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38 AMU R.L. Shockey

5K views 28 replies 10 participants last post by  chaosrob 
#1 ·
Got tired of seeing this heap languish at a lgs so I went ahead and picked it up.

Frame says it is a 38 Super with of course a AMU upper. I do not know a lot about these things and whether they ever made them as a complete package so I will assume this was an upper kit placed on a super gun.

The barrel appears to have been modified to take 38 Special midrange, at least it chambers them, I have not fired the gun yet. It was worked by R.L. Shockey and as such it is a super tight gun with a super slick action and trigger.

Came as pictured with 2 38 special mags. Any input is welcome.
















 
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#5 ·
Gil Hebard used to sell Colt manufactured 38 AMU conversion kits for gunsmith installation. I am sure he wasn't the only one. The 38 AMU was supposedly a .38 rimless cartridge that was supposedly loaded for the Army Marksmanship Training Unit in Ft Benning, Georgia who originated the cartridge and it's use for centerfire competition. They were trying to eliminate the alibi's or failure to feeds in competition that they experienced with the 38 Super pistols converted to .38 special. Nice gun
 
#8 · (Edited)
I think I may put a 38 special on the lathe and turn it to amu case specs that I found and see how that chambers in there. Honestly though I cannot imagine a standard 38 special midrange would allow the gun to go into battery if it were not converted, seems like that would have been a dangerous situation for them lol

here is a pic of a standard 38 special in a 38 amu barrel from this very site. It pretty much backs my reasoning


[URL=http://s115.photobucket.com/user/wiuprof/media/guns/38amu3copy.jpg.html][/URL]
 
#14 ·
Nice! I was going to say that the unbolting of a few items would greatly improve it - but, if it letters to Mr. Shockey, then the game is changed.
 
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#17 · (Edited)
More on Colt lettered "38 AMU" pistols

Located a copy of a 2000 Colt 38 AMU letter. And, found some other AMU ammo for pictures.

Clawson covers Colt AMU pistols on pages 97 - 100, in his GM book.

Meadows covers them on pages 449 - 452, in his 1945 - 2012 book.

Wonder how many "AMU Pistols" Colt made on Super receivers.?
 

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#21 ·
Some comments - musings of you will. Mr. Shockey was one of the leaders during the ascendancy of the semi-auto target pistol. Post WWII, everyone "knew" that you could not hit the broad side of a barn with a Model of 1911. Even though the rear is huge by today's standards, if that front sight rib stopped at the muzzle, it would be darned near perfect. That is truly some serious stippling on the front strap! Not all matches were fired on 65º days. It appears that the hammer has been "thinned" for a faster lock time. And, one thing that puzzles me: the arched mainspring housing was settled on long ago as it provided perceived benefits in pointing and aiming. Try to find an arched housing today...
 
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#22 ·
Thank you sir, and I agree. I will most likely machine a short rib out to replace this long rib and fit the front sight with a brass bead of some type. I doubt I can find an original rib to modify so I believe it is my only option.

I shoot a flat mainspring housing with long trigger better than any other 1911 configuration, but I do okay with the short trigger and a1 MSH like this one has. I believe that you could get it in any flavor you wanted from Mr Shockey but most I have seen with his name on them are flat with long-mid length triggers
 
#24 ·
Quite a score on the brass. For those who doubt it, price out 1100 rounds of .41 Action Express - if that many even exist. As to mainspring housings and triggers, different stands for different hands. I suspect that you have a soft spot for the orphans you encounter. Yet, the twists and turns that life takes when one indulges such an act of 'mechanical charity' provides much to ponder.
 
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