Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Interesting Article On The .38 Super +P

I have a thing for the .38 Super and I blame author Stephen Hunter. If I remember correctly, Hunter introduced the .38 Super in his novel "Black Light" as the weapon used in the murder of Bob Lee Swagger's father Earl. Hunter also talks about it in an article he did for the American Rifleman back in 2010.

Peter Fountain has an article out published yesterday in the American Rifleman on the .38 Super +P and why it should be considered for use in carry guns. He reviews the ballistics of a number of factory rounds as well as reviews two very nice iterations of pistols chambered for the .38 Super +P.

If you like the .38 Super, are considering getting a pistol chambered in .38 Super, or just wonder what all the fuss is about, I'd suggest reading Fountain's article.

4 comments:

  1. I too have a love affair with the .38 Super, and it is in part based on Stephen Hunter. Old Earl uses one to great effect when he goes down to Cuba and Bob Lee uses one as well to stop an armored car robbery.

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  2. Bleah; .38 Super is already a high energy round, sufficient to penetrate (and overpenetrate) a human target and to have a good hollow point design perform if that's possible (i.e. not filled with thick outer clothing).

    I understand its popularity where .45 ACP is banned because the latter is a "military" cartridge, but if you're not constrained and are interested in carry it's best to go for greater diameter (and all things being equal hollow points make no conceptual difference here, e.g. a .40 S&W hollow point that starts out at 10mm will still be wider than a round that starts out around 9mm). At least if you follow the Fackler school, which says stopping power scales with diameter.

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  3. Hga is correct, and have you PRICED .38 Super ammo??? When you can find it, it's as expensive or more expensive than .45!!! I've shot match .38 Super guns, and the 'reach' is just a 'tad' longer than I like to the trigger.

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  4. I you like the 38 supper, I would sugest you take a look at 9x23, much stronger case and equals 357 magnum. Can be shot from the same guns than 38 super with minor modifications provided they have a fully supported chamber.

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