Well I finally got around to ordering a 9mm barrel from Sarco for the Commander pistols we have. The objective was to have 9mm capabilities as well as the .38 Super; not so much of an ammo issue, because I reload both cartridges.
The barrel lug exterior was a bit rough, but had to be fit anyway as did the barrel to frame fit. Using the Colt barrel as a guide I relieved the Sarco barrel so that it would come to rest on the barrel bed and not the frame rails.
The barrel bushing is a Colt SS one, which came out of my XSE Commander and was replaced by a Wilson Commander barrel bushing. Because I needed a barrel link and pin, which I forgot to order with the barrel, I ordered them and the Wilson bushing as well as a Colt 9mm M magazine from Midway.
L to R: 9mm magazine and is marked on the base COLT CAL 9MM LUGER; 38 Super magazine, which is marked COLT SUPER .38 AUTO
The top barrel is the OEM Colt barrel and is the original type that is smaller in diameter and uses the old style 38/9mm barrel bushing.
The barrel underneath is the Sarco 9mm barrel, with the SS barrel bushing.
I have not shot the pistol with the 9mm barrel in it yet.
Overall the barrel is pretty nice considering it was only $50.00. The chamber is nice and smooth and the rifling looks good. The exterior is finished nicely, except as noted and these areas need to be fit anyway.
I considered having the 9mm barrel machined to match the Colt Super barrel, but at least as its set up the SS barrel bushing indicates the 9mm barrel is in the gun. The barrel in marked 9mm atop the chamber as most barrels are.
I can't wait to see it in action, it would be very nice to shoot two different calibers out of the same pistol, with just a barrel swap. I have been considering the same thing but for me it's all about the cost of the 38 super vs the 9mm. I don't reload and 38 super is really expensive compared to 9mm. If cost was not the objective for you since you reload, what was it then?
I'd like to know the result using a 9mm barrel in a .38 super commander setup. A 9mm ejector is longer than the .38 super. I'm just wondering how the empty shells will eject. I have a 9mm Colt 1991A1. I use a Colt .38 super barrel.
Very nice and looking forward to a range report.
As for turning the 9mm barrel diameter, I wouldn't. A thicker barrel generally means a stiffer barrel and that often leads to a more accurate barrel. Plus, the thicker barrel is better suited to handling pressure and adds a tiny bit of weight which can slightly delay the unlocking of the breech.
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...the thicker barrel... adds a tiny bit of weight which can slightly delay
the unlocking of the breech.
Interesting. How does that work?
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If cost was not the objective for you since you reload, what was it
then?
Well I figured that for fifty dollars for a barrel, plus the magazine I would have a 9mm Commander. We have a BHP too, so I have ammo anyway.
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A 9mm ejector is longer than the .38 super. I'm just wondering how the
empty shells will eject.
Yes I do realize that the 9mm ejector is longer. Some contend that the extended ejector was developed for the Super, but I've never owned a 38 Super with one, and I've owned a few. I'm sure there was a reason Colt used the extended ejector, some .45 Commanders have them. Actually the Commander ejectors are alike I could switch uppers from a XS 45 Commander and a XSE 38 Super Commander, but never shot them that way.
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As for turning the 9mm barrel diameter, I wouldn't.
This was basically just a consideration because I have an extra bushing for the old style 38/9mm barrels that I acquired on eBay. I have 2 38 Super Commanders a LWT XSE and the Combat Commander pictured. The XSE uses a standard size bushing, but by installing the Wilson Combat bushing in it there is no need to change anything because that gave me the extra bushing I would need, because the barrels are different in each gun.
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Interesting. How does that work?
The additional mass of the barrel requires a bit more energy to initiate movement. I don't know that it would be that great of a difference between the skinny barrel and the standard barrel, but it certainly comes into play with bull barrels and even more so when weights (compensator) are added to the end of the barrel.
When I bought the .38 Super barrel it came with an ejector. The ejector it came in is short, sort of a standard .45 acp ejector. The 9mm ejector is long and taller due to the 9mm cartridge being short. A gunsmith friend of mine advised me to be careful when manually ejecting a .38 super live round with the 9mm ejector as it might hit the .38 super primer. Experts please share your expertise on this.
