fires a 0.356 in (9.04 mm) diameter bullet. The Super was introduced in the late 1920s as a higher pressure loading of the .38 ACP or .38 Auto. The old .38 ACP propelled a 130-grain (8.4 g) bullet at 1,050 ft/s (320.0 m/s). The improved .38 Super Auto pushed the same 130-grain (8.4 g) bullet at 1,280 ft/s (390.1 m/s).^[2] The .38 Super has gained distinction as the caliber of choice for many top pistol match competitors; it remains one of the dominant calibers in IPSC competition.^[3]

Design[link]

The .38 Super retains the original dimensions of the .38 ACP case . It was intended that the cartridge would headspace on the semi-rim, however all new .38 Super pistols headspace on the case mouth, as with other cartridges in this class. Because the semi-rimmed case can cause some feeding trouble in magazines, especially double stack magazines, rimless variants of .38 Super like .38 Supercomp, .38 Super Lapua and .38 TJ (.38 Todd Jarrett) have been developed.

In 1974 the industry added the +P headstamp to the .38 Super to further distinguish it from the lower-pressure .38 ACP. Most current ammunition manufacturers label ammunition for the Super as .38 Super +P.

The cartridge was designed for use in the M1911 pistol and was capable of penetrating the body armor and automobile bodies of the time.^[4]

Since the .38 Super is dimensionally the same as the .38 ACP (not to be confused with the .380 Auto cartridge), an unsafe condition can be caused by loading .38 Super cartridges in a firearm designed for the much lower pressure .38 ACP.

Cartridge dimensions[link]

The .38 Super has 1.14 ml (17.6 grains H₂O) cartridge case capacity.

.38 Super maximum C.I.P. cartridge dimensions.^[5] All sizes in millimeters (mm).

The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 406 mm (1 in 16 in), 6 grooves, ø lands = 8.79 mm, ø grooves = 9.02 mm, land width = 3.07 mm and the primer type is small pistol.

According to the official C.I.P. (Commission Internationale Permanente Pour L'Epreuve Des Armes A Feu Portatives) guidelines the .38 Super case can handle up to 230 MPa (33,359 psi) piezo pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every pistol cartridge combo has to be proofed at 130% of this maximum C.I.P. pressure to certify for sale to consumers.
The SAAMI pressure limit for the .38 ACP or .38 Auto is set at 182.72 MPa (26,500 psi), piezo pressure.
The SAAMI pressure limit for the .38 Super +P is set at 251.66 MPa (36,500 psi), piezo pressure.^[6]

The C.I.P. and SAAMI specified .38 Super (+P) has a semi-rimmed cartridge case.

Rimless .38 Super Comp cartridge cases[link]

In recent years rimless cases became available that transformed the .38 Super into a rimless cartridge. A reason for the development of rimless .38 Super cases was that the semi-rimmed .38 Super case did not always feed reliably from double column box magazines used in several semi-automatic pistols that are popular in practical shooting sports such as IPSC. The rimless case improves feeding reliability in these pistols. As the name suggests, the semi-rim was eliminated. The new rim diameter is close to the case wall diameter. On measured samples of cases, the rim (R1) diameter was no more than 0.18 mm (0.007 in) wider than the case wall (P1) diameter (in typical semi-rimmed cases the rim (R1) diameter is roughly 0.51 mm (.020 in) wider than the case wall (P1) diameter). The rimless cases are intended to headspace on the case mouth.^[7]

Performance[link]

The .38 Super offers higher bullet velocities than the 9x19mm Parabellum including +P and +P+ in factory cartridges. The greater case capacity allows for more powder and results in higher muzzle velocities at approximately similar pressure levels. The .38 Super is generally regarded as a well-balanced cartridge with a flat trajectory, good accuracy and relatively high 'muzzle energy'; most loadings have a higher 'muzzle energy' than many factory-loaded .45 ACP loadings.^[8]

Muzzle velocity[link]

• 7.5 g (115 Gr) Full Metal Jacket: 425 m/s : 1,395 ft/s (425 m/s)
• 8.0 g (124 Gr) Full Metal Jacket: 410 m/s : 1,346 ft/s (410 m/s)

Corbon ammunition offers the .38 super +P in several full-power self-defense–style loads with advertised velocities such as 115 Gr 1,425 ft/s (434 m/s) and 125 Gr 1,350 ft/s (410 m/s). Testing of their ammunition other than by Corbon has shown velocities increased on average by up to 25 ft/s (7.6 m/s) - 50 ft/s (15 m/s).

