.38 caliber is a frequently used name for the
caliber
In guns, particularly firearms, but not #As a measurement of length, artillery, where a different definition may apply, caliber (or calibre; sometimes abbreviated as "cal") is the specified nominal internal diameter of the gun barrel Gauge ( ...
of
firearm
A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions).
The first firearms originate ...
s 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. .] Before 1990, the standard sidearms of police in the United States were revolvers that fired the
.38 Special
The .38 Special, also commonly known as .38 S&W Special (not to be confused with .38 S&W), .38 Smith & Wesson Special, .38 Spl, .38 Spc (pronounced "thirty-eight special"), or 9×29mmR is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & We ...
cartridge, seconded by revolvers firing the
.357 Magnum
The .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum, .357 S&W Magnum, .357 Magnum, or 9×33mmR (as it is known in unofficial metric designation) is a smokeless powder cartridge with a bullet diameter. It was created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, and Douglas B. ...
, a lengthened version of the .38 Special.
Handgun cartridge table
See also
*
9 mm caliber
This is a list of firearm cartridges that have bullets in the to caliber range.
*''Case length'' refers to the round case
Case or CASE may refer to:
Instances
* Instantiation (disambiguation), a realization of a concept, theme, or design
...
*
38 (disambiguation)
38 may refer to:
*38 (number)
*38 BC
*AD 38
*1938
*2038
Science
* Strontium, an alkaline earth metal in the periodic table
* 38 Leda, an asteroid in the asteroid belt Other uses
*.38, a caliber of firearms and cartridges
** .38 Special, a re ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:38
Pistol and rifle cartridges