.38 Special

.38 Special The .38 Special is a rimmed, centerfire revolver cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson and introduced in 1898. It was developed from the earlier .38 Long Colt to provide superior stopping power and became one of the most successful handgun cartridges in history. Its balance of manageable recoil, accuracy, and sufficient power secured its place as a standard for law enforcement and civilian use for much of the 20th century.

History

The .38 Special was developed by Smith & Wesson in the late 1890s as an improvement over the underperforming .38 Long Colt cartridge, which had demonstrated deficiencies during the Philippine–American War. Introduced commercially in 1898 in the Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolver, it was quickly adopted by numerous police departments across the United States. Its reputation was solidified during the Prohibition era, where it was widely used by law enforcement officers and FBI agents combating organized crime. The cartridge's longevity was further ensured by its role as the standard sidearm cartridge for the United States Armed Forces during World War II in revolvers like the Smith & Wesson Victory Model.

Design and specifications

The .38 Special is a rimmed, straight-walled cartridge with a nominal bullet diameter of .357 inches and a case length of 1.155 inches. Its design allows for efficient use of smokeless powder, a significant advancement over the black powder rounds it succeeded. Standard factory loads typically feature lead round-nose or semi-wadcutter bullets, though a wide variety of jacketed hollow point and +P loadings were later developed. The cartridge operates at a maximum standard pressure of 17,000 psi, with +P variants reaching higher pressures as defined by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute.

Performance

With standard 158-grain lead round-nose bullet loads, the .38 Special produces muzzle velocities around 850 feet per second and muzzle energy of approximately 250 foot-pounds. This performance was considered adequate for decades, though critiques of its stopping power, particularly against determined adversaries, emerged from incidents like the 1986 FBI Miami shootout. In response, modern high-performance +P loads, such as the Federal Hydra-Shok and Speer Gold Dot, were engineered to offer improved expansion and penetration. While outperformed by more powerful cartridges like the .357 Magnum and 9×19mm Parabellum, the .38 Special remains effective for personal defense within its intended range.

Use

The .38 Special achieved iconic status as the quintessential police service cartridge in North America, carried by departments like the New York City Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department for most of the 20th century. It was also the prescribed sidearm for many United States Air Force security personnel and United States Navy sailors. Beyond official duty, its mild recoil and accuracy made it a premier choice for recreational shooting, bullseye shooting competitions, and civilian self-defense. The cartridge is chambered in a vast array of revolvers from manufacturers including Colt's Manufacturing Company, Ruger, and Taurus USA.

Variants

Several significant variants of the .38 Special have been developed to enhance its capabilities. The **.38 Special +P** is a higher-pressure loading that increases velocity and energy, standardized by SAAMI. The **.38 Short Colt** and **.38 Long Colt** are historical predecessors with shorter cases. The most famous derivative is the **.357 Magnum**, introduced by Smith & Wesson in 1935, which uses a longer case to prevent chambering in .38 Special revolvers while offering vastly superior power. Other specialized variants include target wadcutter loads, reduced-recoil ammunition for training, and shot shell cartridges for pest control.

Category:Revolver cartridges Category:American inventions Category:1898 introductions