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.
Very nice pistol.
The .38AMU and the .38 Special are not quite the same.
The .38 AMU is just like a .38 Special flush wadcutter EXCEPT that the case rim is cut down to a semi-rim the same diameter as a .38 Super.
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
Thanks guys. I am aware of the amu being a rimless 38 special more or less, but if this was not converted to 38 special the rim should hang and not allow the shell to chamber which is why I believe it has been converted
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
The plot thickens, it would appear Shockey is the one who converted this to 38 midrange, or at least that would be my guess from the letter information;
38 AMU
Shipped July 3, 1962 to: RL SHOCKEY1614 S ChoctawEl Reno, OK
25 totalShipped with 38 Special Magazine
I'm with you on this. I am not happy with the configuration and had planned to modify the gun but will not now. That weight though, I guess they soldered them on because there is no bolts going through the frame. Taking it off would most likely leave quite the mess
I was lucky enough to procure 1100 rounds of 38 amu brass and 400 rounds of loaded ammunition. The funny thing is this pistol chambers, fires and extracts both 38 amu and 38 mid range ammunition
Took the weight off after I figured out how. The screw fits the trigger guard so well it is almost invisible when installed. I originally thought it was soldered on somehow, fooled me. Very nice work but I prefer it without the weight
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...
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
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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