True,
I stated that the search for more power (grunt, grunt, grunt) led to the cartridges, not lengthening of them brass.
The Colts existed because Colt refused to make a gun that was stamped S&W on the chambering. Even going so far as designating the .38 Colt New Police.
Even then designation of .38 Special chambering in a .357 is confusing or not known to many news shooters.
I can only imagine the confusion and or headache in trying to stock ammo. Cartridge nomenclature may or may not have any correlation
A .38 is a .358
A .41 is a .410
A .44 is a .429
A .45 is .452
UNLESS you are talking rifle cartridges....
Hey, I found a great book
online for you: Cartridges Of The World, 8th Edition (1997) by Frank Barnes
Here's what he has about the .38's we've been talking about...
38 Smith & Wesson 38 Colt New Police
Historical Notes:
Designed by Smith & Wesson for their hinged-frame revolvers introduced about 1877, the 38 S&W is one of the more widely adopted American revolver cartridges; it has been used all over the world. England began using it as an official service cartridge prior to WWII, and it is rather well-distributed through the British Commonwealth. Large numbers of Spanish-made revolvers in this caliber are used in Mexico and South America, but it has never been very popular in Europe. It is also known as the 38 Colt New Police, and with a 200-grain bullet as the 38 Super Police. Colt, H&R, Hopkins & Allen, Iver Johnson, Ruger and S&W have made revolvers in this caliber in the U.S. Webley & Scott made many of the British service arms. The British service load is called the 380/200.
General Comments:
The 38 S&W is another cartridge that owes most of its popularity to the fact that it is well-suited to lightweight pocket guns. It is also a good short-range cartridge for defense use and has better stopping power than any of the 32s and even some of the larger automatic pistol cartridges. The British military figured out that the shocking power of this cartridge with a 200-grain bullet was about the same as their older 455 military cartridge. In actual combat this proved correct, thus permitted the use of fighter weapons. The 38 S&W is not a particularly satisfactory hunting cartridge because the curved trajectory limits its use to short ranges. However, it can be improved for hunting by handloading. Both Remington and Winchester still offer this cartridge with a 145-146-grain bullet.
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38 Short & Long Colt
Historical Notes:
Obsolete for many years, the 38 Long Colt was once the official United States Army revolver cartridge, from 1892 to 1911. However, 38 Short Colt ammunition is commercially available and can be used in 38 Long Colt revolvers. It was used mainly in the Colt Army & Navy Model revolver with swing- out cylinder developed in 1887. The 38 Long Colt was actually introduced in 1875 as one of several calibers for the Colt New Line, New Police and New House revolvers. There is also a short version that is identical except for case length (.762-inch) and the fact that it used a 130-grain, outside-lubricated bullet at the same 770 fps muzzle velocity.
General Comments:
Since this was once a military cartridge, a number of Colt and S&W revolvers are still around in this caliber. The 38 Long Colt cartridge can be fired in a 38 Special revolver, but not vice versa. During the Spanish-American War and the Philippine insurrection, the Army found that the 38 Long
Colt had insufficient stopping power for combat use. The cartridge was therefore dropped, in 1911, in favor of the 45 ACP. It is this same experience that made the U.S. Army reluctant to adopt the 9mm Luger which they eventually did anyway, in 1985, largely as a NATO-inspired political decision. Advocates of a smaller caliber admit the superior stopping power of the 45, but point out that extra weight, reduced magazine capacity, and the fact that few men can shoot well with the 45 ACP are detrimental factors that should be considered. The 38 Long Colt is in about the same class as the standard 38 Special load, but not nearly as accurate or as versatile. Some of the old 38 Long Colt revolvers will accept 38 Special or 357 Magnum ammunition but never fire these in the old 38s. Firing the 357 Magnum would be particularly dangerous, probably wrecking the gun and possibly injuring the shooter or bystanders. Remington still manufactures 38 Short Colt ammunition, but 38 Long Colt is now obsolete.
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NB: Since the time this was published in 1997, the .38 LC has gone back in to and out of production, mostly for “cowboy shooting” enthusiasts. It is still being made by Black Hills Ammunition.
