got one from RIA, chromed and all controls gold plated love it . I had long suspected that this Colt was not a .45 but one of the then new .38 Supers and I had three reasons for believing this. I couldnt ask for more. recoil spring and a shock-buff. Hammer carried his Triplelock in a shoulder holster. Bonnie and Clyde Director Arthur Penn Dies at Age 88, Guns of outlaws Bonnie and Clyde to be auctioned. The 1930 Sherman riot made Texas notorious for its racial animosity. Ted Hinton, in his book Ambush, declares that two of the Colt automatics at the ambush were .38 Supers. The 38 Super is a great cartridge which has been kind of left behind with the popularity of 9mm Plus-P loadings. GA Sales: 3370. Hamer and the other peace officers used warning shots and tear gas to break the crowd up on more than one occasion while Hughes was locked in the district court vault for safety. Though Clyde and Bonnie escaped the Sowers ambush by Dallas County authorities in November of 1933, Clyde ditched his shot up car near the Ft. Worth Pike and commandeered a less damaged car to make good their flight to freedom. Still. Not much more if any discernable recoil and I have had several shoulder surgeries and doesnt bother me. Modern ammunition is often marked .38 ACP +P. Very Fast. Trace, in the Texas Ranger tradition, had a few of his own ideas to personalize the pistol, opting for a stainless steel slide, coated with black Armor Tuff. Hamer stuffed a blue steel Colt commercial automatic in his belt and it is this gun that is most interesting to this writer. Still use it? Regular Price Oak Hill Price Cash Price. Action works in both single and double action. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! I never got around to installing a Bar-Sto barrel, so my hand loading bullet choices were limited. 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Every man in the West wanted one. I too loved my 38 super but it was notoriously HARD to get right handloading. The Colt Monitor: A Rare Improved BAR DPS Texas Rangers (1935-present) Handguns 1950 Colt .38 Super, Ranger Glenn Elliott Colt Commander Model Longarms 2006 Bushmaster M4 Rifle 2011 LaRue .308 Rifle Other firearms of interest, either not in the museum collection or not on display. The stage was now set for Frank Hamer to accept a commission to hunt down the Barrow Gang as a special investigator for the prison system. From what I have read, 1911s in .38 Super were the most popular contraband in Obamas Fast and Furious debacle. In 1839, the Republic of Texas ordered 180 of the .36-caliber Holster model revolvers for the Texas Navy, but most significant were the revolvers issued to the early Texas Rangers. Lot 1183: The nickel-plated Colt Single Action Army carried by Texas Ranger Jack Dean is chambered in 38-40 WCF with factory engraving and carved steer grips. Shoot 38 Super most of the time rather The lawyers got to look at the records just long enough to make notes and it soon became apparent that Lyndon Johnson had engaged in a massive election fraud that was unprecedented even by the standards then prevalent in Texas where ranchers and political bosses were able to deliver blocs of voters to candidates willing to pay the highest price. with an extra barrel in 9mm. Good choices! Captain Frank Hamer, two other rangers and a police sergeant escorted Hughes to trial where a crowd packed the entire area of the courthouse. It is imported to the USA bu European American Arms (EAA) and is called the EAA Witness by the importer. He was elected to a second term in 1944 and was the longest-serving governor in the history of Texas. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. There is no pistol faster to an accurate first shot than a 1911 handgun properly carried cocked and locked. . The 38 super is fantastic. Such a reputation is in itself a most intimidating weapon and Hamer never slowed down as he approached Parrs gunmen. Caliber: .38 Colt Special Overall condition as seen in photos. At the time, you had to know not to fire a .38 Super in older Colt 1903 pistols. .38 Super 1911 Pistols (19 Products) Filter By . I loved my .38 super so much i bought a colt competition series a few years ago. Firing System: External Hammer Frame Material: Steel Magazine Type: Single Stack Magazine Barrel Configuration: Single Rifled Barrel: Yes Minimum Pull Length: 0 in. After that the reputation of the weapon (and my dad) seemed to quiet things down nicely. Then acquired a Colt Defender and that, I thought, settled it. He and forty other Rangers resigned to avoid serving under Ma Ferguson. I request a letter from Colt on all pre-war Super .38s as many were carried by various LEOs. Needless to say, a less than nice neighborhood. Today, many thousands own pistols reflecting the success of Bill Wilsons foray into pistolsmithing and his commitment to producing the best that Wilson Combat can offer. Midwestern banks were easy picking for a gang that outgunned the cops with fully automatic 30.06 Browning Automatic Rifles and fast cars. I rank the .38 Super along with the .45 ACP and the .44 Special as the 3 best calibers in