Colt 1911 38 Super or Ruger GP100 357 Mag?

[HydNawab]

Hi Guys

I wanted to get an opinion from you guys regarding my handgun.

I recently bought a Colt 1911 38 Super pistol in nickel.Now, I am being offered a Ruger GP100 357 Mag 4" barrel in blue and on top of that I get Rs.2 lacs cash if I exchange it.

I fired my 38 super today at the range and its really smooth with less noise and an easy recoil but its not man enough for me I think.May be I am comparing it to my Colt Lawman MkV 357 Mag which was a snubbie and made a hell of a noise and it had a very hard recoil.

What do you guys suggest, should I go in for it?

Cheers

Ashar

[badshah0522]

How much did u paid for 1911??

[HydNawab]

I paid Rs.7 lacs with 100 cartridges.

Ashar

[badshah0522]

Can u post pictures of the expensive beauty.

[Risala]

Ashar,

Personally am a semi-auto freak,but the 2 L & swap for a Ruger in 357 gives it a twist

I would make my decision largely on the availability of ammo,.357 i think can be more easily

sourced than .38 Auto,under the circumstances would go for the Ruger.

cheers

Sanjay

PS a friend of one of the members picked up th Perrazi MX 8 from Ambala for 4.75 L.

Got a call yesterday from the same bloke pushing the MX 8 that a NIB Browning O/U has surfaced

somewhere in Haryana,he wouldnt disclose details.

[HydNawab]

The pictures of the Colt 1911 38 Super as requested.









Cheers

Ashar

[badshah0522]

Very good condition. It worths that much.

[jonahpach]

Hmmm does not look like a pre 1980's (before import ban) model so.. Where could this model have surfaced from?? .. Despite our raves and rants regarding unavailability of choice of guns in India Ashar seems to prove the age old adge "Money changes thing"

Jonah

[mundaire]

Question - What all parts would be needed to change the calibre of a 1911/ 1911A1 from .38 super to .45 ACP? Or .45 ACP to 9mm parabellum etc. etc.?

Cheers!
Abhijeet

[Grumpy]

It`s difficult to tell which model the pistol is because of the poor photographs which are out of focus and have been taken against a shiny backdrop causing even more problems but it doesn`t appear to be a Series 80 or later so was probably legitimately imported before 1981.

The front and rear sights are not factory original and not gunsmith fitted. The adjustable rear sight should have been machined down to fit flat on the slide - not sticking up in the air. Because it is so high a high front leaf has had to be fitted to match.

The .38 Super is by no means a runt but doesn`t make as much power as the .357 mag - or the .45 ACP.

We`ve already discussed the lack of availability of .38 Super ammunition in India so this can`t be a good buy in that respect. The .357 mag is a good calibre.......but I have a personal dislike of the GP100. If it is in good condition it is logically a more sensible purchase than a pistol you can`t buy ammunition for. GP100s are usually accurate and reliable - just ugly ( IMO ! )


"Question - What all parts would be needed to change the calibre of a 1911/ 1911A1 from .38 super to .45 ACP? Or .45 ACP to 9mm parabellum etc. etc.?"

Off the top of my head Abhijeet, I reckon that the list will be as follows:

Slide.
Slide stop.
Barrel.
Barrel bushing.
Return spring.
Firing pin.
Ejector.
Extractor.
Magazine assembly.

Plus fitting.

It would be cheaper to buy a used pistol.

[cottage cheese]

Hey Nice gun!

[marksman]

hmmmmm..... Meprolite adjustable sights, lowered ejection port, 9+1 shot mag, satin nickel finish, Pachmayr Legendary grip, post 80 model, beautiful pistol but,..... a bit too expensive in imho. as compared to An original colt (post ww2) in Colt charcoal blue (95%) which went for much less last year from a gun dealers shop in M'bai for the fact that it was in cal. 38 super.
Marksman
ps: hang on to it all your life Ashar. Money power is the only way these days to procure a good fire arm. I personally don't mind over paying if it was my dream gun. Trading it off with GP-100 is a big NO NO, buddy. Happy shooting.

[mundaire]

"Question - What all parts would be needed to change the calibre of a 1911/ 1911A1 from .38 super to .45 ACP? Or .45 ACP to 9mm parabellum etc. etc.?"

Off the top of my head Abhijeet, I reckon that the list will be as follows:

Slide.
Slide stop.
Barrel.
Barrel bushing.
Return spring.
Firing pin.
Ejector.
Extractor.
Magazine assembly.

Plus fitting.

It would be cheaper to buy a used pistol.

Grumps,

The reason why I asked was the astronomic price that HydNawab has paid for the 1911 in .38 super... Got me thinking that if my own 1911A1 could be re-chambered for a NPB calibre - it would suddenly appreciate in value by a tidy amount!

Two options strike me as possibilities here -

1. Get the required parts and have a licensed dealer fit them, to legally change the calibre to a NPB one. I would then have to give up the .45 option permanently though...

2. Acquire the required parts and get the second barrel entered on the same license, thus allowing you to have 2 different calibres on the same license - therefore freeing up 1 more (out of the limit of 3 max) arms license for another gun...

Cheers!
Abhijeet

[Hunter]

Hi Ashar,

Firstly let me add that the Colt you have displayed above is really a work of art .
The added attractions are the meprolight sights,nickel finish and the grips.
The ammunition for the caliber maybe a tad difficult to obtain and personally I think you would be better off with the nearly indestructable Ruger GP-100 in the versatile .357mag caliber.

Happy shooting!

[mashh1]

Grumpy other than a complete top end, i think the frame feed ramp on most 45 frames is cut much deeper into the mag well and at a steeper angle than frames made for 9mm/38 Super/10mm. This difference can cause feed jams when trying to convert such frames to smaller calibers. If you can get past the frame feedramp problem, then ABhijeet you will surely need a complete top end in 9mm or 38 Super, magazines, slide stop, and ejector.
I have seen conversion kit by Peters Stahl (Germany) on net that is multi caliber. Problem is trying to find a source in our side of map.
38 super is a semi-rimmed cartridge often loaded to lower pressures usually at par with 9mm +p level due to compatibility with older 38 ACP, while this cartridge would headspace on the semi-rim till early 70s,which caused serious accuracy problems, however all new .38 Super pistols headspace on the case mouth. in its true glory it will fall in the mid territory of 357 magnum and will be as flat shooting and accurate as 357 will be. but it is a Hand loader's cartridge today.
my father had a colt 38 super which is with my elder brother. Due to very high prices and scarcity of ammunition (last time I bought FMJ Round for @220 per bullet, at this rate I can buy Black Talons for 9mm) i traded my Berretta 9mm to get that colt. I will try to swap top ends of my Ithaca and colt and will post how it goes although I think an ejector that will work with both calibers will have to be fabricated.
For OP question regarding swap, I think colt has more strong following than Ruger as they have more bulk and action of Ruger is not very smooth but ammo availability is a very important factor for any firearm. And if you can buy that costly gun, in my very honest opinion please keep the BOTH.
regards