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The .38 Smith & Wesson Special (commonly .38 Special, .38 Spl,, or .38 Spc, pronounced "Thirty-eight Special") is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. The cartridge typically is used in revolvers, but there are several verities of semi-automatic pistols and carbines that use it. The .38 Special was the standard service cartridge used by most police departments in the United States from the 1920s to the early 1990s. In other parts of the world, specifically Europe, it is known by its metric designation 9×29mmR. Contents [hide] •	1 History •	2 Performance •	3 Synonyms •	4 See also •	5 References •	6 External links

[edit] History First model M&P revolver designed in 1899 for the .38 Special cartridge. This revolver left the factory in 1900. Letter from Roy Jinks, Smith and Wesson Historian. Provenance of first model M&P revolver in .38 Special. The cartridge name is somewhat misleading because the caliber (size) is actually .357–.358 inches (9.0678 mm), with the ".38" referring to the approximate diameter of the loaded brass case. The name came from the original .38-caliber cartridge, the .38 Short Colt, which was designed for use in the converted .36-caliber cap-and-ball (muzzleloading) Navy revolvers. The revolvers had cylindrical firing chambers of approximately 0.374-inch (9.5 mm) diameter, requiring "heel-based" bullets. The exposed portion was the same diameter as the cartridge case (see the section on the .38 Long Colt). Except for the length, the .38 Special case is identical to the .38 Long Colt and later to the .357 Magnum, that developed from the .38 cartridge in 1935. The .38 Special round can be used in revolvers chambered for the .357 Magnum, but not the reverse. The longer length of the .357 prevents potential accidents from the significantly higher pressure generated. The .38 Special was introduced in 1899 as an improvement to the .38 Long Colt for use as a military service cartridge. The .38 Long Colt was found to have inadequate stopping power against the wooden shields of charging Moros during the Philippine-American War.[6] Most handloading manuals and other references date the cartridge to 1902 and the Smith & Wesson Military and Police revolver variation to 1902 also. The letter pictured provides the true history of the cartridge. Although it was introduced thirteen years into the smokeless powder era, the .38 Special was originally loaded with black powder, but was offered with smokeless loads within a year of its introduction.[7] The .38 Special is extremely accurate when used in a quality revolver. It produces little recoil, and remains the most popular revolver cartridge in the world more than a century after its introduction.[8] It is used for target shooting, formal target competition, hunting small game and self-defense. In the 1930s, heavy framed revolvers, like the Smith & Wesson 38/44 Heavy Duty, became favorites for target shooting. This demand created the development of a higher pressure (and higher power) version cartridge called the .38 Special Hi-Speed and eventually led to the .357 Magnum. These .38 revolvers, built on a larger frame originally designed for the .44 Special, survived for about three decades before the .357 revolvers surpassed them in sales.[citation needed] Today, versions of this cartridge, loaded to slightly higher pressure, are available, as .38 Special +P. They are usable in .38 revolvers rated +P and in .357 revolvers. There is a rarely seen high velocity load, made by manufacturers including Federal and Winchester that is generally labeled (For Law Enforcement Only) and designated .38 Special + P+.[9] This ammunition is meant to be only used in .357 revolvers and can cause significant damage to firearms rated for only .38 Special or .38 Special +P+. Because the .38 Special also works in .357 revolvers, it is popular with users of the .357 for the reduced recoil, lower noise, and lower cost. A number of lever action rifles are also chambered in .357 Magnum and .38 Special. [edit] Performance Due to its blackpowder heritage, the .38 Special is a low pressure cartridge, one of the lowest in common use today at 17,000 PSI. By modern standards, the .38 Special fires a medium sized bullet at rather low speeds. The closest comparisons are the .380 ACP, which fires much lighter bullets slightly faster than most .38 Special loads; the 9x19mm Parabellum, which fires a somewhat lighter bullet significantly faster; and the .38 Colt Super, which fires a comparable bullet significantly faster. All three of these are usually found in semi-automatic pistols. The higher-pressure .38 +P loads are 20,000 PSI and offer about 20% more muzzle energy than standard-pressure loads and ranks between .380 ACP and 9 mm Parabellum.