America. Advantage is you only have to find an FFL in your area to handle the transfer (also easy to do with Google), and once everything is said and done, youve escaped all the sales tax (unless you get it from someone in your state) and the higher price that a retailer is likely going to charge from the get-go, so you end up saving some money and can shop around without leaving your keyboard! Ive been around Rangers, guns, and popping primers, and they all can shoot. Item Number: O1911C-SS38-DHM. Im in Chandler. I now carry the .45 ACP. At about the age of sixteen Coke Stevenson began his career as the sole proprietor of a freight hauling business traveling back and forth across the rugged Hill Country of West Texas every week. . I souped it up with night sites and custom grips with finger grooves. Very accurate and reasonable in handling recoil. Hamer and Stevenson were both tall with big shoulders and carried themselves in a way that stated they meant business. A .38 Super fired in a .38 ACP could prove disastrous. Finding specific guns right now is a be-otch. NO COLLECTION TOO BIG OR SMALL I jumped in and took one shot just to see how the Professional handled. The Rangers were dealing with arms smuggling, bandits and bootleggers along the Mexican border. In 1948, Stevenson led the Democratic primary with 39.7% to 33.7% against Lyndon B. Johnson. Perusing the museum, which is an absolute must for anyone living in Texas or simply traveling Interstate 35, I found one sole surviving 1860 Army full fluted cylinder Colt. Parker was just 24 when she and Barrow died in a hail of gunfire after being ambushed by law enforcement authorities in Louisiana. While I have relegated most of my collection to the comfort of the safe, I loved the pistol and carried it for years. They were later gunned down in 1934 on the outskirts of Bienville Parish, La. . Clyde certainly did not intend to be taken alive. In my shooting experience, people have either never heard of the round, remember it being mentioned in passing, or go through a few hundred rounds of it a week for USPSA or something similar. He had great regards for the 38 but seemed to like the 45s more. The Winchester Silvertip breaks about 1,200 fps with a 125-grain bullet. Also Colt makes a nicely accurate full size Competition Model. After acquiring his first Wilson Combat pistol, Trace McDonald started competing in USPSA matches. My first handgun was a Colt Government Model in .38 Super (built in 1947) which Ive had since the mid-70s. An advantage of this caliber is penetration. Ahhhh, the good old days. Local Storage seems to be disabled in your browser. At the beginning of her second term, she fired all the Rangers that remained and appointed replacements for them. Tanfoglio makes a modern double-action handgun chambered in .38 Super. This gun is in excellent condition and is covered by Dury's Lifetime Warranty. In the 1911, there is no penalty for using the .38 Super over the 9mm. Thank you for the review. My son went from a intelegence analyst to a diplomatic security agent and was only allowed a issued 9mm for his side arm. Everyone i have let shoot my competition series 38 super have loved it, and likes how accurate it is. The loading gate is loose when down. Serial Colt Model 1889 U.S. Navy Revolver. jacketed bullets Im sending them across my Chrony at 1550 fps. Was an excellent firearm but I let it wiggle its way out of my collection and into one of my buddys who had become obsessed about acquiring it till he offered a deal that I couldnt pass up. You cant beat going online to find a gun that youre looking for, and I can just about guarantee that youd find 38 Supers on GunBroker, to name just one place. Four of his five brothers also became Texas Rangers. I shoot the .38 Super from a couple of Tanfoglios. Stevenson and Hamer met the lawyers at the Alice Hotel and Hamer told them to take off their coats so that the well-armed gangs employed by the Duke of Duvall,George Parr, would know that they were unarmed. colt .38 Super head space 1911forum site:www.1911forum.com - Google Search. Jun 25, 2019. I first discovered the .38 Super when I read one of Stephen Hunters Bob Lee Swagger books. It is not carried everywhere but it is easier to get than some calibers like the .50 ae. I have a letter from Colt showing the shipment. Throwback Thursday: Taurus Judge Range Report, ATI Milsport SGA 410 All the Advantages of an AR in .410, Ruger SR1911 LW Commander The Lightweight .45 ACP, Rifle Hack: Sighting for 100 Yards at a Distance of 25 Yards, Throwback Thursday: All About Bullet Grain. 