top of page
Technical Specifications:
Caliber: | .38 Special |
Bullet Diameter: | 0.357" | 9.07mm |
Primer Size: | Small Pistol (SP) |
Max. Case Length (l3): | 1.145" | 29.08mm |
Max. Cartridge Length / OAL: | 1.550" | 39.37mm |
Max. Standardized : | 21756 psi | 1500 bar |
Case Capacity: | 23.1 Grains of Water | 1.50 cm3 |
CID: | CID_585 |
Standard | |
Letztes Update: | 2/20/2025 |
- 38 Special is a popular revolver cartridge that was first introduced in 1898 by Smith & Wesson. It is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge that is commonly used for self-defense, target shooting, and law enforcement applications.The 38 Special cartridge has a bullet diameter of .357 inches (9.07 mm) and a case length of 1.155 inches (29.34 mm). The cartridge typically uses a 158-grain (10.2 g) lead or jacketed bullet, although other bullet weights and types are also available.38 Special is a popular and versatile cartridge that can be used in a variety of firearms, including revolvers, lever-action rifles, and some semi-automatic pistols. It has become one of the most widely used and recognized handgun cartridges in the world.
Technical specifications of caliber .38 Special, popular powders, suitable bullets and comprehensive load data for this caliber: When aggregating the ballistic performance of 46 suitable bullets for this caliber, you get an average powder charge of 7.6gr | 0.49g , an average muzzle velocity (V0) of 1089fps | 332m/s , and an average muzzle energy (E0) of 486 Joule.
Velocity (V0)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Energy (E0)
Ballistic Coefficient (BC1)
#1
Add a Title
Add a Title
Most popular powders from our community members for this caliber:
Weight vs. Velocity - Suitable Bullets for this Caliber
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
Barrel Length Variation vs. Velocity - by Bullet Weight
.38 Special load data available with the following bullets:
(most popular first)
Filter by Bullet Weight (Grains)
bottom of page