A Colt 1911...in .38 "SPECIAL"??

[Rossi]

I overheard the clerk and customer talking at one of the older LGS's today.

".38 Special? Really?"

They were looking at a very nice looking Colt 1911 for a lot of money. I thought for sure they were mistaken and meant .38 Super, but they weren't. It said ".38 SPECIAL" on the side of the slide. They wanted a lot of money for it, too.

What's the deal on these, does anyone know? Just Curious.

[mingaa]

Nothing contemporary that I see but this was a caliber in the guns history.

[Rossi]

Did a little research since my post. Looks lie this gun was part of the "bullseye" craze of the 1950's to the mid 1970's. Colt made the 1911 in this chambering from 1961 to the early 1970's, but not very many of them. Apparently only used wadcutters or semi-wadcutters. And since .38 is a revolver cartridge, there's always been a very wide range of loads available, but this gun only used mid-range (from what I've read). No +P or cowboy loads. Proper cycling depended on it, I guess.

A very neat and pretty gun.

[GreenWolf70]

Yep, Bullseye competition pistol. It had special magazines just for feeding those wadcutters.

[guesser]

S&W also made a 38 Special wadcutter match/target gun. It and the Colt are really nice guns and seldom seen alive on the open market.

[texastaurusguy]

I wonder how many rounds it held.....the rimmed cartridge would make it a challenge to put very many in the magazine.

[Rossi]

I wonder how many rounds it held.....the rimmed cartridge would make it a challenge to put very many in the magazine.

I might check when I go back. It was two grand, so I can't afford it (or justify it if I could). Sure was pretty, though.

[glenwolde]

That would be a "National Match .38". They are often faked, with a NM slide mounted on a non-original frame. I saw one once with a $2200 price tag that had an Essex frame. Nice try.....

They used to take Gov't Model 9mm's and convert them to .38 also, you'll see a few of those. The S&W is the Model 52.

Totally useless except for paper punching, but very, very, good at that.

[MikeyB]

IIRC those pistols where originally made for the Army Marksmanship Team back in the 1960's.

[Rossi]

That would be a "National Match .38". They are often faked, with a NM slide mounted on a non-original frame. I saw one once with a $2200 price tag that had an Essex frame. Nice try.....

They used to take Gov't Model 9mm's and convert them to .38 also, you'll see a few of those. The S&W is the Model 52.

Totally useless except for paper punching, but very, very, good at that.

Good to know! Not the most reputable shop I saw it in, either