The .38 S&W, also commonly known as .38 S&W Short (referred to as such to differentiate it from .38 Long Colt and .38 Special), 9×20mmR, .38 Colt NP (New Police), or .38/200, is a revolvercartridge developed by Smith & Wesson in 1877. Versions of the cartridge were the standard revolver cartridges of the British military from 1922 to 1963. Though similar in name, it is not interchangeable with the later .38 Special due to a different case shape and slightly larger bullet diameter.[1]
Revolvers chambered for .38 S&W (Colt New Police). Colt Police Positives L&R- Iver Johnson Hammerless Safety Front.British Enfield No.2 Mk I* DA-only service revolver in .38/200A box of WWII-dated .380" Revolver Mk IIz cartridges (and separate cartridges)
The round was first introduced in 1877 for use in the S&W .38 Single Action.[1] As standard for the era, it featured heeled bullet with the same diameter of bullet and case neck equal to .38 inch; later versions discarded the feature and downsized the bullet, but the designation did not change.
After World War I, the British military sought to replace pre-war revolvers with easier-to-handle weapons. Webley demonstrated a lighter version of their Mk III revolver with modified .38 S&W ammunition, firing a heavy 200-grain (13 g) bullet. It received favorable reports, and the revolver was accepted in principle.
As Webley had used the .38 S&W cartridge dimensions for their revolver, and the cartridge length was fixed by the size of the cylinder of the revolver (the same as for the wider .455), Kynoch produced a cartridge with the same dimensions as the .38 S&W but with 2.8 grains (0.18 g) of "Neonite" nitrocellulose powder and a 200 grain (13.0 g) bullet. In tests performed on cadavers and live animals, it was found that the lead bullet, being overly long and heavy for its calibre, become unstable after penetrating the target, somewhat increasing target effect. The relatively low velocity allowed all of the energy of the cartridge to be spent inside the human target, rather than the bullet passing through. This was deemed satisfactory and the design for the cartridge was accepted as the ".38/200 Cartridge, Revolver Mk I".
After a period of service, it was realized that the 200 gr (13 g) soft lead bullet could arguably contravene the Hague Conventions, which outlawed the use of bullets designed so as to "expand or flatten easily in the human body". A new cartridge was therefore adopted as "Cartridge, Pistol, .380 Mk II" or ".380 Mk IIz", firing a 180 gr (11.7 g) full metal jacket bullet. The .38/200 Mk I loading was retained in service for marksmanship and training purposes. However, after the outbreak of war, supply exigencies and the need to order readily available and compatible ammunition, such as the .38 S&W Super Police, from U.S. sources forced British authorities to issue both the .38/200 Mk I and MkII/IIz cartridges interchangeably to forces deploying for combat.[2]
The Cartridge S.A. Ball Revolver .380 inch Mark II and Cartridge S.A. Ball Revolver .380 inch Mark IIz cartridge were theoretically phased out of British service in 1963, when the 9×19mm semi-automatic Browning Hi-Power pistol was finally issued to most British and Commonwealth forces.
VariantsEdit
The .38 Colt New Police was Colt's Manufacturing Company's proprietary name for what was essentially the .38 S&W with a flat-nosed bullet.[1]
The U.S. .38 S&W Super Police cartridge was nearly identical to the British .38/200 Mk I, using a 200 gr (13 g) lead alloy bullet with a muzzle velocity of 630 ft/s (190 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.[1]
MKE9.65 mm Normal (9.2×23mmR (.38 Smith & Wesson)) cartridge has a 177 gr (11.5 g) lead-antimony alloy bullet with a gilding-metal full metal jacket and a Boxer-primed brass case. The "normal" designation differentiates it from their 9.65mm Special (9.1×29mmR (.38 Special)) round. It uses the 9.65 mm (.38-caliber) nominal bore rather than its 9.2 mm (.361-caliber) actual bore. It has a muzzle velocity of 590 ft/s (180 m/s).
