OK, the good luck continues

by Catoosa, Saturday, September 24, 2016, 09:55 (2985 days ago)

Yesterday afternoon after it cooled down a little I put the new/old LW Commander .38 Super on the bench. Tried Federal American Eagle 115 grain HPs, Winchester 115 grain Silvertips, and a mid-velocity handload with the Ranier 115 grain plated hollowpoint. All three shot VERY well at 25 feet - Nine of the Federals went into one ragged hole except for one called flyer that hit just outside the group. The Silvertips grouped nicely too, but they are "stimulating" to shoot in that little light gun! Too dang expensive to shoot many of them anyway. I was really pleased with the Ranier handload as well - accurate and pleasant to shoot - gotta get my reloading stuff cleaned up and make up some more of them.

All three loads tried shot about 3" high, but I can deal with that. The sights are a problem for my old eyes, but I don't want to change them. What's really pleasing is that all three loads fed and functioned fine, and none of the hollowpoints seemed to scuff the feedramp.

Not meaning to start an argument here, but I have been convinced for some time now that the feed geometry of the .38 Super is MUCH better than the 9mm in the 1911 platform. The Super is the same length as the .45 acp for which the 1911 was designed. The 9mm is shorter, and it is extremely difficult to make a 9mm 1911 magazine which doesn't let the round nosedive into the ramp as it feeds. My old 9mm Commander absolutely does not like short OAL rounds. The Commander was designed to meet an Army requirement that specified the 9mm cartridge, and the magazine had to be modified with a filler to make it work. It does, but just barely. With long OAL FMJ ammo. Put a short, blunt-nosed 9mm round in a 1911, and you're asking for FTFs. I like the 9mm a whole lot, and of course I love the 1911, but I just don't think they go together well. YMMV.