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38 AMU

claysclays Member Posts: 1,914 ✭✭✭✭
edited September 2014 in Ask the Experts
Perry Shooter, in reference to the gun I mentioned earlier in another thread, I thought it best to start my own thread about this gun.
I have disassembled it and it seems to have been built by Clark in La. as I found his name etched on the bottom of the slide. Trigger is fantastic and the main reason for making the purchase. I have a period correct upper in .45acp that I was planning to use on the lower but now find I cannot do that. The barrel has a slot cut into the feed ramp and indexes on a raised dimple in the feed ramp (see pictures). I am reasonably sure it has been converted to 38 spcl wad cutter as I also have a Giles gun set up for that and the shells do fit flush in this barrel. I am also aware the gun is not in very good condition and is only a shooter. The lower seems to date around 1914. Any comments would be appreciated.
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    perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390 ✭
    edited November -1
    Yes thanks so much I will have to look at my books when I get home 90% sure that the barrel is a Mark III 38special for the midrange gold cup. can you tell me if the chamber area has a spiralcut into the chamber I seem to remember that was done in one of the 3 barrels to retard the slide. Can you click on my user name and send me a message with your personal email address. I can then send you some pictures much easier on me that trying to download to photobucket and then upload to here
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    Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,369 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The receiver dates to 1949, it is a (converted) .38 Super, not a military 1911 .45.

    The barrel is marked .38 AMU. This is a cartridge with the body of a .38 Special and the semi-rim of the .38 Super. It was meant to allow converting .38 Supers to shoot midrange wadcutters without having to alter the breechface.

    It MAY have been so altered. Will a .38 Special rim go up in the breechface under the extractor? If so, it has been converted from .38 Super to .38 AMU and then converted again to .38 Special.
    If the .38 Special will NOT fit the breechface, then it is still an AMU.

    I do not think the barrel is from a Gold Cup Mk III because it has locking lugs and a link which the GC does not.
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    claysclays Member Posts: 1,914 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The chamber has no spiral cuts. A 38 special wad cutter round fits completely in the chamber and the rim rest on the top of the chamber rim. The barrel does have one locking lug cut, but there are none in the slide as they have been removed. The barrel does not move when the slide is racked.
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    Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,369 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Repeat, will the slide breechface and extractor take a Special rim?
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    claysclays Member Posts: 1,914 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Hawk Carse
    Repeat, will the slide breechface and extractor take a Special rim?
    I just loaded and ran 5 rounds of 38 special mid range wad cutters thru the gun. I think I can safely say it has been converted.
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