. I bought a gun to fit my mistake,and dont regret it ,shoots dead accurate and hardly any recoil. He had to pull it on several occasions, but only used it 3 or 4 times. Hamer was still on his feet as one of the fleeing hit men turned to shoot. In the 80s people began to realize that head spacing off the Rim (like revolver cartridges) was why so many .38 Supers were not accurate, and started spacing off the case mouth, like the .45 ACP. The 9mm and .38 Super will be the same size frame, while the latter hits harder. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. TriStar 85680 SPS Vista LNG 1911 Black/CHR 18rd. In hot summer days it rests, replaced by a 38 Spl snubnose. The .38 Super was particularly popular in Texas and over 200,000 were produced between 1929 and 1970. Competition shooters are .38 Super Auto fanatics. I bought this pistol off a table at a small gun show in Custer, WA. I selected it as it appeared to be the most powerful automatic pistol cartridge at the time. Cheaper Than Dirt and Academy Sports both offer good supplies, and the Internet lists a number of suppliers, both foreign and domestic. However my Dad shot on the 4th Army pistol team in the 50s and they shot 22, 38 Super, and 45 autos all in the 45 frame. 13 Kathleen J. Hoyt, historian, to Colt Company, July 26, 1993. He tuned and polished up the feed ramp and removed some burrs, no issues now. Following the success of its initial collaboration with Vertx, Premier Body Armor announces its continued partnership. Can someone give me an idea of what they are selling for? heavier recoil spring. Paul Harrell has good things to say about the cartridge if you look him up. "TEXAS RANGER" is on the left side of the barrel. The 38 special penetrated around 1/4 inch into the second book. I have not personally owned a 38 Super as they were not a popular round during my real active shooting days and the ammo had gotten hard to find. The mob battled National Guardsmen who were sent into Sherman by Governor Moody and tried to break into the vault. Texas became a proving ground and nearly the only market for Colt's revolutionary product. Its worth considering that Dan Wesson makes several 1911s in .38 Super including the Guardian, a lightweight Commander type. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Ironically, they may be a better choice again given the advancements in bullet design. If you want to know more about Glenn Elliiott, he has written two books: A Ranger's Ranger and Still A Ranger's Ranger. The police and the Bankers Associations refused to cooperate with Hamers investigation. Trace McDonald, a Ranger in Eastern Texas, acquired his first Wilson Combat pistola CQB modeland eventually Trace contacted Bill Wilson to see if Wilson Combat would be interested in helping some Texas Rangers acquire handguns with the quality that his CQB displayed. Add to this, all his SAA pistols were short barreled. 26 years and still my favorite pistol. Frank Hamer hated corruption of any kind- even when other police officers were involved! Lock up okay, but gun is likely non functional. Hamer was known to have followed the Dillinger case as a matter of professional curiosity, he may well have been familiar with Homers published remarks which were If you want to give your coppers an even break with present-day gangsters, you want to equip them with the new Super .38 caliber. In my youth I looked for a .38 Super, but in South Texas every time I got a lead on one, it was already sold. The .45 SAA Colt was a mainstay until John Browning completed his 1911 project. first time i fired it i couldnt believe how flat shooting it is. 150 grain cast Elco design, AA7 and starline plus p brass makes for a ten . 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COLT SERIES 70 LIMITED EDITION .45 TEXAS LONGHORN . 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 Defense O1911CSS38QTZ 1991 Aztec Empire .38SUP. Not far from my Bar.Sto, Clark, Briley bbls. A gunman had once jumped out to prevent him from testifying in a trial. All rights reserved. I have a Colt 1911 in 38 special.. (not a super) that was made for the U.S. ARMY NATIONAL MATCH TEAM in the 1960s. 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. Its a little bulky for concealed carry, but its under the seat of whatever vehicle I happen to be driving. Today, Texas DPS issues Sig Sauer pistols in .357 Sig, undeniably robust, and potent, equipment. However, as an elite division, the Rangers are allowed some latitude in what they carry, and a large number choose the 1911. