Old Taurus PT 38 Super

44caliberkid · October 26, 2023, 10:28 PM

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1013946858

Saw this on GB. I’m a 38 Super fan and didn’t know Taurus ever made these. I had a PT in 45 ACP, it worked fine but I eventually traded it. I think these were $300 guns when new, I’m curious to see how this one tops out. The 9’s and 45’s still go for $300 to $400.
I’m also watching two Ruger Single Sevens, 7.5 inch barrel, 327 Federal Mag. One is already at $1050.00. These were Lipsey’s Specials and they are hard to find. I wish Ruger would make them in greater than hens teeth quantities.

lee n. field · October 27, 2023, 03:46 PM

Interesting rear sight. Proprietary. I wonder if it's the same dovetail as the G2C uses.

44caliberkid · October 28, 2023, 08:40 PM

Ended up selling for $987.00! For a Taurus!

rc · October 28, 2023, 10:20 PM

I've become a 38 super fan too. I enjoy shooting my 4 inch bull barrel in 38 super much more than my Colt commander in 45 ACP and it's about as cheap as 9mm to shoot since I reload. I think it feeds and cycles better in the 1911 than 9mm too. If I wasn't living in the land of fruits and nuts, I'd have a colt combat commander in 38 super too.

44caliberkid · October 29, 2023, 05:19 PM

The first 1911 I purchased was a Colt Combat Commander, satin nickel, 38 Super, from the PX in 1976.

Miami_JBT · October 31, 2023, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 44caliberkid

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1013946858

Saw this on GB. I’m a 38 Super fan and didn’t know Taurus ever made these. I had a PT in 45 ACP, it worked fine but I eventually traded it. I think these were $300 guns when new, I’m curious to see how this one tops out. The 9’s and 45’s still go for $300 to $400.
I’m also watching two Ruger Single Sevens, 7.5 inch barrel, 327 Federal Mag. One is already at $1050.00. These were Lipsey’s Specials and they are hard to find. I wish Ruger would make them in greater than hens teeth quantities.

Probably made for Latin America, where 9x19mm and .45 ACP is banned due to them being "military cartridges," but .38 Super isn't.

**Mike Irwin** · November 1, 2023, 09:14 AM

Wow. I never heard of that one, either.

I've been fascinated with the .38 Super for years, and have often thought about getting one. But I'm not sure that I want one on a 1911 platform, and that has really limited the choices.

I'm really hoping that S&W will bring out the M&P2.0 in .38 Super. I e-mail them about once a year asking for it. So far no dice.

gnappi · November 21, 2023, 12:29 PM

Over 30 bids! Not bad.

**44 AMP** · November 21, 2023, 02:48 PM

My Dad had a .38 Super in the early 70s. Straight stock Colt Government Model. I got to use it (and load for it). Loaded JHPs when factory stuff was all FMJ. Gun worked fine, and was moderately accurate, but not tremendously so. This was back in the days when the Super was made to headspace on that tiny "semi-rim".

The Super became quite popular with the "race gun" crowd in the 80s-90s, I understand many of those guns were built to headspace the case on the case mouth, and are generally more accurate because of that.

I don't have personal experience with that, but its what people say...

The .38 Super is a bit of an oddball, since it uses the same case as the earlier .38ACP. All of the early Browning designed pistol cartridges use the semi-rim case design (25, 32, & .38ACP). Supposedly, this was done because Browning wasn't convinced that headspacing on the case mouth would be reliable enough. No one has ever found anything from the man himself stating that, but its assumed that's why he did it, since after the 9mm Luger proved it would work, Browning's later pistol rounds were rimless case designs (.380 & .45ACP).

When they uploaded the .38ACP in the 20s, originally, it was the pistol that was named Super 38 and the round didn't become the ".38 Super" until sometime a bit later.

I would expect an "older" .38 Super to be made to headspace on the rim.

Stuff goes for incredible and often unrealistic prices on Gunbroker, because it is an auction.

smee78 · November 21, 2023, 09:05 PM

Congrats to the seller, he was the real winner of that auction.

October 26, 2023, 10:28 PM	#1
44caliberkid Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2017 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,288	Old Taurus PT 38 Super https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1013946858 Saw this on GB. I’m a 38 Super fan and didn’t know Taurus ever made these. I had a PT in 45 ACP, it worked fine but I eventually traded it. I think these were $300 guns when new, I’m curious to see how this one tops out. The 9’s and 45’s still go for $300 to $400. I’m also watching two Ruger Single Sevens, 7.5 inch barrel, 327 Federal Mag. One is already at $1050.00. These were Lipsey’s Specials and they are hard to find. I wish Ruger would make them in greater than hens teeth quantities.

October 27, 2023, 03:46 PM	#2
lee n. field Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2002 Location: The same state as Mordor. Posts: 5,588	Interesting rear sight. Proprietary. I wonder if it's the same dovetail as the G2C uses. __________________ "As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. "

November 1, 2023, 09:14 AM	#7
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,642	Wow. I never heard of that one, either. I've been fascinated with the .38 Super for years, and have often thought about getting one. But I'm not sure that I want one on a 1911 platform, and that has really limited the choices. I'm really hoping that S&W will bring out the M&P2.0 in .38 Super. I e-mail them about once a year asking for it. So far no dice. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

November 21, 2023, 02:48 PM	#9
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 30,518	My Dad had a .38 Super in the early 70s. Straight stock Colt Government Model. I got to use it (and load for it). Loaded JHPs when factory stuff was all FMJ. Gun worked fine, and was moderately accurate, but not tremendously so. This was back in the days when the Super was made to headspace on that tiny "semi-rim". The Super became quite popular with the "race gun" crowd in the 80s-90s, I understand many of those guns were built to headspace the case on the case mouth, and are generally more accurate because of that. I don't have personal experience with that, but its what people say... The .38 Super is a bit of an oddball, since it uses the same case as the earlier .38ACP. All of the early Browning designed pistol cartridges use the semi-rim case design (25, 32, & .38ACP). Supposedly, this was done because Browning wasn't convinced that headspacing on the case mouth would be reliable enough. No one has ever found anything from the man himself stating that, but its assumed that's why he did it, since after the 9mm Luger proved it would work, Browning's later pistol rounds were rimless case designs (.380 & .45ACP). When they uploaded the .38ACP in the 20s, originally, it was the pistol that was named Super 38 and the round didn't become the ".38 Super" until sometime a bit later. I would expect an "older" .38 Super to be made to headspace on the rim. Stuff goes for incredible and often unrealistic prices on Gunbroker, because it is an auction. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

November 21, 2023, 09:05 PM	#10
smee78 Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,952	Congrats to the seller, he was the real winner of that auction. __________________ We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located, among the millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't got a clue where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are

October 28, 2023, 08:40 PM	#3
44caliberkid Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2017 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,288	Ended up selling for $987.00! For a Taurus!

October 28, 2023, 10:20 PM	#4
rc Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2001 Location: CA Posts: 1,934	I've become a 38 super fan too. I enjoy shooting my 4 inch bull barrel in 38 super much more than my Colt commander in 45 ACP and it's about as cheap as 9mm to shoot since I reload. I think it feeds and cycles better in the 1911 than 9mm too. If I wasn't living in the land of fruits and nuts, I'd have a colt combat commander in 38 super too.

October 29, 2023, 05:19 PM	#5
44caliberkid Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2017 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,288	The first 1911 I purchased was a Colt Combat Commander, satin nickel, 38 Super, from the PX in 1976.

November 21, 2023, 12:29 PM	#8
gnappi Member Join Date: June 26, 2005 Posts: 76	Over 30 bids! Not bad.