Thread: .38 Auto?
View Single Post
Old September 11, 2000, 12:51 PM   #13
Mike Irwin
Staff
 
Join Date: April 13, 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 41,374
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by sensop:
Okay, now I have a question for you guys. My understanding is that the .380 Auto, the .38 ACP and the .38 Automatic are all the same cartridge. The .38 Super is longer and actually predates the others. True? Maybe I need to post this in Harley's forum.[/quote]

Sensop,

NO. That is NOT the case at all.

The .380 ACP is a completely and totally different cartridge, using a much shorter case. It is most freqently used in blowback operated pistols. It was, I believe, first offered in 1904, but I'll have to check my sources on that.

The .38 Auto/.38 ACP has a longer case and produces higher velocities/pressures. It was originally chambered in the Colt 1900 model, which used not one, but TWO swinging links to unlock the barrel from the slide during cycling.

The .38 Super case is interchangable with the .38 Auto/ACP, but is loaded to MUCH higher pressure and velocity levels. Use of .38 Super ammo in a .38 ACP gun can have nasty consequences.

The .38 Super is the NEWEST cartridge in this lineup, it was offered commercially for the first time in the 1920s, partially in response to police requests for a cartridge/handgun combination that could provide greater power and be able to punch through the heavy sheet metal on the cars of the period.

The .38 Super, along with the .38/44 Heavy Duty (the FIRST +P .38 Spl. cartridge), and the .45 ACP, were all loaded around this time with special metal piercing bullets by Remington, Winchester-Western, and I believe Peters.

I highly recommend reading the section on these cartridges in Barnes "Cartridges of the World."

------------------
Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
Mike Irwin is offline  
 
Page generated in 0.03730 seconds with 8 queries