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). And Colt got the finest product placement/celebrity endorsement in marketing history: his guns were the official guns of Texas Rangers. Regardless, any load tested had more than enough accuracy to put paid to a miscreant. Long ago (early 1970s) I purchased a Colt Combat Commander in Super 38 from a Pawn Shop. 10/22 Ruger; 1903 Springfield; 1911 Colt 45; 308 Rifle; 32 Caliber; . HT108, W:D71) and the lever-action rifle with a .35 Remington Model 8 semiautomatic rifle (p. W:D72) with 20-round magazine extension (both weapons offering superior penetration against bullet-proof vests and the heavy Ford V8 sedans Clyde Barrow was partial to). The answer would be yes. The conservative ranchers and almost everyone else in Texas loved Coke Stevenson and what he stood for. Add to Wish List. Burley Auction Group - TEXAS RANGER COLLECTION/ESTATE AUCTION - TEXAS RANGER COLLECTION/ESTATE AUCTION - New Braunfels, . After entering the Ranger service in 1961, Elliot . 1894 the family moved to Oxford in Llano County and Frank worked in his dads blacksmith shop. I built a 1911 Govt in 9mm and I just love it but wanted a little more power. Regular Price Oak Hill Price Cash Price. His training, natural abilities and the Wilson were enough for a good start in the sport. While I enjoy the wonderful 45 cartridge I much prefer the higher capacity and easier control of follow up shots with the 9mm and 38 Super. Then acquired a Colt Defender and that, I thought, settled it. It has never been used by a military. To Chris. Colt 38 Super; Colt 380; Colt 45; Colt AR 15; Colt AR-15; Colt Cobra; Colt Cobra .38 Spl +P; Colt Combat Unit CCO; Sort By: 19 Item(s) Show. The Pre-War Colt .38 Super or "Super 38" were produced from 1929-1945. A 6 1/2 inch gun would have been difficult to use. He slept under his horse drawn wagon in bad weather and studied accounting alone by the light of campfires often with snow and rain falling around him. than 9 out of that platform @ 1200 FPS. Ive never bothered with it and no one I know personally has either. While every effort is made to include accurate and correct images, descriptions and pricing for all products, inadvertent errors may occur. The Defender is an officer-sized aluminum framed gun with a 3 inch bull barrel. Ships from Tallahassee, FL, United States. I know lots of times my Super rides to the range right beside my G20. I rank the .38 Super along with the .45 ACP and the .44 Special as the 3 best calibers in America. Stevenson succeeded W. Lee Pappy ODaniel as governor in 1941 when ODaniel resigned to take a seat in the U.S. Senate. This is a neat cowboy revolver from Europe! Very Safe. At present, my favorite .38 Super is a Para Ordnance 1911. I have 40 years of experience handloading, so its not because Im a noob. Likewise when ordering 124gr 9mm bullets to reload for target shooting I noticed the 9mm labeling also said they were not the typical .355 but .356 that I had previously been buying seperatelyfor the 38 super, now I just buy the one size 356 124gr for both. Problem is, they are extremely hard to find now, especially the Colt Gold Cup Trophy. It was shipped to McBride's Guns, Inc. in Austin, Texas, on March 24, 1984. Colt 1911 Heritage .38 Super Full-Size Stainless Pistol with Custom Scroll Engraving. Colt Paterson. Captain Frank Hamer, two other rangers and a police sergeant escorted Hughes to trial where a crowd packed the entire area of the courthouse. In the latter 1800s, they all but standardized on the Colt Single Action Army revolver and the lever-action Winchester rifle, and when the more powerful box magazine 1895 model came out, they flocked to them so fast that they are prevalent in pictures of Rangers during that period. I used Glocks exclusively for carry went through models and calibers, ending up with the G30 and 45ACP. Known as Mr. Texas, Stevenson represented a kind of independent thinking in politics that makes it now seem inevitable that he and his old hunting partner, Frank Hamer, would be destined to walk down the streets of Alice together under the hard stares of George Parrs pistoleros most of whom were armed with rifles and shotguns. Both bought new. Colt was discontinuing the long-serving .38 ACP automatic and wished to introduce a mid bore to replace it. It took a few years to solve that problem, but by then the .357 Magnum becames the Cats Meow, especially among Law Enforcement (Colts original target market). 3 Revolver, 1907 Winchester Rifle, Ranger George Chapman, 1950 Smith & Wesson Chiefs Special, Sgt. In 1971, they received an out-of-court settlement. There were several reasons why the .38 Super didnt take off as Colt hoped it would. Veteran Deputy Bob Alcorn had chugged away with his hefty Browning Automatic Rifle and ripped some respectable holes all the way through the car. (AP file). There is no pistol faster to an accurate first shot than a 1911 handgun properly carried cocked and locked. On horseback pursuing Mexican bandits or errant Comanches, or in the seat of a Crown Victoria sleuthing out a serial killer, Rangers usually carry all their equipment with them. 