[chaosrob]

So I have been after a nice 38 Super Commander for a little while, and was unable to find anything I liked available on the market, so I "made" my own Colt Carry Commander.

Found a 9MM Commanding Officers Frame and a 9MM Combat Commander Slide. Removed the Series 80 parts and pieces, fitted a Colt 38 Super Barrel and Bushing, and changed the extractor.

Took it out today and ran 300 rounds of Aguila through it without issue. I plan on putting another 200 rounds of Cor Bon (my preferred 38 Super carry ammunition) through it before calling it good. All in all I am very pleased with it. No fancy beavertail, extended slide release, or extended safety, just simplicity.

 

[skwcoltguy]

Good work---great gun and great cartridge!

 

[Pendennis]

Very nice conversion! Lighter colored slide on the dark frame make a very nice combination. That'll make a very nice carry gun!

 

[chaosrob]

Thanks guys. I am very pleased with it so far and it will make a nice companion to the twin 38 colt customs. I really dig the 38 super

 

[kenhwind]

I'm a big fan of the .38 Super. The first pistol that I actually bought was a Colt MK IV Series 70 .38 Super to go with the .45 that my Dad had bought for me. I still have the .45 but sold the .38 to finance a LWT XSE Commander .38 Super that I sold and was rebuying. Also have a 1970s Commander in .38 Super that has a Bar Sto barrel in it.

What I'd like to do some day is get a 9mm Defender and have a Bar Sto .38 Super barrel made up for it.

 

[chaosrob]

Ken,
That really does sound like a nifty idea. Wonder why they do not make one?

 

[surjimmy]

Thank God, now maybe you'll leave mine alone. Really Robert, that's very nice.

 

[Safearm]

I did the same thing to build a .38 Super CCO. I used a 9mm enhanced Combat Commander slide on a RIA compact frame.

 

[mariodesmo]

I did the same thing to build a .38 Super CCO. I used a 9mm enhanced Combat Commander slide on a RIA compact frame.

I like this idea. I have a couple full size 38 Supers now but would like to
have a Commander in 38 Super.

Why did you swap-out the slide? Can the 9mm frame and slide just
be fitted with a 38 Super barrel, bushing, and extractor?

You guys just gave me an idea for my next Colt!
Thanks!

 

[Safearm]

I bought the slide separately, it had the sights, but no other parts. I bought a Storm Lake barrel, which comes with the bushing, and the other parts, then assembled the slide. Once I had the complete upper, I needed a receiver, and elected to go with a compact (Officer's) frame instead of a full size frame. The RIA frame was from a .45 ACP Compact model, the only modification I needed to do was slim down the ejector, which I hand-filed to size. The length of the ejector was fine, as the length of the .45ACP and .38 Super are the same. Since the RIA is a "Series 70" style, I removed the Series 80 parts from the slide. As you can see from the picture, it works well for a parts gun.

 

[mariodesmo]

I bought the slide separately, it had the sights, but no other parts. I bought a Storm Lake barrel, which comes with the bushing, and the other parts, then assembled the slide. Once I had the complete upper, I needed a receiver, and elected to go with a compact (Officer's) frame instead of a full size frame. The RIA frame was from a .45 ACP Compact model, the only modification I needed to do was slim down the ejector, which I hand-filed to size. The length of the ejector was fine, as the length of the .45ACP and .38 Super are the same. Since the RIA is a "Series 70" style, I removed the Series 80 parts from the slide. As you can see from the picture, it works well for a parts gun.

That sounds great. I have a RIA Compact in 45 that I love to shoot. It would make the perfect project gun. I'll have to start looking for a slide,
and piece together a 38 Super myself.

It's funny how in more than 20 years of collecting, I've never thought about a 38 Super until I shot one last year. I now have two that are full size Government Models, and the Compact would make the perfect project.

Thanks for the info!