.38

.38 refers to the type of firearm and firearm cartridges.

The .38 is considered a large firearm cartridge; anything larger than .32 is considered a large caliber, and one of the most common handguns manufactured in the United States.^[1] Prior to 1990, the standard sidearm of police in the United States was a revolver that fired the .38 special cartridge, seconded by the .357 Magnum revolver.^[2]

Handgun cartridge table

Cartridge name	Bullet diameter	Case length	Cartridge length	Type	Source
.380 ACP (.380 Auto, 9 mm Kurz, 9mm Browning Short, 9×17mm)	.356 in (9.0 mm)	.680 in (17.3 mm)	.980 in (24.9 mm)	Rimless	Barnes 1997, p. 274
.38 Casull	.356 in (9.0 mm)	.933 in (23.7 mm)	–	Rimless
.38 Short Colt	.357 in (9.1 mm)	.762 in (19.4 mm)	1.052 in (26.7 mm)	Rimmed	Barnes 1997, p. 274
.38 Long Colt	.357 in (9.1 mm)	1.030 in (26.2 mm)	1.320 in (33.5 mm)	Rimmed	Barnes 1997, p. 274
.38 Special	.357 in (9.1 mm)	1.16 in (29 mm)	1.550 in (39.4 mm)	Rimmed	Barnes 1997, p. 274
.38 AMU (.38 Army Marksmanship Unit)	.357 in (9.1 mm)	1.15 in (29 mm)	–	Rimless
.38 ACP (.38 Auto, 9×23mmSR)	.358 in (9.1 mm)	.900 in (22.9 mm)	1.280 in (32.5 mm)	Semi-rimmed	Barnes 1997, p. 274
.38 Super	.358 in (9.1 mm)	.900 in (22.9 mm)	1.280 in (32.5 mm)	Semi-rimmed	Barnes 1997, p. 274
.38 Super Comp	.358 in (9.1 mm)	.896 in (22.8 mm)	1.280 in (32.5 mm)	Rimless	Starline cartridge dimensions
.38 S&W (.38 Colt New Police, .380 Rim, .38 S&W Corto, .380-200 British Service)	.359 in (9.1 mm)	.780 in (19.8 mm)	1.200 in (30.5 mm)	Rimmed	Barnes 1997, p. 274
.380 Revolver Short [British Webley pattern from the 1860s, copied by Colt to produce .38 Short Colt]	.375 in (9.5 mm)	0.700 in (17.8 mm)	1.100 in (27.9 mm)	Rimmed	Barnes 1997, p. 274
.380 Revolver Long [British Webley pattern from the 1860s]	.375 in (9.5 mm)	1.000 in (25.4 mm)	1.400 in (35.6 mm)	Rimmed	Barnes 1997, p. 274
.38-40 Winchester (.38-40 WCF)	.401 in (10.2 mm)	1.300 in (33.0 mm)	1.590 in (40.4 mm)	Rimmed	Barnes 1997, p. 92

See also

• .38-200, a British military revolver cartridge

References

1. Wright, James D.; Rossi, Peter H.; Daly, Kathleen. (1983) Under the Gun: Weapons, Crime and Violence in America Hawthorne, New York: Aldine de Gruyter. Page 42. ISBN 0-202-30306-3.
2. Wright, James D.; Rossi, Peter H.; Daly, Kathleen. (1983) Under the Gun: Weapons, Crime and Violence in America Hawthorne, New York: Aldine de Gruyter. Page 68. ISBN 0-202-30306-3.