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. I purchased a Colt Commander .38 Super in 1959 from Abercrombie & Fitch in San Francisco for $45.00. This style of barrel also puts a bit more weight forward in the gun. Hard to find ammo in a platform I dont particularly care for and no, I cant stand Glock either. An old timer gave me several boxes of ammo and I reload as well but it can be hard to find. By doing so, Johnsons legal team got the case in front of Associate Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black. All fitted with the best barrels money can buy manufacture by Fred Kart. After catching the rustlers, Hamer led a successful effort to organize his neighbors and several other counties around Kimble County to improve the roads so that merchants and farmers could get their products to and from places like San Antonio. COLT PYTHON .357 MAG 6" 6RD STS . The Colt Walker, sometimes known as . 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. I recently fitted a 38 Super barrel to my Rock Island 1911 in 9mm. Frank Hamer, had its serial numbers obliterated in the heyday of Bonnie and. Bonnie and Clyde Director Arthur Penn Dies at Age 88, Guns of outlaws Bonnie and Clyde to be auctioned. Over generations of colorful history, his creation has evolved into todays highly regarded Texas Ranger Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Two men were convicted and sentenced to two-year terms and more lynching and riots ensued in Texas and Oklahoma. Kimber Custom Shop made only 260 Stainless Gold Match SE II in .38 Super in 2001. I agree the .38 Super is a fine round in the FWC but I would definitely like to try the standard rounds as well. Your email address will not be published. The Colt .38-caliber Detective's Special revolver, which was recovered from Parker's body by Texas Ranger Capt. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt! Rudy Flores. Coke Robert Stevenson (March 20, 1888 June 28, 1975) was the only 20th century Texas politician to serve as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, as Lieutenant Governor and then as governor. Would even use as a carry gun. Range Time I accidentally bought 38 super rounds through the mail and realized my mistake. The cop in the bunch and 2 of 4 others all had 38 super weapons within a month. Ted Hinton, in his book Ambush, declares that two of the Colt automatics at the ambush were .38 Supers. Both use the same Wilson 1939 Super .38 serial number 32239 - in new condition with original box, . The most fun to shoot pistol i own. Stevenson was elected to a full term in 1942, winning the Democratic primary with 69% and being unopposed in the general election. In those days officers from one state were legally prohibited from chasing suspects across the border of another state. All rights reserved. I have that love very much I shoot it in bulleye comp at 50 feet it is great but I need brass for my gun if any body has some get me I will pay for it thank you all. A rumor had been circulated that the Rangers had orders from the Governor not to shoot. Out of stock. I am thinking of finding them a new home and cant find much info as far as value. We clamped 3 Oklahoma City phone books together and took them down to the end of the range. Ben in Arizona. It was the only pistol chambered for .38 Super that I ever shot until I got one. He had great regards for the 38 but seemed to like the 45s more. Working primarily along the South Texas border, Hamer became known as an expert shot. When asked by one of the rioters whether he would surrender the prisoner, Hamer replied,Any time you feel lucky come on, but when you start up the stairway once more, there is going to be many funerals in Sherman. This quieted the crowd for twenty or thirty minutes according to Hamers official statement. I think the fact that during the 60s 38 Super kinda faded and like I said the ammo wasnt really easy to get. defense as they sell hollow points as well. The Barrow gang is believed to have killed at least nine police officers and several civilians in the course of its crime wave. Ive always wanted to experience the Super and am glad I did it. I recently came across a 1929 Super .38 that also came from Texas. I have a letter from Colt showing the shipment. My Para-Ordnance is middle of the road. I am a reloader and shoot it all the time. Midwestern banks were easy picking for a gang that outgunned the cops with fully automatic 30.06 Browning Automatic Rifles and fast cars. Thus, Johnson was off the ballot in the general election unless Johnson could do something quickly. The caliber saw extensive use in the hands of the FBI and figured into the demise of dangerous fugitives such as Baby Face Nelson. My father said that one reason she had the gun taped to the inside of her leg was that, in those days, no gentlemen officer would search a woman where she had it taped Sometime later, my father gave this gun to Buster Davis who had been a Texas Ranger and was, at the time, an FBI Agent.. The 9mm is not my choice short of shooting at paper. $1,999.99 $1,699.99. Colt 1911 Government