[GaCop]

Just finished fitting a 38 Super barrel to my 9mm Rock Island 9mm. Taking it to the range today to test it with Aguila 130 gr +P loads. Barrel was pretty much drop in. The most work was installing the barrel link. everything seems to be locking up tightly and rounds feed and extract nicely. Currently using one Taurus 9mm magazine that has a plastic spacer for 9mm that I've removed for the Super rounds.

 

[GIJoke]

Just finished fitting a 38 Super barrel to my 9mm Rock Island 9mm. Taking it to the range today to test it with Aguila 130 gr +P loads. Barrel was pretty much drop in. The most work was installing the barrel link. everything seems to be locking up tightly and rounds feed and extract nicely. Currently using one Taurus 9mm magazine that has a plastic spacer for 9mm that I've removed for the Super rounds.

Sounds like you did a solid job - who was the barrel manufacturer? - and let’s see some pics...and of the target too!

 

[Old Sea Dragon]

I hope it runs great! I love the super, I just ordered some Atlanta Arms 124 grain specced at 1380 FPS. Online review got over 1400 FPS with his pistol. Should be potent. Yes, pics please

 

[Spokes]

One of my favorites...

 

[cgff]

Sounds sweet, pics?

 

[GaCop]

Just got back from the range and the pistol ran like a Swiss watch. Aguila ammo sure is dirty stuff! Can't wait for my Super dies to get here. Put 40 rounds thru it w/o a hitch and now I've got to clean it. I saved 10 rounds to run over my chronograph just to see what the Aguila ammo velocity is.

 

[GaCop]

Sounds like you did a solid job - who was the barrel manufacturer? - and let’s see some pics...and of the target too!

I got the barrel from SARCO's web site. I wasn't too concerned with accuracy, just wanted to be sure the pistol would function at this point but have to say, the Aguila ammo shot to point of aim at 15 yards. I don't have any way to do pictures at the moment but when my son's back in town, I'll see if he can help me.

 

[Old Sea Dragon]

Glad it's reliable. I would hesitate to take that job on myself. I look forward to hearing what velocity you get from the Aguila. I've not shot it yet, having bought two cases of Armscor, which seems very mild.

 

[GaCop]

Ran the Aguila 130 grain FMJs over the chronograph. They averaged 1120 fps with a dismal extreme spread of 127 FPS!

 

[Old Sea Dragon]

Ran the Aguila 130 grain FMJs over the chronograph. They averaged 1120 fps with a dismal extreme spread of 127 FPS!

Not good, time to try something else.

 

[GaCop]

I grabbed it because it was cheap and I need brass to reload. There wasn't much choice in 38 Super ammunition at Academy, Just the Aguila and expensive carry rounds. I have some once fired brass coming and have a good supply of 9mm bullets, jacketed and poly coated. I have a friend at our shooting club that is a caster and he turns out some fantastic cast bullets, plain base and gas checked.

 

[Oldgunner]

Do yourself a favor and buy 500 rounds of Starline brass. It sounds expensive, but you can easily get 7 to 8 reloads with them and you'll have very reliable, consistent brass to work with.

 

[psafety]

I have a 38S, picked up a die set, bought 300 pcs Starline, decided to try PowerPistol based on readings of many loads. Started with Hornady HAP 0.356 125 gr, after confirming fit I carry Hornady XTP 0.357 125 gr. I chrono'd those @ 1399.7 fps, 4.9 StdDev, Spread 15, with 7.5 gr of PP, but those are snappy. no OP signs. I picked up a box of 140gr XTP which I haven't loaded yet. I play with a 9mm barrel fitted to my gun, and lighter loads in super.

 

[GaCop]

Do yourself a favor and buy 500 rounds of Starline brass. It sounds expensive, but you can easily get 7 to 8 reloads with them and you'll have very reliable, consistent brass to work with.

I've got a bag of 100 coming from Brownell's. That will get me started.

 

[GaCop]

Tried some handloads with 115 grain HPs and 125 grain cast HPs over various light charges of Unique. All functioned well but accuracy needs work. I believe the charges were too light but the Unique burns much cleaner. The cast HPs averaged 1140 to 1170 fps but sure leaded the barrel! Guess I'll stick to jacketed pills!

 

[GaCop]

Tested a load yesterday with a 124 grain JHP over 8.1 grains of Blue Dot, Velocity averaged 1285 fps and grouped into 2.8" at 25 yards. Rounds were loaded in Aguila brass and lit by CCI 500 primers. My OAL was 1.235". My Starline brass arrived via Fed Ex yesterday so now to work up loads in that brass.

 

[GaCop]

I have some plated 158 grain HPs that I bought for use in my 357 Ruger Blackhawk. I measured one the other day at it came out to be .356" so I decided to try them in the 38 Super. Only data I could find was in my copy of Lyman Cast bullet loading. Only powders I have on hand that were listed in the load data is Unique and Blue Dot for a cast 158 gr RN. Tried the Unique powder for the first loads and tested them Wednesday. Long story short, The shot all over the target frame. Velocities were between 950 fps for the starting load to 1026 fps for the last load. I believe accuracy suffered because velocity was too low but will retest that bullet with the Blue Dot. I also have a 158 grain JSN that measured .357" that I'm going to try. A dummy load I made up with the JSN fed fine which surprised me.

 

[GaCop]

Ran some 125 gr and 90 gr HPs, poly coated, loaded with Blue Dot for the 125s and 231 for the 90s. They were pretty accurate at 25 yards and no leading that I could see. The 231 loads were pretty mild but did cycle the action laying most cases on the bench. 125 HPs were far more snappier averaging 1350 fps with accuracy averaging 2.8" to 3.5"

 

[Old Sea Dragon]

Ran some 125 gr and 90 gr HPs, poly coated, loaded with Blue Dot for the 125s and 231 for the 90s. They were pretty accurate at 25 yards and no leading that I could see. The 231 loads were pretty mild but did cycle the action laying most cases on the bench. 125 HPs were far more snappier averaging 1350 fps with accuracy averaging 2.8" to 3.5"

I’d be happy with that 125 grain load all day long

 

[GaCop]

I don't know what pound weight the factory recoil spring was/is for 9mm in the Rock Island. What would be the best weight to run in it for warm 38 Super loads? I did pick up a 15 and 16 pound spring from Wolf but haven't tried either one yet.