38 Super for Bullseye pistol?

Hi all. I'm wondering how popular the 38 Super is for use in Bullseye pistols. 

Any members here use it?  Thanks.

I am looking forward to this answer also because I have wanted one for a long time.  The thing that get me is you read reviews on different gun and the author is saying how accurate the gun is it is Match Grade and shot 2 1/2" at 25yds with a Ransom Rest.  I would say we are going to need a light load as a Super is petty hot.  Don

I'm seriously thinking about having Jon rebarrel my Sig traditional match elite which is already chambered in 38 Super. I bought it as a project gun as well as to use the lower for my Nelson conversion. Before I found Jon I had an old Colt Custom smith rebuild the lower which works well with my Nelson however I couldn't get the stock barrel to shoot well from a ransom rest trying to shoot lead slow. I should have tested some factory loads but I never got around to it.

I would like to get it shooting lead at roughly the same fps as 45 loads.

there are four of us at the matches I attend in Ga that shoot the super on and off for center fire..( I'm the one on and off)  we all shoot the same bullet(126gr Dardus SWC) and run from 3.6-3.8 of BE..  very soft recoil.. Mine just lays the cases on the bench.. With a  slide mounted dot we are running very light recoil springs..

the super in this configuration is very accurate.. All of these pistols shoot under 2" easy at the LL and closer to 1.6".. All of the barrels are 1 in 16 twist. 2 are Karts ,my nephews is a KKM and the fourth is a Colt factory barrel setup by Clark Custom.

Honestly I shoot my 45 better than my super for whatever reason so I've put it aside for a while..

I have two of them that I shoot. I converted one from a 40 s&w and the other from a 9mm. I shoot the 6" in CF matches and plan on shooting the RO in EIC matches so I left it mostly stock. I tried a lot of bullets but both pistols prefer 125gr Zero .356 JHPs. I mostly load them with 4.6 gr Bullseye but have been experimenting with hotter loads.

I just bought a new colt competition model in  a 38 super. Suppose to be a NM barrel. Hope it shoots. If not will need to get it worked on.  Will be picking it up tomorrow.   Ordered dies from dillon.  I'm planning to shoot 125 gr bullet. Anyone with pet loads that they like?

Since the 38 super uses the same bullets as the 9mm is there an advantage as far as accuracy with the super?

They share some bullets but they perform better with bullets designed for their own caliber. My best results with my super are with Zero 125gr .356 JHP. My worst results with my 9mm are with that bullet. My best results with the 9 are with 115gr .355 XTP's. They won't work well in my Super. Just a couple of examples. Hard to quantify accuracy when comparing two different pistols like a 952-2 to a 38 Super I made out of a RO. The 952 is more accurate. The 9mm RO is way more accurate now as a Super then it was as a 9mm. My Super made out of a Kimber GMII is more accurate then the RO but still not in the same class as the 952. But.. the Supers will shoot lead and the 952 won't.

LenV wrote:...But.. the Supers will shoot lead and the 952 won't.

This is the one of the reasons I am having KC put a 38 Super 1-10 twist barrel in my 9mm.  My indoor winter league requires lead - no Jacketed rounds allowed.  The other reason I will be able to shoot a softer load.  The 9mm (1-32 twist) requires a 115 XTP or HAP bullet to be driven about  1100fps to be accurate (<1.5" @ 50yds) and that is a pretty sharp recoil for me.
- Dave

I'm planning on a 1:16 twisted based off feedback from jglenn21, he and his shooting buddies have had good luck with 127 grain Dardas bullets in the low 700 fps range. I'm considering buying the NOE mold that is a copy of the H&G 275 mold profile. 

 KC also told me he put a 1:16 in the 38 super he build axehandle, I saw a group from that gun that measured 1.25x1.25, I believe that was with Magnus 147's. KC did mention he's going to be doing more testing with 1:10 barrels soon.

Isn't one of the reasons .32acp is so difficult to load for accuracy purposes was its short overall length making consistency difficult to achieve?  And then by extension, isn't the .38 super thought to be easier to load for accuracy than 9mm for exactly the same reasons?  The longer case length making the overall length less of a factor for the .38 super.

Saladman wrote:Isn't one of the reasons .32acp is so difficult to load for accuracy purposes was its short overall length making consistency difficult to achieve?  And then by extension, isn't the .38 super thought to be easier to load for accuracy than 9mm for exactly the same reasons?  The longer case length making the overall length less of a factor for the .38 super.

32acp will make an Xring group right out of the box with 60gn xtp. Some were wanting that with lead which took a little dedication but was achieved.