Model Mark IV Series 70 38 Super Box. Texas Rangers are an independent lotalways have beenperhaps from that time alone riding horseback across the vast expanse of Texas. Colt designed the .38 Super with its Government 1911 platform in mind. Colt .38 Super sn 44602 - shipped August 22,1947 to Peden Iron & Steel Company, Houston, Texas in a 50 gun shipment. In her first term as governor of Texas, Gov. *Last, but not the least: CDNN Sports (TX), used to sell genuine, ramped / supported SIG .38 Super bbls for 1.911. The loading gate is loose when down. Price: $475.00. Why so popular South of the border? I have had the itch for a cap & ball revolver and I can't even find those (or at least not the one's I'm lookin for). When we lived in Oklahoma City, the guys I shot with were always giving me a hard time about my Colt in 38 Super. Shop 38 super pistols online at Hinterland Outfitters from brands like Armscor, EAA, Colt, Dan Wesson, and many more! M. T. Gonzaullas, 1921 Thompson Sub-Machine Gun, Ranger H. Purvis, 1950 Colt .38 Super, Ranger Glenn Elliott, 1857 Manhattan Firearms Co. "Navy" Revolver, Capt. It can be loaded just like a 9mm with the same bullets and powder. When asked why he carried Colt's .45 Government Model, he replied in typical Ranger fashion 'Because they don't make a Colt .46!' Texas . remarkably easy to handload. I shoot 45s more than anything else but sometimes wish I had purchased a SUPER back in the day. Its used most commonly in competition teamed with a compensated 1911 (opinion). . Wilsons attractive and functional, fully-checkered Diamondwood grips and a single-side, extended Tactical Thumb Safety are standard, as is the High-Ride Beavertail Grip Safety. Mexican law forbids the sale or possession of any firearm chambered in a military caliber. Belgian made six shot revolver. Most were marked " For .38 Colt Special " which is nothing more than the S&W .38 Special but with a flat nose. See Sold Price. Very inexpensively made and prone to breakage with no parts availability. Have mounted a red dot as my eyes are weaker. Git!, he admonished and then, Fall back!. The Super 38 and 923 are almost the same and reloaded with Super dies are. Haha But if its your bag and you can hit what youre aiming for with it, then go for it. used to rainbow trajectories with 45, I have one and love it mine is a rock island sometimes hard to find ammo. After shooting it, I wanted a smaller grouping and purchased a Bar-Sto barrel and bushing, when they were still located in Southern California. Hamer and Stevenson were both tall with big shoulders and carried themselves in a way that stated they meant business. A question that comes up around gun shops is, Who still uses the .38 Super, if anyone? I am one of the users of this fine cartridge, and while I appreciate the grand old .38 Super, or Super .38 as it is variously called, it is probably not a caliber I recommend for most shooters. 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. Stephen F. Austin probably never anticipated the historical impact of his organizing a small civilian group to provide protection for immigrants into Tejas. The first practical revolving-cylinder handgun was invented in 1831 by Samuel Colt of Hartford, Connecticut, and patented on February 25, 1836, the year of the Texas Revolution. Scared him 1/2 to death at a Dennys one day. Estimate $150 - $300. Nevertheless, Hamer used buckshot on the crowd and wounded at least two as they charged up the stairs of the courthouse. You wont find a better pistol and caliber. To front for Old Lucky, Capt. Power factors have dropped and the original power factors surely stretched a gun after a very active season. 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. A black Ultralight trigger and an Ultralight burr hammer are part of the system that provides a crisp 3-1/2- to 3-3/4-pound trigger pull. I certainly do! And Its got plenty of rounds. The .38 Super was particularly popular in Texas and over 200,000 were produced between 1929 and 1970. There can be no other gun with a closer association to Bonnie Parker than the one taped to her body at her death.. The 38 Super is a great cartridge which has been kind of left behind with the popularity of 9mm Plus-P loadings. No FTF, as long as no lead exposed @ tip. The .38 ACP Super was a sensation noted for its high velocity of 1,300 fps and nine fast shots. I pretty much fell in love with the Colt 1911 38 Super I have. Have shot it in bullseye competition and USPSA. My gun likes the heavier bullet weights and Ive been experimenting with the 158 grain JHP and JSPs in .357 diameter with goods accuracy and velocity. While I have relegated most of my collection to the comfort of the safe, I loved the pistol and carried it for years. BELGIAN TEXAS RANGER .38 SPECIAL 1920S REVOLVER. The 1930 Sherman riot made Texas notorious for its racial animosity. As long as I do my bit, its a straight shooter. Ballistically