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The additional mass of the barrel requires a bit more energy to initiate
movement.
OK. When you said "delay the unlocking of the breech." I took it to mean the unlocking of the lugs caused by the pressure drop in the barrel - not the disengaging of the lugs that occurs after the pressure drops (bullet departs) and the link starts to pull the barrel down.
1911 ejectors: there seems to be 3 distinct different ones (and I'm sure variations of them too)
The .45 Government Model ejector: This ejector fits the GM slide only, although I think a 45 Commander slide might fit also.
The .38 Super ejector: This ejector fits the GM Super Auto, as well as the 10mm/.40, and 9mm, although Colt used the extended one in the MKIV S70L GM 9mm Luger.
The Commander ejectors: These are the original extended ones and seem to be the same for the 9mm, .38 Super, and .45 Commanders.
The .38 Super ejector is closer and wider towards the center of the pistol because of the smaller diameter cartridge. The Commanders ejectors are similar.
Now it gets interesting because I used a Delta Elite frame and shot the 10mm GM, .38 Super GM, .22 SM ACE, and a .45 Commander slides assemblies on the Delta frame. This was basically an experiment and I think I shot 5 rounds each. Also when I had my LWT XS Colt .45 Commander I could switch slide assemblies with my XSE LWT .38 Super Commander, but never shot them that way.
Apparantly the slides will interchange with the exception of the .45 GM slide. What I mean is the slide might fit different frames but may not be correct: GM slide on Comm. etc.
As far as the .38 Super primer hitting the 9mm extended ejector, if it did so would the 9mm cartridge would it not? The 9mm/38S ejector may be wider, extended or not, it still is not in line with the center of the bore or cartridge.
If changing the ejector becomes necessary I might change it, but I don't see any issues. Well not yet I haven't shot the 9mm barrel.
I have two swap barrel 9mm/38 Super guns. One a Colt Combat Commander one an STI 2011. The following statements are my understanding/experiences with ejectors.
The 9mm ejector is longer than the 38 Super ejector because of the spacer at the back of the Colt 9mm magazines. The longer ejector hits the empty before the top round in the magazine has a chance to rise and push the empty above the ejector.
Both of mine run 100% using 38 Super ejectors. If it becomes a problem and you don't want to change the ejector I would try Metalform Springfield style 9mm mags. They do not have the rear spacer like Colt mags. They are made with a folded rib at the front of the mag and hold the cartridges to the back of the mag.
By the way mine both run fine with 9mm in 38 Super mags.
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By the way mine both run fine with 9mm in 38 Super mags.
Actually that was my initial plan, but because I needed a barrel link and pin, as well as an extra barrel bushing, I went ahead a got a 9mm magazine also.
Well, we went to the range this morning and shot the Combat Commander with the 9mm barrel. Worked just fine, no need to change anything. Worked fine with the 9mm magazine and the .38 Super one.
I didn't shoot it too well, but my brother shot a big hole in the target.
I'm glad it worked out for you. I really like the swap barrel capability of mine.
Other than when I show up to a steel match with the 9mm barrel and 38 super ammo.
How can a 9mm ejector be taller? Having done a couple of .45 ACP/.38 Super/9mm conversions, I'd have to say this is unsubstantiated misinformation.
Ditto on ANY ejector hitting a primer.
I'm not an expert but I have a little experience with Commander ejectors.
The 9mm Commander ejector is longer than the 38 Super ejector due to the spacer that is used at the back of most 9mm magazines. This is to eject the empty before the disconnector rail clears the top round in the magazine.
I have used a 9mm ejector with my 38 Super barrel installed and it ran fine. The problem is it is not possible to eject a loaded round. The longer 38 Super loaded round hits the ejector before the bullet clears the chamber. If the slide is racked hard ehough this can bend the ejector.
I have heard of a USPSA shooter unloading with his hand cupped around the ejection port to catch the loaded round and having the round explode in his hand. I don't know if this is true or just rumor.
Perhaps what was meant by "taller ejector" was a nose profile like the red one in this?
