In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Options

38 Special Automatic

Simple ManSimple Man Member Posts: 3,252
edited October 2009 in Ask the Experts
Is S&W the only ones that make a 38 auto. Kenny
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Options
    CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,595 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Are you asking about 38 Super? Kimber, Taurus and EAA make 38 Supers, not sure if this is what you meant.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Options
    iceracerxiceracerx Member Posts: 8,860 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    S&W (Model 52) and Cold Gold Cups (Mid-Range) were chambered for 38 special. There are some Jim Clark modified Colt 1911A1 38 supers that fire the 38 special. The odd ball of the bunch is the Colt 1911A1 that fires 38 AMU, which is a Rimless 38 special. The rarest of rare is a S&W Model 52 AMU.

    Here's a 38 AMU built by Jim Clark circa 1957.

    CLARK38SPL1911A1.jpg

    COLT38AMUSLIDE.jpg
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Options
    Simple ManSimple Man Member Posts: 3,252
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Chris8161
    Are you asking about 38 Super? Kimber, Taurus and EAA make 38 Supers, not sure if this is what you meant.


    38 special
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Options
    beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by curlyrai
    Is S&W the only ones that make a 38 auto. Kenny


    .38 special automatics. . .not too many of them around.

    Smith made one (though I don't think it still does). The Smith gun was designed to run wadcutter ammo only for target purposes.

    I think the Coonan arms .357s could run .38 specials.
    That *might* also be true of the .357 desert eagles.

    And there were a few custom makers building .38 special guns from 1911 platforms.

    In general rimmed .38 special cartridges don't lend themselves well to stacking in an automatic pistol magazines.

    There really isn't a lot of reason to want a .38 special automatic, given that 9mm lugers are cheap, readily available, and offer potentially superior reliability, ballistics, and capacity. .38 super is sort of the automatic gun equivalent of .38 special, and those guns aren't hard to find either.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Options
    rsnyder55rsnyder55 Member Posts: 2,526 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You might also try a Desert Eagle 357, but I don't know if it would generate enough energy to cycle.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Options
    CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,595 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by rsnyder55
    You might also try a Desert Eagle 357, but I don't know if it would generate enough energy to cycle.


    Not with 38's!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Options
    Laredo LeftyLaredo Lefty Member Posts: 13,451 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The Smith & Wesson model 52 is no longer made but they can still be found. I bought this one at an auction a couple years ago, its very smooth and super accurate.

    They are chambered for flat wadcutters only

    [img][/img]IMG_0005-2.jpg

    [img][/img]IMG_0007-1.jpg
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Options
    mark christianmark christian Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 24,456 ******
    edited November -1
    Very pleasant pistols to shoot and easy to reload for. The Colts are all super expensive, but you should be able to track down a Smith at a decent price
    [img][/img]SWM52.jpg
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Options
    perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390 ✭
    edited November -1
    Hello I have a number of 38specials built by the OLD master Bulls-Eye Pistol smiths like Jim Clark John Giles Bob Chow Shocky and Diana These were mainly built out of 38 SUPER pistols some were also made from 38KIT guns that were a special run buy colt.. That had an H as part of the serial number the slide read COLT 38special kit they were shipped in parts and the gunsmith fitted the parts.I cant post pictures on the forum but if you are interested I can put one up for sale on the auction side of GunBroker. The Colt Gold Cup Midrange is a completely different pistol and is straight blowback not used by many Bulls_eye shooters but are collected.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Options
    Simple ManSimple Man Member Posts: 3,252
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by perry shooter
    Hello I have a number of 38specials built by the OLD master Bulls-Eye Pistol smiths like Jim Clark John Giles Bob Chow Shocky and Diana These were mainly built out of 38 SUPER pistols some were also made from 38KIT guns that were a special run buy colt.. That had an H as part of the serial number the slide read COLT 38special kit they were shipped in parts and the gunsmith fitted the parts.I cant post pictures on the forum but if you are interested I can put one up for sale on the auction side of GunBroker. The Colt Gold Cup Midrange is a completely different pistol and is straight blowback not used by many Bulls_eye shooters but are collected.


    Yes, please thank you. Kenny
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Sign In or Register to comment.