Author Topic: What is it? How old is it? Is it safe?  (Read 689 times)

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Offline tacshooter

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What is it? How old is it? Is it safe?
« on: September 04, 2004, 07:24:06 AM »
While cleaning shop I found a Slide(Stainless Steel or in the white with no blueing,some stain) complete with barrel, recoil spring, and 2 Magazines wrapped in a shop cloth. right side of slide says"Super Match COLT Super 38 Automatic". Left side says COLTS  PT . F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.. underneath this says "PAT 'D  APR. 20. 1897 SEPT. 9. 1902. DEC19.1906 FEB. 14.1911.AUG.19.1913   Magazines (stainless or brushed Nickel)are stamped on baseplate COLT .38 Super Auto.  Barrel bushing has script lettering of "Miero" With a little TLC I think this would be in very good condition. Barrel rifling is crisp. Finding all kinds of OLD UNKNOWN STUFF here. Could I buy a regular 1911 Frame and shoot this?

Thanks Tac........... :roll:
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Offline IntrepidWizard

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What is it? How old is it? Is it safe?
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2004, 07:38:23 AM »
BIG RED ONE,You could fit any Colt frame to it.
Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force! Like fire, it is
a dangerous servant and a fearful master. -- George Washington

Offline Iowegan

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What is it? How old is it? Is it safe?
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2004, 07:20:10 PM »
First, the slide was not made in stainless back then so it's in-the-white.  Colt introduced the 38 Super in 1929 and basically it hasn't changed since. The older version of the Super was a 38 ACP, same case but loaded to much lighter pressures.

Your 38 Super is quite a find and in high demand. Yes, it will shoot modern 38 Super cartridges. You can mount the slide on any series 70 frame (Colt or clone) and probably have a terrific shooter. The slide should be hot blued.
GLB

Offline Mikey

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What is it? How old is it? Is it safe?
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2004, 02:44:14 AM »
tacshooter:  check to see if the barrel is not a 38 Special target barrel.  Your post did not specify that the barrel was also stamped 38 Super.  There were a number of Colt 38 Supers that were converted to 38 Specila wadcutter guns for military matches.  They use the 38 Super magazines and shoot 38 wadcutters from a barrel chambered in 38 special.  If the barrel will not chamber a 38 Special wadcutter then you have an original 38 Super.  However, the accuracy may be less than you might hope for - although the slide may be a match slide set up for target sights, the older Colt 38 Spuer barrels headspaced on the tiny 38 Super case rim and were not a great match gun.  HTH.  Mikey.