1930’s Colt Super 38

[Captain Bill Burt]

A neighbor of mine has a 1930’s manufactured Colt in 38 Super, nickel. He doesn’t like the caliber and wants to work a trade for a 1911 in 45 ACP. I just happen to have a few of those…

 

I haven’t seen it yet, so I don’t know what condition it’s in. Once I get a look I will take pictures and post them.

 

I’m always impressed by the depth of knowledge here so my question for the brain trust is what would the range of value on one of those be?

 

Assuming on the low end the finish is crappy but it’s mechanically solid to the high end it’s mechanically solid with great finish.

[Alpo]

I can't answer your question, but if I was your friend I wouldn't make the trade. I would get a new top half.

 

The simplest solution would be to change it to 9 mm. But a 45 conversion would not be too difficult. And then you still got that 38 top half if you ever get the urge.

[Captain Bill Burt]

lol! He’s a neighbor, not a friend. I’m not going to make that suggestion to him.

 

He is not a gun guy at all. I don’t want to be unfair to him so I want an idea what value I’m looking at. He saw my Tisas and liked it. I’m thinking that’s a lop sided trade.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

IF I recall correctly , to change over to 45ACP , in addition to the barrel , link , Ect. or a top 1/2 

 

 you will need to change the Ejector , and maybe the Extractor 

 

Chickasaw Bill 

[Boggus Deal #64218]

A factory nickel .38 Super from that era could be a couple thousand, depending on condition. If not a factory nickel gun, then your Tisas might be a good trade. 

Not known for their accuracy as they headspaced on the semi rimmed case instead of the case mouth. 

 

[Captain Bill Burt]

4 minutes ago, Boggus Deal #64218 said:

A factory nickel .38 Super from that era could be a couple thousand, depending on condition. If not a factory nickel gun, then your Tisas might be a good trade. 

Not known for their accuracy as they headspaced on the semi rimmed case instead of the case mouth. 

 

Can that be addressed with a different barrel?

[Boggus Deal #64218]

1 minute ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

Can that be addressed with a different barrel?

Yes, sir. A new barrel chambered with a proper reamer will headspace on the case mouth. I have a couple reamers and have done a bunch of them.
That all came about when people started using it for USPSA and IPSC. 

[Alpo]

1 hour ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

I’m thinking that’s a lop sided trade

Not if he's happy with it.

 

The problem would be if somebody that he probably showed his new 45 to told him he got screwed.

 

"You traded him a gun worth two grand for a gun worth $500!!?? Did he at least kiss you??"

 

But I look at like this. I have an item - it does not matter what the item is - that according to "everyone that knows" it is worth $2,000. But I don't use it. I don't like it. So it sits on a shelf. Its value to me is zero. And if I trade it for something that "everyone that knows" says is worth $500, but I enjoy this new item and I use this new item - I came out okay in this trade. I traded something that was worthless to me for something that was useful.

[Rip Snorter]

Have a Colt 38 Super from the day, 1938 - don't know if the nickel is factory, but a great old handgun I've enjoyed for years.  When I bought it, it was just an old gun and cheap.  If it is in good shape, I'd go for it.

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

Dear old Dad talked about a trade he made, years ago.

He said the fellow trading him was so convinced he'd swindled Dad out of his eye teeth, he couldn't look the Grand Old Man in the eye.

Me dear Pappy was so convinced he'd slickered this fellow out of his birthright, he couldn't look the man in the eye either.

He said both parties allowed as it was a good trade!

[Rip Snorter]

6 minutes ago, Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103 said:

Dear old Dad talked about a trade he made, years ago.

He said the fellow trading him was so convinced he'd swindled Dad out of his eye teeth, he couldn't look the Grand Old Man in the eye.

Me dear Pappy was so convinced he'd slickered this fellow out of his birthright, he couldn't look the man in the eye either.

He said both parties allowed as it was a good trade!

Definition of a bargain!

[Duffield, SASS #23454]

2 hours ago, Alpo said:

Not if he's happy with it.

 

The problem would be if somebody that he probably showed his new 45 to told him he got screwed.

 

"You traded him a gun worth two grand for a gun worth $500!!?? Did he at least kiss you??"

 

But I look at like this. I have an item - it does not matter what the item is - that according to "everyone that knows" it is worth $2,000. But I don't use it. I don't like it. So it sits on a shelf. Its value to me is zero. And if I trade it for something that "everyone that knows" says is worth $500, but I enjoy this new item and I use this new item - I came out okay in this trade. I traded something that was worthless to me for something that was useful.

Amen Brother! 

There is always so.e Smiling Jack Donkey who has to but in and spoil your deal just to show off how much he knows.  I lost the sale of a two gun rig at Black Gold last July because of this (it was a good deal for the buyer, I just don't  need the rig). My future happiness did not depend on the sale so I kept quiet and let him blow. May the bird of paradise  fly up his nose.

[Dubious Don #56333]

Factory nickel is a bit rare. Condition is everything of course.

A 9mm conversion would be the easiest if you don't want a 38 Super. First off, I'd advise against shooting a 1930's vintage Colt with vintage springs with 38Super ammo most particularly. Get a complete spring replacement in any case from Wolff, gunsprings.com

 

9mm is easy; 9mm magazine, barrel fitted. Done.

 

45ACP would be a bit harder, replace the slide in it's entirety, takes different extractor/Firing pin and slide breechface cut. Barrel with link & pin. Elector which is pinned to the frame, not too difficult to change, actually. Everything else should be GTG. Remember don't shoot hunnert year old springs, LOL.

