.38 caliber
{{short description|Firearm Cartridge List}}
{{refimprove|date=January 2013}}
.38 caliber is a frequently used name for the caliber of firearms and firearm cartridges.
The .38 caliber is a large firearm cartridge (anything larger than .32 caliber is considered a large caliber).Wright, James D.; Rossi, Peter H.; Daly, Kathleen (1983). Under the Gun: Weapons, Crime and Violence in America. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de Gruyter. {{ISBN|0202303063}}.{{rp|42}} Before 1990, the standard sidearms of police in the United States were revolvers that fired the .38 Special cartridge, seconded by revolvers firing the .357 Magnum, a lengthened version of the .38 Special.{{rp|68}}
Handgun cartridge table
{{main|List of handgun cartridges}}
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left" | |||||
| Cartridge name || Bullet diameter || Case length || Cartridge length || Type || class="unsortable"|Source | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .380 ACP | {{convert|.355|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|.680|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|.980|in|mm|abbr=on}} | Rimless | Barnes 1997,{{missing long citation|date=June 2018}} p. 274 |
| .38 Casull | {{convert|.356|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|.933|in|mm|abbr=on}} | – | Rimless | {{Cite web |url=http://www.municion.org/38/38Casull.htm |title=.38 Casull |access-date=2011-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930064011/http://www.municion.org/38/38Casull.htm |archive-date=2011-09-30 |url-status=dead }} |
| .38 Short Colt | {{convert|.357|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|.762|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.052|in|mm|abbr=on}} | Rimmed | Barnes 1997, p. 274 |
| .38 Long Colt | {{convert|.357|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.030|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.320|in|mm|abbr=on}} | Rimmed | Barnes 1997, p. 274 |
| .38 Special | {{convert|.357|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.15|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.550|in|mm|abbr=on}} | Rimmed | Barnes 1997, p. 274 |
| .38 ACP | {{convert|.358|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|.900|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.280|in|mm|abbr=on}} | Semi-rimmed | Barnes 1997, p. 274 |
| .38 Super | {{convert|.358|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|.900|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.280|in|mm|abbr=on}} | Semi-rimmed | Barnes 1997, p. 274 |
| .38 Super Comp | {{convert|.355|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|.896|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.280|in|mm|abbr=on}} | Rimless | Starline cartridge dimensions |
| .38 S&W | {{convert|.361|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|.780|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.200|in|mm|abbr=on}} | Rimmed | Barnes 1997, p. 274 |
| .38 TPC | {{convert|.355|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|.720|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.169|in|mm|abbr=on}} | Rimless, tapered | |
| .380 Revolver Short | {{convert|.375|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|0.700|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.100|in|mm|abbr=on}} | Rimmed | Barnes 1997, p. 274 |
| .380 Revolver Long | {{convert|.375|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.000|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.400|in|mm|abbr=on}} | Rimmed | Barnes 1997, p. 274 |
| .38-40 Winchester | {{convert|.401|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.300|in|mm|abbr=on}} | {{convert|1.590|in|mm|abbr=on}} | Rimmed | Barnes 1997, p. 92 |