CherryRiver
31st July 2007, 22:03
I've stumbled onto a 1947 Colt Government Model Super .38 for a reasonable price. It's strictly a shooter; it's had some finish work done.
It came with a 9mm barrel, my main interest, since I'm looking mostly for a cheap-to-run range gun. After an initial range trip with a variety of 9mm stuff, it ran perfectly.
A couple of questions: I can't for the life of me remember what the standard recoil spring weights are for both 9mm and Super .38. I didn't do well with the search genie, either.
It's had a white refinish job done. I say "white" because I can't make up my mind what it is, either satin nickle or hard chrome. Sadly, it suffered some pretty aggressive buffing (I think I could say "belt sander") and most of the markings are quite thin. I suspect the refinisher was trying to get down past some serious pitting.
The only clue to my eyes as to what the finish is, is a bit of flaking on the recoil spring cap edges. I'm guessing if it was hard chrome, it wouldn't be that way.
While in Super .38 condition, I'm sure the gun is completely original (save a spring or two). Some pitting is still showing under the refinish, but it doesn't bother me.
What does matter is that I'll need to change at least the mainspring housing (if not the grip safety, too) for Her Wonderfulness' benefit. The arched one throws her off pretty badly. I can't see just slapping in a blue one, so, where might I get a satin nickle one?
I faced the same thing with my two-tone Special Combat Government, when I was forced to change the grip safety to one with a bump. During USPSA use, the reason I got the gun, I was coming up "quiet" too often with the smooth one. I just used blue, but I called Smith & Alexander, the Colt vendor who made the OEM one, and they did not have any nickle available.
Thanks
Bill
It came with a 9mm barrel, my main interest, since I'm looking mostly for a cheap-to-run range gun. After an initial range trip with a variety of 9mm stuff, it ran perfectly.
A couple of questions: I can't for the life of me remember what the standard recoil spring weights are for both 9mm and Super .38. I didn't do well with the search genie, either.
It's had a white refinish job done. I say "white" because I can't make up my mind what it is, either satin nickle or hard chrome. Sadly, it suffered some pretty aggressive buffing (I think I could say "belt sander") and most of the markings are quite thin. I suspect the refinisher was trying to get down past some serious pitting.
The only clue to my eyes as to what the finish is, is a bit of flaking on the recoil spring cap edges. I'm guessing if it was hard chrome, it wouldn't be that way.
While in Super .38 condition, I'm sure the gun is completely original (save a spring or two). Some pitting is still showing under the refinish, but it doesn't bother me.
What does matter is that I'll need to change at least the mainspring housing (if not the grip safety, too) for Her Wonderfulness' benefit. The arched one throws her off pretty badly. I can't see just slapping in a blue one, so, where might I get a satin nickle one?
I faced the same thing with my two-tone Special Combat Government, when I was forced to change the grip safety to one with a bump. During USPSA use, the reason I got the gun, I was coming up "quiet" too often with the smooth one. I just used blue, but I called Smith & Alexander, the Colt vendor who made the OEM one, and they did not have any nickle available.
Thanks
Bill