.38 S&W
Encyclopedia
The .38 S&W is a revolver
cartridge
developed by Smith & Wesson
in 1877. Though similar in name, it is not interchangeable with the later .38 Smith and Wesson Special
due to a different case shape and slightly larger bullet diameter.
The British military adopted a loading of this cartridge as the Cartridge, S.A., Revolver Ball, 380 in, MkI .38-200
, with the "200" referring to the weight of the bullet in grains. In 1937, this cartridge was replaced in British Service by the Cartridge, S.A., Revolver Ball, 380 in, MkII. The main difference between it and the previous round was that that it had a 178 gn. FMJ bullet.
's proprietary name for what was essentially the .38 S&W with a flat-nosed bullet.
The U.S. .38 S&W Super Police cartridge was nearly identical to the British .38/200 Mk I, using a 200 grain (13 g) lead alloy bullet with a muzzle velocity of 630 ft/s (189 m/s) and a muzzle energy of 176 ft·lbf (239 J), and was supplied by several U.S. manufacturers to the British government as equivalent to the Mk I loading.
The .38 S&W is also called the .380 Rim and .38 S&W Corto.
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
developed by Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
in 1877. Though similar in name, it is not interchangeable with the later .38 Smith and Wesson Special
.38 Special
The .38 Smith & Wesson Special is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round...
due to a different case shape and slightly larger bullet diameter.
The British military adopted a loading of this cartridge as the Cartridge, S.A., Revolver Ball, 380 in, MkI .38-200
.38-200
The .38-200 was a British military revolver cartridge identical to Smith & Wesson's .38 S&W cartridge but with specific loadings for military service....
, with the "200" referring to the weight of the bullet in grains. In 1937, this cartridge was replaced in British Service by the Cartridge, S.A., Revolver Ball, 380 in, MkII. The main difference between it and the previous round was that that it had a 178 gn. FMJ bullet.
U.S. Variants
The .38 Colt New Police was Colt's Manufacturing CompanyColt's Manufacturing Company
Colt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer, whose first predecessor corporation was founded in 1836 by Sam Colt. Colt is best known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms over the later half of the 19th and the 20th century...
's proprietary name for what was essentially the .38 S&W with a flat-nosed bullet.
The U.S. .38 S&W Super Police cartridge was nearly identical to the British .38/200 Mk I, using a 200 grain (13 g) lead alloy bullet with a muzzle velocity of 630 ft/s (189 m/s) and a muzzle energy of 176 ft·lbf (239 J), and was supplied by several U.S. manufacturers to the British government as equivalent to the Mk I loading.
The .38 S&W is also called the .380 Rim and .38 S&W Corto.
See also
- Colt .38/200 RevolverColt Official PoliceIntroduced to the firearms market in 1927, The Colt Official Police is a medium frame, six-shot, double-action revolver with a six round cylinder, primarily chambered for the .38 Special cartridge, and manufactured by the Colt's Manufacturing Company...
- Enfield No. 2 Mk I RevolverEnfield revolverEnfield Revolver is the name applied to two totally separate models of self-extracting British handgun designed and manufactured at the government-owned Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield; initially the .476 calibre Revolver Enfield Mk I/Mk II revolvers , and later the .38/200 calibre Enfield No...
- 9 mm x 19 caliber
- S&W Victory Revolver
- .38 S&W Special
- Webley Mk IV revolver