Current statusEdit
The .380 Mk IIz is still produced by the Ordnance Factory Board in India, for use in revolvers.[3] Commercially, only Ruger makes limited runs of revolvers in this caliber for overseas sales, and only a few companies still manufacture ammunition.[1] Most of those that do so offer it in only a 145 gr (9.4 g) lead round nose bullet, though Fiocchi still markets full metal jacket bullet rounds. Some companies, such as Buffalo Bore, manufacture several different types of ammunition for self-defense and/or hunting.[4]
^ abcdeBarnes, Frank C. (5 October 2012). Cartridges of the World: A Complete Illustrated Reference for More Than 1,500 Cartridges. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 349. ISBN978-1-4402-3059-2.[permanent dead link]
^Shore, C. (Capt), With British Snipers to the Reich, Paladin Press (1988), pp. 201, 224–225
^Buffalo Bore 38 S&W (New Colt Police ) - 125 gr. Hard Cast FN 1,000 fps. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
Robert J. Maze (2002-03-01). Howdad to High Power, a Century of British Breechloading Service Pistols. ISBN978-1-880677-17-9.
Clifford Shore (May 2011). With British Snipers to the Reich. Literary Licensing, LLC. ISBN978-1-258-00891-8.
Mark Stamps; Ian D. Skennerton (1993-01-01). 380 Enfield No. 2 Revolver. ISBN978-1-85367-139-5.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to .38 S&W.
August 24, 2023
also, commonly, known, short, referred, such, differentiate, from, long, colt, special, 20mmr, colt, police, revolver, cartridge, developed, smith, wesson, 1877, versions, cartridge, were, standard, revolver, cartridges, british, military, from, 1922, 1963, th. The 38 S amp W also commonly known as 38 S amp W Short referred to as such to differentiate it from 38 Long Colt and 38 Special 9 20mmR 38 Colt NP New Police or 38 200 is a revolver cartridge developed by Smith amp Wesson in 1877 Versions of the cartridge were the standard revolver cartridges of the British military from 1922 to 1963 Though similar in name it is not interchangeable with the later 38 Special due to a different case shape and slightly larger bullet diameter 1 38 Smith amp WessonA box of modern 38 S amp W roundsTypeRevolverPlace of originUnited StatesService historyIn service1922 1963Used byUnited KingdomWarsWorld War II Korean WarProduction historyDesignerSmith amp WessonDesigned1877ManufacturerSmith amp WessonProduced1877 presentVariants 38 200 380 Rim 38 Colt New Police 38 S amp W Super Police MKE 9 65 mm NormalSpecificationsCase typeRimmed straightBullet diameter 361 in 9 2 mm Land diameter 350 in 8 9 mm Neck diameter 3855 in 9 79 mm Base diameter 3865 in 9 82 mm Rim diameter 440 in 11 2 mm Rim thickness 055 in 1 4 mm Case length 775 in 19 7 mm Overall length1 240 in 31 5 mm Primer typeSmall pistolMaximum pressure14 500 psi 100 MPa Ballistic performanceBullet mass type Velocity Energy158 gr 10 g LSWC 767 ft s 234 m s 206 ft lbf 279 J 195 gr 13 g LRN 653 ft s 199 m s 185 ft lbf 251 J 200 gr 13 g LRN 620 ft s 190 m s 176 ft lbf 239 J Contents 1 History 2 Variants 3 Current status 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory Edit Revolvers chambered for 38 S amp W Colt New Police Colt Police Positives L amp R Iver Johnson Hammerless Safety Front British Enfield No 2 Mk I DA only service revolver in 38 200 A box of WWII dated 380 Revolver Mk IIz cartridges and separate cartridges The round was first introduced in 1877 for use in the S amp W 38 Single Action 1 As standard for the era it featured heeled bullet with the same diameter of bullet and case neck equal to 38 inch later versions discarded the feature and downsized the bullet but the designation did not change After World War I the British military sought to replace pre war revolvers with easier to handle weapons Webley demonstrated a lighter version of their Mk III revolver with modified 38 S amp W ammunition firing a heavy 200 grain 13 g bullet It received favorable reports and the revolver was accepted in principle As Webley had used the 38 S amp W cartridge dimensions for their revolver and the cartridge length was fixed by the size