100 Texas Ranger Trail Waco, TX 76706 (254) 750-8631 [email protected] 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Last guest admitted at 4:30 p.m. Interstate 35 at Southbound (from Dallas) Exit 335C or Northbound (from Austin) Exit 334B in Model: Texas Ranger. Traces Professional has everything to make it distinctly his own. Wow! Well, my grouping sucked. As long as I do my bit, its a straight shooter. The March, 1992 issue of Guns and Ammos HANDGUNS FOR SPORT AND DEFENSE magazine contains an interview with Frank Hamer Jr. who confirmed that his fathers Colt was a .38 Super. Started reloading rounds as store bought ones were not to my liking. NW Nevada. Over many lonely, weary years, he earned the absolute confidence of his neighbors hauling their goods to market. WE BUY GUNS!NO COLLECTION TOO BIG OR SMALL, FOR OUR GUNS INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS ALL OF OUR FIREARMS CAN BE PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM OUR DURY'S GUNS WEB-SITE. Colt 1911 Heritage .38 Super Full-Size Stainless Pistol with Custom Scroll Engraving. Engraved First Generation Colt Single Action Army Revolver Owned by Two Generations of Texas Rangers and Inscribed to Legendary Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson with His Badge and Personalized Tooled Leather Holster and Extensive Documentation Auction Date: December 1, 2017 Estimated Price: $ 4,500 - $ 6,500 Price Realized: Details SDS Imports 10100513 1911A1 Regulator 9+1 5" Hard Chrome Plated Barrel, High Polished Chomium Coated Serrated Steel Slide & Frame w/Beavertail Frame Checkered Wood Grips. One of a kind 1 of 1 done by the Colt custom shop for the Texas Ranger Foundation to auction at their annual fundraiser. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Lastly, a coated Speed Chute mag well was added to smooth-out reloads. I own five theyre just plain fun to shoot. A 2.5 to 3-inch group for five shots at 25 yards is the standard. What these stories contribute to the readers world view needs no exaggeration. Winchester offers FMJ loadings at 1,100 fps, Sig Sauer offers a FMJ loading as well. Winchester makes a 124gr nickel coated brass case jacketed soft point ammo. My carry ammo has .357 Magnum power and 17 rounds in the magazine what is not to like? I selected it as it appeared to be the most powerful automatic pistol cartridge at the time. Hamer retained a Special Ranger commission after retirement and he put it to good use. I agree the .38 Super is a fine round in the FWC but I would definitely like to try the standard rounds as well. Great 3 cartridge pistol for defense or hunting. It proved an effective and easy to shoot defensive cartridge. I find very few people casually shoot the Super. Thanks, Matt. I had Republic Forge build me a 1911 in 9mm and also included the 38 super barrel and spring. The Starburst Pattern G-10 grips really grabbed and held onto the hand, too. After the Hollywood version of Bonnie and Clyde, Mrs. Frank Hamer and Frank Hamer, Jr., sued Warner Bros.-Seven Arts for the defamatory manner in which the movie depicted the famous lawman. I used Glocks exclusively for carry went through models and calibers, ending up with the G30 and 45ACP. The pistol pictured was presented to Highway patrolman Glenn Elliott in 1956. It has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and clarity. My carry ammo is loaded considerably hotter (think 923 Winchester level). Very Safe. I think the fact that during the 60s 38 Super kinda faded and like I said the ammo wasnt really easy to get. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Ive had it since 1979 and love it. TriStar 85680 SPS Vista LNG 1911 Black/CHR 18rd. He hated political corruption as much as he hated murder and the other lawless activities that characterized Texas in the early Twentieth Century. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. . Trace brought the pistol, and I furnished the ammo (except the load from Atlanta Arms, a company he routinely uses) and targets, and snapped the accompanying photos. Thanks for your article, it helped shed some light on the history, i might try to pick up another 1911 in that caliber. Shot the 9mm and after cleaning put in the 38 super and havent changed it back. And an interesting thing that I hope is pure BS was that my FFL dealer told me when I got the .38 Super that buying it was going to cause the ATFE to keep a close eye on me because its such a popular gun south of the border, used by the drug cartels, and since I live in Arizona, the ATFE folks would be watching me, as though I was gun dealer or drug runner, I guess! Range Time It is possible to handload a 115-grain bullet to over 1,400 fps and a 124-grain JHP to a solid 1,350 fps. Thus, Johnson was off the ballot in the general election unless Johnson could do something quickly. I shoot 38 super in a RIA 1911 that my gunsmith set up And Its got plenty of rounds. However, the .38 Super suffered in popularity after the introduction of the .357 Magnum. Historically, thats why it was created. Texas Ranger Colt .45; Texas Ranger Matt Cawthon's M1911; The Guns of the Dillinger Gang; WWI Navy and Marine 1911's; Historic 1911 Pistol Visual Display; Historical Articles On The M1911 Pistol . In 1911, Hamer started working as a special investigator in Houston. In 1948, Hamer accompanied Gov. I carry either an XDS in 45 auto or my Nighthawk in 38 super nearly every day. Slides are engraved Texas Rangers on the left side, and wear the Ranger badge logo on the right. This is easily my favorite caliber to shoot and i have guns in .357 magnum, 9mm 45acp 50ae 44 magnum 10mm 380acp 38special.