Why does a .38 Spl have such a long round and little powder?

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

dgray64

Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2007
Messages
142
I loaded my first .38s yesterday. I have been loading 9mm, 380, .40 S&W and .45. All of these take lots of Unique powder. The 9mm takes 5.4 grs for a 115gr round. This fills the case and actually compresses some under the round. The .38 on the other hand takes 4.4 gr of Unique for 158 gr bullet. There is a lot of empty space in the case. Curious!

Dave :confused:
 
The cartridge dates from c. 1899 and was during the transition from black powder to smokeless powder. There were many old BP guns chambered for 38 Colt with bored thru cylinders that would take anything that would fit. The 38 Special was made long enough that it wouldn't chamber in most of those.
 
The .38Spcl case is still a "throwback" to the black powder days of yor. The case was originally designed for black powder loads which would occupy a much greater space than current smokeless powders.


BigG beat me to the draw!! Ha!
 
Started out in 1899.

It was also made longer then the older black-powder .38 S&W so it couldn't be chambered in the weaker old guns. Kind of the same reason the .357 Mag and .44 Mag are longer then the .38 Spl. and .44 Spl.

1224.jpg
rcmodel
 
The .38 Special came out in 1899, loaded with black powder. It was special because it had 21 grains of powder and a 158 grain bullet instead of the .38 Government/.38 Long Colt with 18 grains powder and a 150 grain bullet. So it is longer to hold more powder. It will chamber in a "bored through" .38 L.C. So will a .357 Magnum but that doesn't mean you should shoot them.

It has nothing to do with .38 S&W.
 
Because it was designed for black powder? I'm too young to remember. Or was that I can't remember because I'm too old? Never mind...I forget. Was this question answered?...Oh...O K...
 
Why do 10 people say the same exact thing after the question has been answered many times over?
Click to expand...
Sometimes it's good to have reinforcement.

I like Koski's answer the most.

But anyway, to answer the OP's question, the 38 Special dates back to 1899... ;)
 
I appologize dgray64...It seems that everyone is a bit bored today...But...Did we answer your question adequately? We get graded poorly if we didn't...
 
"Why do 10 people say the same exact thing...."

Thank you for being the straight man, ArchAngelCD. At least one person said it tongue in cheek--but I like The Bushmaster's response the best.
 
Cartridges of the World shows the 38sp being introduced in 1902 to be better than the shorter old black powder cartridge, the 1887 38 Colt Long.

Smokeless powder was invented in 1888, and quickly caused the phasing out of black powder.

Double based powder since 1889.

There is a batch of Unique powder from 1899 that is periodically ceremoniously shot.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_8_47/ai_76558924


What does it all mean?
The 38 sp has to be long enough, so it won't fit any old black powder 38 Colt Long revolvers.
They may say it was long for safety, but IMHO they wanted to sell new revolvers.
Have you ever tried to blow up a black powder revolver with smokeless powder?
I have. It is not easy. I have not tested any that would blow up with 38 sp pressures.
 
I don't take CotW as Gospel.

Blue Book - not a primary reference, either - says the S&W Military and Police came out in 1899 and that commercial models were marked ".38 S&W Special and U.S. Service Ctgs."

Sharpe said that if your .38 Long will accept .38 Specials, to load Special brass with Long data.

Stebbins was of the opnion that .38 Special black and smokeless loads came out together. But Greener still showed black powder loads in 1909.
 
CTW is wrong. Again!
There are a lot of errors in Cartridges of the World.

The "3rd. Book of S&W" bible clearly says the .38 Special was introduced by S&W in 1899, in the new Model of 1899 Army-Navy revolver. (1st. model M&P)

1224.jpg
rcmodel
 
Kind of a "Trivial Pursuit" question without too much importants or bearing on the over 100 year old .38 Special. But you go get'em tiger..Aah..rcmodel...
 
'Cause if it was shorter or longer it wouldn't be a 38 Special, would it?

;)

Bruce
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

H
  • Locked
enough powder?
Replies
11
Views
521
Lost Sheep
L
R
  • Locked
"Best" Powders for .38 Spl-.357 Mag
Replies
22
Views
19K
Matt Dillon
M
S
  • Locked
Practice ammo brass: .357, .38 spl, or .38 spl Short?
2
Replies
33
Views
949
mdi
mdi
Taildragger-J3
  • Locked
.38 Special Unique Powder question
Replies
11
Views
3K
Maj Dad
Maj Dad
D
  • Locked
158 gn RNL 38 spl 0.358
Replies
20
Views
1K
RealGun
RealGun
Back
Top