though, 9mm+P comes real close to catching up with the Super in performance, and so it will most likely remain a niche gun and caliber. The Professionals groups were a little larger than I might have expected, but including this pistol, I have only test fired two .38 Super handguns. The 38 super is fantastic. Hamer left the Rangers and then returned again in 1921, transferring to Austin where he served as Senior Ranger Captain. Hinton requested a BAR because he knew that the lawmen would be up against more than one BAR that Barrow had stolen from a National Guard armory and with which Barrow had already gunned down several peace officers. The Rock Island is a fun gun to fire and use. In addition, it includes a custom serial number and a commemorative coin with a pouch. My first gun was a colt .38 super from 1958 which i inherited from my uncle who was a big gun enthusiast. in 923. Modern guns that headspace on the case mouth are very accurate. At the beginning of her second term, she fired all the Rangers that remained and appointed replacements for them. The 9mm and .45 probably offer advantages over the .38 Super in many categories, but the old Super is a cartridge with plenty of panache, style, flash, and performance. Also W.C. combat hammer. I usually carry the handgun with Wilson Combat magazines. Got my Star in 1970 and the Colt in the early 1980s. Firing System: External Hammer Frame Material: Steel Magazine Type: Single Stack Magazine Barrel Configuration: Single Rifled Barrel: Yes Minimum Pull Length: 0 in. Guns International #: 101277151 Seller's Inventory #: 219948. My platform I shoot the Super in is from Tanfoglio. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The testimony that the lawyers gathered- as a result of the names of voters that later testified they had never voted- and jotted down while in the bank- demonstrated, beyond any doubt, according to Robert Caro (the definitive Johnson biographer)- that Lyndon Johnson had personally conducted one of the most massive election frauds in U.S. electoral history. But the ideal is not to get yourself so close that no one can miss hitting you with whatever they have to threaten your life, hence the 38 super at 1400 fps you can make shots well past 50 yards and plenty of power to stop just about anything. At the age of 24 years old, Hamer established and maintained order in Navasota. There is also a brief history after that on the Colt Commander. This P320 features a custom engraved slide with the quote "one riot, one ranger" on the side and a Texas Ranger badge on the top. However, it certainly wasn't his only one. 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. There are a fair number of barrels available from several manufacturers at a price point from $51 up too the $250 range. Both can be purchased through the Texas Ranger Museum Gift Shop. I fitted a .38 Super barrel and stronger spring. Home Texas Ranger Museum Artifacts & Exhibits Firearms Colt 38 Super . The mob succeeded in breaking open the vault and dragging Hughes dead body behind a car, then hanging it from a tree where they set it on fire. The Barrow Gang robbed banks in Oklahoma, Texas and Iowa with Hamer in hot pursuit. The little guy hold an honorary place in my collection and I smile when I think back to when I purchased it for $100.00. After acquiring his first Wilson Combat pistol, Trace McDonald started competing in USPSA matches. Does anyone know how I can obtain ammunition ? Colt 1911 Texas Ranger commemorative chambered in .38 Super with a 4 1/4 inch barrel bright bore and good grooves with a display case and Texas Ranger Medallion. Please be respectful of others. Love the gun and love the round. Commissioned as Special Rangers by the Texas Department of Public Safety and/or the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, these . Dallas County Sheriffs Deputy Bob Alcorn and another Dallas County deputy, Ted Hinton, had previously been involved in an attempt to ambush Barrow and Parker, in November 1933. One often hears that the Texas Rangers and other Texans were among Colt's best customers for the early Super .38. *Colt Style Belgium ''Texas Ranger'' 38 RevolverThis *Colt Style Belgium ''Texas Ranger'' 38 RevolverThis is a Belgium made Colt western style single and double action revolver. However, the .38 Super suffered in popularity after the introduction of the .357 Magnum. The .38 Super was introduced in the 1911 handgun in 1929 to arm peace officers with a hard-hitting handgun that offered good penetration against the new breed of mechanized thug. No single model could offer every feature every Ranger might want. Like other Hamer biographers, Boesseneker confirms the famed ranger's favorite sidearm was a Colt Single Action Army .45 with a 4-3/4-inch barrel and Type C (almost full coverage) engraving, which Hamer nicknamed "Old Lucky." A few years ago, his SAA revolver sold at auction for $165,000.