I built a 9mm and put a 32 twist barrel same as the AMU and it shoots better than I can hold it. Now KKm provided the diameter as .355 So I know which bullets work with it. All barrels have to be tested for loads. I'm using Dardas cast 122 grain swc and they're great.

It seems to me that a .32 would be about as easy as a .22 to shoot.

Where does one get a .32 barrel to switch into an already owned gun?

Given .32 caliber, Where does one order the ammo from?
I'm not ready for reloading, yet.

Since I already have a Glock 34 9mm and a Glock 41 .45acp, are either or both of these allowed or used in Bullseye competitions. If not then I will  start saving again. For .22 I have an S&W victory.:-)

Finally, I have read that lead round nosed projectiles are prefered in the .22. The Eley brand touted as a brand used by Olympic shooters is lead round nosed.

Why should lead be chosen over jacketed? Does anyone shoot lead projectiles in the mid-size guns such as .32, .38, or 9mm? What about in the .45acp?

 I just need one or two leads on these points.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

wesleytilson@gmail.com wrote:It seems to me that a .32 would be about as easy as a .22 to shoot.

Where does one get a .32 barrel to switch into an already owned gun? Unfortunately no

Given .32 caliber, Where does one order the ammo from? Most main online retailers carry it
I'm not ready for reloading, yet.

Since I already have a Glock 34 9mm and a Glock 41 .45acp, are either or both of these allowed or used in Bullseye competitions. If not then I will  start saving again. For .22 I have an S&W victory.:-)  You can use your Glocks to get started but they are not accurate enough and you will soon start "outshooting" the guns capabilities.

Finally, I have read that lead round nosed projectiles are prefered in the .22. The Eley brand touted as a brand used by Olympic shooters is lead round nosed.

Why should lead be chosen over jacketed? Does anyone shoot lead projectiles in the mid-size guns such as .32, .38, or 9mm? What about in the .45acp?  Lead is the predominate bullet used in bullseye competitions 

 I just need one or two leads on these points.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Do a search in the forums and read the stickies you will find many answers.
Also read the Introductory Information located here: http://www.bullseyepistol.com/

- Dave

wesleytilson@gmail.com wrote:It seems to me that a .32 would be about as easy as a .22 to shoot.

It is, almost. But I don't shoot my .32 anymore because it brings down my overall 2700 score. I don't know why, it just does.... It's your 2700 agg. that matters...

Can anyone tell me...

Why 38 Super over 9mm???

It seems that Accuracy-X is knocking it out of the park with 9mm 1911's.

It's pretty easy to build a one-inch at 50 yard 9mm. But the recoil from the higher velocity loads is not your friend. The 38 Super can be downloaded to 38 Special velocities which is more forgiving to shoot. I can shoot a 45 with Factory zero 185 grain ammunition better than I can shoot the 9 mm with 115 Atlanta Arms ammunition; seems more forgiving. 
Jon

Thanks Jon, but isn't the answer for the 9mm a faster twist barrel to shoot the heavier bullets more accurately?

That's what I'm in the process of finding out.  Magnus 147, virgin Starline 9mm, debating on powder right now.  I have a 10-12-14-16-18 twist barrels to play with.

kc.crawford.7 wrote:That's what I'm in the process of finding out.  Magnus 147, virgin Starline 9mm, debating on powder right now.  I have a 10-12-14-16-18 twist barrels to play with.

I'd try WSF, 231, CFE Pistol, 800X, and Power Pistol.  There may be others, but those are where I'd start.

Thanks for the answer KC.

Maybe, since your trying to mimic a 38 wadcutter with the 9mm, it would be good to start with a known 38 wadcutter load. 2.8 to 3.0 bullseye.

I'm thinking that will be to fast. Much less case capacity with the 9 over the 38.  Time will tell though, and of course this is not going to be done overnight.  Probably won't get "finished" until the end of fall when it get's to cold to test.

I really don't know why I'm doing this, just curious I guess.  But should some hard data in the next few months.

Thanks KC, I would love to know what you end up with, SF.

kc.crawford.7 wrote:That's what I'm in the process of finding out.  Magnus 147, virgin Starline 9mm, debating on powder right now.  I have a 10-12-14-16-18 twist barrels to play with.

Try W231 or VVN 320 they are roughly equivalent. I recently loaded up some DR 38 special short line loads with Zero 158 SWC's over 3.2 VVN 320, tula primer. The load is softer than BE and more accurate than BE and clean too. 

I do not have a ransom rest but the load holds way better than the xring at 25 yards from a bench rest in my 6 inch K19. More accurate than Zero factory ammo at 25 yards. Felt recoil was less than 105gn over 3.2 BE. 

Given the weight of the bullet and powder was designed for higher pressure cartridges I would give it a try 3.4 to 3.6 gn will likely work in a semi auto.