Usage[link]

The .38 Super has made a huge comeback in IPSC and USPSA sports shooting raceguns, particularly when equipped with a compensator, because it meets the minimum power factor to be considered a "Major" charge, while having much more manageable recoil than .45 ACP. Recoil from the .38 Super +P is comparable to that of the 9x19 Parabellum in a pistol.

Apart from its popularity in the shooting sports, the .38 Super +P is one of the most popular pistol cartridges in Latin America due to local restrictions on civilian ownership of firearms chambered for the military cartridges, such as the .45 ACP.^[8] For this reason, American police departments in the southwestern United States often consider .38 Super shell casings found at homicide scenes as a sign that the shooter was of Latin-American origin.

The .38 Super round received further publicity through the single-action "Colt Combat Commander" and lightweight aluminium alloy frame "Colt Commander". When Colt switched the inventory's supply of the model from the Series-70s to the Series-80s, the model fell into lesser demand.

A small number of submachine guns, such as the Ingram Model 6,^[9] were chambered in .38 Super. A machine pistol variant of the M1911 chambered in .38 Super was also produced by Hyman S. Lehman.^[10]

The .38 Super + P cartridge ballistics have been improved over the years by the use of modern propellants. Ammunition is now available with velocities exceeding 1,400 ft/s (430 m/s). This is impressive from a semi-automatic pistol and is comparable to the .357 SIG.^[11] The .38 Super +P is very popular in Australia and Latin America in regards to competition shooting and is also finding its way back into the role of a CCW caliber. Ammunition can now be found in the hollowpoint style bullet with excellent ballistics. A standard single stack magazine 1911 style semi-automatic pistol holds nine to eleven rounds with one in the chamber. Double stack magazine pistols in this cartridge holds fifteen to eighteen rounds with one in the chamber.

Synonyms[link]

• .38 Colt Super
• .38 Super Auto
• .38 Super ACP
• .38 Super +P
• Super 38
• 9x23mmSR +P

See also[link]

• .38/.45 Clerke
• 9 mm caliber
• List of handgun cartridges

References[link]

External links[link]

• Website dedicated to the .38 Super +P cartridge
• "The Super .38"

Look up super- or super in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Super may refer to:

• Super, a supernumerary actor on the stage, which is the equivalent of an "extra" in motion pictures and television.
• Super, a building superintendent; a manager, maintenance or repair person, custodian or janitor, especially in the United States.
• Super, a grade of gasoline
• Super (computer science), a keyword used in Object Oriented programming languages.

Acronym[link]

• SUPER, Semantics Utilised for Process management within and between EnteRprises, an integrated project in the European Sixth Framework Program.
• SUPER (software), a video player / converter.
• SuPer, Suomen lähi- ja perushoitajaliitto or the Finnish Union of Practical Nurses.

Films[link]

• Super (2005 film), a 2005 Telugu film.
• Super (2010 Indian film), A Kannada Language Indian Movie starring Upendra and Nayantara.
• Super (2010 American film), starring Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon and Nathan Fillion.

Other uses[link]

• Super key (keyboard button), a keyboard button in some operating systems.
• .38 Super, a pistol cartridge.
• Teller's "Super" bomb, the idea of a thermonuclear fusion bomb ignited by a smaller fission bomb.
• Honey super, the part of a commercial beehive that is used to collect honey.
• Super is an abbreviation for Superannuation in Australia

People[link]

• Zab Judah, American world champion junior welterweight & world champion welterweight boxer "Super"

See also[link]

• Extraordinary (disambiguation)
• Supra (disambiguation)

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