of the cylinder of the revolver the same as for the wider 455 Kynoch produced a cartridge with the same dimensions as the 38 S amp W but with 2 8 grains 0 18 g of Neonite nitrocellulose powder and a 200 grain 13 0 g bullet In tests performed on cadavers and live animals it was found that the lead bullet being overly long and heavy for its calibre become unstable after penetrating the target somewhat increasing target effect The relatively low velocity allowed all of the energy of the cartridge to be spent inside the human target rather than the bullet passing through This was deemed satisfactory and the design for the cartridge was accepted as the 38 200 Cartridge Revolver Mk I After a period of service it was realized that the 200 gr 13 g soft lead bullet could arguably contravene the Hague Conventions which outlawed the use of bullets designed so as to expand or flatten easily in the human body A new cartridge was therefore adopted as Cartridge Pistol 380 Mk II or 380 Mk IIz firing a 180 gr 11 7 g full metal jacket bullet The 38 200 Mk I loading was retained in service for marksmanship and training purposes However after the outbreak of war supply exigencies and the need to order readily available and compatible ammunition such as the 38 S amp W Super Police from U S sources forced British authorities to issue both the 38 200 Mk I and MkII IIz cartridges interchangeably to forces deploying for combat 2 The Cartridge S A Ball Revolver 380 inch Mark II and Cartridge S A Ball Revolver 380 inch Mark IIz cartridge were theoretically phased out of British service in 1963 when the 9 19mm semi automatic Browning Hi Power pistol was finally issued to most British and Commonwealth forces Variants EditThe 38 Colt New Police was Colt s Manufacturing Company s proprietary name for what was essentially the 38 S amp W with a flat nosed bullet 1 The U S 38 S amp W Super Police cartridge was nearly identical to the British 38 200 Mk I using a 200 gr 13 g lead alloy bullet with a muzzle velocity of 630 ft s 190 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 1 MKE 9 65 mm Normal 9 2 23mmR 38 Smith amp Wesson cartridge has a 177 gr 11 5 g lead antimony alloy bullet with a gilding metal full metal jacket and a Boxer primed brass case The normal designation differentiates it from their 9 65mm Special 9 1 29mmR 38 Special round It uses the 9 65 mm 38 caliber nominal bore rather than its 9 2 mm 361 caliber actual bore It has a muzzle velocity of 590 ft s 180 m s Current status EditThe 380 Mk IIz is still produced by the Ordnance Factory Board in India for use in revolvers 3 Commercially only Ruger makes limited runs of revolvers in this caliber for overseas sales and only a few companies still manufacture ammunition 1 Most of those that do so offer it in only a 145 gr 9 4 g lead round nose bullet though Fiocchi still markets full metal jacket bullet rounds Some companies such as Buffalo Bore manufacture several different types of ammunition for self defense and or hunting 4 See also EditColt Official Police Revolver Colt Police Positive Revolver Enfield No 2 revolver Smith amp Wesson Model 10 Table of handgun and rifle cartridges Webley revolverReferences Edit a b c d e Barnes Frank C 5 October 2012 Cartridges of the World A Complete Illustrated Reference for More Than 1 500 Cartridges Iola Wisconsin Gun Digest Books p 349 ISBN 978 1 4402 3059 2 permanent dead link Shore C Capt With British Snipers to the Reich Paladin Press 1988 pp 201 224 225 Ordnance Factory Board Buffalo Bore 38 S amp W New Colt Police 125 gr Hard Cast FN 1 000 fps Retrieved 16 August 2013 Robert J Maze 2002 03 01 Howdad to High Power a Century of British Breechloading Service Pistols ISBN 978 1 880677 17 9 Clifford Shore May 2011 With British Snipers to the Reich Literary Licensing LLC ISBN 978 1 258 00891 8 Mark Stamps Ian D Skennerton 1993 01 01 380 Enfield No 2 Revolver ISBN 978 1 85367 139 5 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to 38 S amp W Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 38 S 26W amp oldid 1167994943, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
