2,000 Round Challenge

[1986s4]

Report on 2nd 2000 round challenge with Colt .38 Super Auto:
Just completed my 2nd challenge with the Colt. Nearly all rounds fired where my own handloads.

Pistol: Colt Government Model, bought new fall of 2012
Caliber: .38 Super Auto
Ammunition used: Handloads.
Dates of testing: 12/12/16 to 5/24/17
Total Rounds Fired: 2000
Stoppages: 3, failure to go into battery
Malfunctions: Zero
Breakages: Zero

Bullet weights ranged from 115 JHP's to 135 coated RN. Lots of plated [Extreme] 124 RN's. The 115's where all loaded near maximum for the powder used, VV N340 and Ramshot Silhouette. The pistol was running just fine so long as the powder used was VV N320-340. When the Silhouette was introduced the slide slowly got sluggish and fine soot started to build up. It mixed with the lube to become gummy, the very last range session was where the last two failure to go into battery occurred. Soot was caked up around the breech face and along the slide rails. There was no comparable soot build up using the VV powder until the introduction of the Silhouette. The Ramshot powder is still a good powder but the VV is just a bit better for cleanliness. My takeaway is powder burn quality is important if one isn't going to clean the weapon frequently.
Lube used: Enos Slide Glide [SLG3, the thick stuff] on frame rails, a little on the locking groves and lugs, Ballistol everywhere else. The gun cleaned up easily using the Ballistol, even the bore.
Magazines: Tripp Research, Wilson, MecGar, Checkmate, Colt. The Wilson ETM's are good magazines but the plastic follower gives me pause, I have one 47D with a Wilson 10 round conversion kit. Surprisingly it works just fine, I just wasn't expecting it to. In the future I will buy more of the Tripp mags for their steel follower and fine function. Tripp told me that I could get 13-14 rounds in one of their 10 round 10mm magazines, something I'll try later.
Springs: mainspring, factory Colt. Recoil spring, Wilson #15 flatwire with shokbuff. The same shokbuff used in the previous test and it's still in there. I think I'll leave it there until I shoot my next match, which may be a while. I do have more, it's just so nicely broken in..

[LockedBreech]

Report on 2nd 2000 round challenge with Colt .38 Super Auto:
Just completed my 2nd challenge with the Colt. Nearly all rounds fired where my own handloads.

Pistol: Colt Government Model, bought new fall of 2012
Caliber: .38 Super Auto
Ammunition used: Handloads.
Dates of testing: 12/12/16 to 5/24/17
Total Rounds Fired: 2000
Stoppages: 3, failure to go into battery
Malfunctions: Zero
Breakages: Zero

Bullet weights ranged from 115 JHP's to 135 coated RN. Lots of plated [Extreme] 124 RN's. The 115's where all loaded near maximum for the powder used, VV N340 and Ramshot Silhouette. The pistol was running just fine so long as the powder used was VV N320-340. When the Silhouette was introduced the slide slowly got sluggish and fine soot started to build up. It mixed with the lube to become gummy, the very last range session was where the last two failure to go into battery occurred. Soot was caked up around the breech face and along the slide rails. There was no comparable soot build up using the VV powder until the introduction of the Silhouette. The Ramshot powder is still a good powder but the VV is just a bit better for cleanliness. My takeaway is powder burn quality is important if one isn't going to clean the weapon frequently.
Lube used: Enos Slide Glide [SLG3, the thick stuff] on frame rails, a little on the locking groves and lugs, Ballistol everywhere else. The gun cleaned up easily using the Ballistol, even the bore.
Magazines: Tripp Research, Wilson, MecGar, Checkmate, Colt. The Wilson ETM's are good magazines but the plastic follower gives me pause, I have one 47D with a Wilson 10 round conversion kit. Surprisingly it works just fine, I just wasn't expecting it to. In the future I will buy more of the Tripp mags for their steel follower and fine function. Tripp told me that I could get 13-14 rounds in one of their 10 round 10mm magazines, something I'll try later.
Springs: mainspring, factory Colt. Recoil spring, Wilson #15 flatwire with shokbuff. The same shokbuff used in the previous test and it's still in there. I think I'll leave it there until I shoot my next match, which may be a while. I do have more, it's just so nicely broken in..

Darn impressive for a 1911 to beat some of the Glocks and M&Ps on here in terms of stoppage count.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheNewbie]

Darn impressive for a 1911 to beat some of the Glocks and M&Ps on here in terms of stoppage count.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Seems Colt truly is the way to go in 1911s without spending major bucks.

[LockedBreech]

Seems Colt truly is the way to go in 1911s without spending major bucks.

I absolutely love my 2016 manufacture O1091. Total bare bones stainless, basic 3 dots. Runs extremely well so far. Only reason I haven't 2,000-rounded it is because .45 ammo costs make angels cry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheNewbie]

I absolutely love my 2016 manufacture O1091. Total bare bones stainless, basic 3 dots. Runs extremely well so far. Only reason I haven't 2,000-rounded it is because .45 ammo costs make angels cry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's people like you who tempt me to buy a colt. You should feel guilty.

[LockedBreech]

It's people like you who tempt me to buy a colt. You should feel guilty.

Wanna hate me more? I got it new in box and traded for my used police trade in P229 with Hogue grips I added, so I'm only like $500 into it.

[TheNewbie]

Wanna hate me more? I got it new in box and traded for my used police trade in P229 with Hogue grips I added, so I'm only like $500 into it.

I have a P232 I'm dying to get rid off. Maybe it will lead to a colt. You are sort of forgiven.

[TheNewbie]

Maybe more on topic lol...

Do the .38 super guns run better than the 9mm?

[Robinson]

Maybe more on topic lol...

Do the .38 super guns run better than the 9mm?

Depends.

I had a 1991 basic model .38 Super a couple years back. From the factory it had issues going all the way into battery. I had it tuned up by a trusted gunsmith and from that day on it never malfunctioned. It was a very good shooter. The 9mm Colts I currently own have all proven reliable with the exception of one stainless 1991 that went back to the factory for an ejection issue. No issues with that gun since.

[1986s4]

Depends.

I had a 1991 basic model .38 Super a couple years back. From the factory it had issues going all the way into battery. I had it tuned up by a trusted gunsmith and from that day on it never malfunctioned. It was a very good shooter. The 9mm Colts I currently own have all proven reliable with the exception of one stainless 1991 that went back to the factory for an ejection issue. No issues with that gun since.

Mirrors my experience. Mine, unmodified, wasn't troublesome when clean but as it got dirty it started having problems. I'm rather intolerant of malfunctions, I won't keep a pistol that isn't reliable. I took it to a rather conservative Smith. He did a little polishing on the ramp and around the throat + breech face. Maybe a couple of minor things, he told me but I forgot.. Anyway, I also experimented with different spring weights and decided for maximum reliability to go factory weight on the springs. Currently using a #15 Wilson flatwire recoil spring which is 1lb heavier than standard. I think it gives the slide some horse power to push through some crud.

I can't say all Colts are as good as mine, I only have one but it does work. The most expensive modifications I've done to it are a dovetail FO front sight [Dawson], 10-8 NM rear and a mild dehorning with refinish.
In my mind, the only downside to .38 Super is that one can't be careless with spent brass like one can be with 9mm. Cheap factory ammo is $15 plus/minus per 50 and reloading about the same as 9mm.