[Pat Riot]

I’d leave it a .38 Super and have fun with it, especially since you already have other 1911s. 
 

As for value and what to trade I have no idea. 

[Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485]

I use 130gr TC flat points in my .38 spl cowboy loads. Same bullet works great in my .38 super.

[DeaconKC]

@Boggus Deal #64218 beat me to it. Great information. If your barrel doesn't shoot well, if you get a replacement make sure it is a NON ramped barrel if the Super is as old as it sounds. And it will handle ammo with performance rivaling a 357 Magnum. Oh, MecGar makes great running mags for those.

[Captain Bill Burt]

Well, it’s 1968 manufacture and a bit rough.

[Captain Bill Burt]

I’m thinking of offering a straight trade for my Tisas. Or my Ruger 22/45 lite plus he gives me $100

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

It does look a bit dirty, but if it shoots good I wouldn't let that stop me. 

[J-BAR #18287]

Flitz and elbow grease can bring back the shine.  You are probably already aware...  some nickel finishes have a copper coating between the steel and the nickel.  Using a cleaning solution that contains a copper removing ingredient can undermine and damage the remaining nickel.  I use Kroil to clean my nickeled guns.

[Boggus Deal #64218]

Are those real ivory?

[Boggus Deal #64218]

And I don’t think that is factory nickel.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

That pistol is going to need some work from what I can see.  Have you checked the serial number on the Colt database?  It might give you some detail, although a Colt letter would be better.  As it looks now, a Tisas might be an even trade. 

[Alpo]

I doubt it is factory nickel either. Except for the occasional commemorative I don't think Colt did nickel with gold highlights.

[Captain Bill Burt]

1 hour ago, Boggus Deal #64218 said:

Are those real ivory?

I don't think so. 

1 hour ago, Boggus Deal #64218 said:

And I don’t think that is factory nickel.

You would know more about that than I would!  I thought the roll marks looked pretty crisp other than the wear on one side of the slide.   It was filthy inside.  My neighbor is a nice guy, but completely ignorant when it comes to guns.  I took it apart and there was crap in the barrel.  Cloth or something.  I did a quick cleaning and pointed that out and his response was he would have just shot it out.   He didn't know how to field strip it, so I'm guessing he's never cleaned it.

[Captain Bill Burt]

I have a Tisas Duty with about $450 in it and a Ruger 22/45 Lite with about $350 in it.  I told him I would swap the Tisas straight up, but if he wanted the Ruger I would need $100 plus the Colt.  He claims a guy at the local pawnshop thinks it a prewar gun and is offering a better deal.  I told him he should take it if he can.  We'll see.

[Captain Bill Burt]

1 hour ago, Tex Jones, SASS 2263 said:

That pistol is going to need some work from what I can see.  Have you checked the serial number on the Colt database?  It might give you some detail, although a Colt letter would be better.  As it looks now, a Tisas might be an even trade. 

Yeah,  checked the database.  All it said was Super 38, 1968.

 

It needs work.  I would tear it completely down and give it a good cleaning.  The barrel has some minor pitting, but I would probably buy another and a complete spring set.  The thumb safety has a positive disengagement but is mushy when engaged, so I would have to look at that too.  The front sight appears to be pinned and is so small and hard to see it might as well not be there.  Not sure what I would do about that.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

20 minutes ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

All it said was Super 38, 1968

'68 or '38?

 

[Captain Bill Burt]

1968. The owner thought it was a 30’s model but he’s wrong. Too many digits in the serial number and the slide roll marks are wrong.

[Stump Water]

After zooming in on the photos... that thing is showing a LOT of wear.   After what you've said about it, I would pass. 

 

ETA:  Also agree that the nickel isn't factory.

Edited February 10 by Stump Water

[Boggus Deal #64218]

35 minutes ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

I don't think so. 

You would know more about that than I would!  I thought the roll marks looked pretty crisp other than the wear on one side of the slide.   It was filthy inside.  My neighbor is a nice guy, but completely ignorant when it comes to guns.  I took it apart and there was crap in the barrel.  Cloth or something.  I did a quick cleaning and pointed that out and his response was he would have just shot it out.   He didn't know how to field strip it, so I'm guessing he's never cleaned it.

Hard to tell in the pictures but the corners just don’t look sharp but I’ve been wrong once and the gold hammer, trigger and slide stop aren’t factory. At they look gold plated.

[Alpo]

2 hours ago, Boggus Deal #64218 said:

And I don’t think that is factory nickel.

Whether it started out factory nickel or not I don't know. But that gun has obviously been refinished. Compare the slide pic to what it's supposed to say.

 

 

You can see the word Colt, the ATI of the word automatic, and about half of the horse. Everything else has been polished away

[Rip Snorter]

This is 1938 - sights & grips not original.

 

[watab kid]

in my humble opinion - if you want it do the deal , im not inclined but ive not been offered either and i dont have a 45 i want to part with , i like mine enough to keep them , im not sure the 38 super would ever be of interest to me , but again its my humble opinion , enjoy if you do 

[Captain Bill Burt]

I can’t see a straight swap. I might offer him $250 or at most $300. If I do get it I will most likely strip it down, take the nickel off, blue it, and replace the barrel (if I can find one that’s made to headspace properly) and replace the sights.

 

Slide to frame is still tight, no rattle.