What ever happened to the 38 Super?

Still around. Most popular caliber in Mexico where it is the largest caliber a civilian can own. So, southwest US gun shows have a strong demand for the 38 Super caliber in both ammunition and replacement parts.

They are still around. The deal is the 38 super is the same length as a 45acp, so they do no readily fit in handguns designed for 9mm and/or 40SW...and those are the guns that are popular.

The 38 super is actually pretty popular in Mexico and South America

The 38 super is also fairly common in shooting competitions.

It is still around, just not very common. Ammo is readily available in many areas (Cabela's in my area stocks it. Colt and a few other companies still make guns for it. I even have an old Sig P220 in it (fairly rare, made in the 70's).

And btw as someone who travels and shoots in Mexico, .38 Super is a prohibited cartridge there. Largest civilian legal cartridge in Mexico for auto pistols is .380 ACP, largest revolver cartridge allowed is .38 Special. .38 Super has a cult following in Mexico the same way the .45 ACP does here and for a similar reason. The Mexican armed forces and Federal police agencies have used .38 Super almost as long as the U.S. armed forces have used the .45 ACP. Many agencies in Mexico still use the 1911 in .38 Super as their duty gun.

edit: to those who claim .38 super is legal for civilians in Mexico. http://www.sedena.gob.mx/pdf/leyes/ley_rfa.pdf

"ARTÍCULO 9.- Pueden poseerse o portarse, en los términos y con las limitaciones

establecidas por esta Ley, armas de las características siguientes:

I. Pistolas de funcionamiento semi-automático de calibre no superior al .380" (9

mm.), quedando exceptuadas las pistolas calibres .38" Super y .38" Comando,

y también en calibres 9 mm. las Mausser, Luger, Parabellum y Comando, así

como los modelos similares del mismo calibre de las exceptuadas, de otras

marcas."

And "ARTÍCULO 11.- Las armas, municiones y material para el uso exclusivo del

Ejército, Armada y Fuerza Aérea, son las siguientes:

a). Revólveres calibre .357" Magnum y los superiores a .38" Especial.

b). Pistolas calibre 9 mm. Parabellum, Luger y similares, las .38" Super y

Comando, y las de calibres superiores.

c). Fusiles, mosquetones, carabinas y tercerolas en calibre .223", 7 mm., 7.62 mm.

y carabinas calibre .30" en todos sus modelos."

Hey "sparky" I have worked as a translator and have been fluent in spanish for over 30 years.

Article 9: May posses or carry, under the terms and conditions established by this law, arms with the following characteristics: semi automatic pistols with a caliber no greater than .38" (9mm) WITH THE EXCEPTION OF: .38 Super, .38 Commando, also 9mm calibers Mauser, Luger, Parabellum, and Commando.....

Article 11: Arms, ammunition, and material for the exclusive use of the army, navy, and air force are the following:

b) .38 SUPER, Commando, and all larger calibers.

If you had more than 1 year of high school spanish you would know that Article 9 lists the .38 Super as an exception to what is permitted, and article 11 specifies that .38 Super is reserved exclusively for the armed forces. duh

They are still around. And still being made. Most of the 1911 makers offer at least one version of it in their lineup. Even RIA has a low-cost version that has gotten some really good reviews. You just have to look around for them. Walmart even carries ammo for them upon occasion. I picked up a box there last month. At this point it is more or less a round for gun nuts who actually know what it is, race gun people who like it for it's magazine capacity and low recoil compared to other Major class calibers, and people in Mexico who aren't allowed to own guns in military calibers. The vast majority of the .38 Supers sold here in the southwest make a run for the border. Especially colt's. I wouldn't trade mine for anything.

(Edit)

Corey, you are flat-out wrong. If you walk into any gun shop here in southern California, they will tell you the same thing. .38 Supers are snapped up by Mexican Nationals as soon as they hit the shelves. And they are not used by the Federales, or any other government agency down there. Most of those use 9mm now. I know, because they come up here to buy ammo at Walmarts because it is cheaper than in Mexico. There are several Tijuana cops that come up every other Monday to buy several cases of 9mm ammo. .38 Super is so popular because it isn't used by the military or police, and is therefore legal to own. If you don't beleive me about .38 Super, google the terms ".38 super" and "Mexico". See what comes up.

(Edit)

Ok sparky, why don't you get that translated, and then read it? The .380 refers to the bore diameter, not the name of the cartridge. And if you read a bit further in the stuff you posted, you will see that it specifically excludes the .38 super from the restrictions. Duh.

Only thing that happened to it is that it never achieved a great deal of popularity; especially in America, where magnumania rules. Folks just thought if they wanted a more powerful cartridge they'd go to the .357.

A shame, really, because it was a great cartridge.

It never was all that popular, and if anything, it's more available now than in the past. There are so many other choices, though, that it does get lost in the crowd.