{"id":772,"date":"2023-03-09T17:35:36","date_gmt":"2023-03-09T17:35:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/?p=772"},"modified":"2023-03-09T17:35:36","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T17:35:36","slug":"a-history-of-the-iconic-38-special","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/?p=772","title":{"rendered":"A History of the Iconic .38 Special"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>After ruling the Philippines for almost half a millennium, Spain ceded control to the United States. The result? By 1899, the U.S. military was facing an armed rebellion in the Philippines that lead to the development of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheaperthandirt.com\/ammunition\/handgun-ammo\/.38-special\/?utm_source=blog.cheaperthandirt&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=history-38-special\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">.38 Special cartridge<\/a> (and .45 ACP). <\/p>\n<p>Thanks to this, we now have one of the most popular and versatile rounds ever made. But how did all this happen? First, here\u2019s an infographic that summarizes the .38 Special timeline. To skip to the rest of the article and keep reading, <a href=\"#38special\" class=\"broken_link\">click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"296\" height=\"1024\" alt=\"history of the .38 special\" class=\"wp-image-52727 jetpack-lazy-image\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Historyofthe.38Special.jpg?resize=296%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 296w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Historyofthe.38Special.jpg?resize=87%2C300&amp;ssl=1 87w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Historyofthe.38Special.jpg?resize=768%2C2655&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Historyofthe.38Special.jpg?resize=266%2C920&amp;ssl=1 266w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Historyofthe.38Special.jpg?w=1097&amp;ssl=1 1097w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Historyofthe.38Special.jpg?resize=296%2C1024&amp;is-pending-load=1#038;ssl=1\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"296\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Historyofthe.38Special.jpg?resize=296%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"history of the .38 special\" class=\"wp-image-52727\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Historyofthe.38Special.jpg?resize=296%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 296w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Historyofthe.38Special.jpg?resize=87%2C300&amp;ssl=1 87w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Historyofthe.38Special.jpg?resize=768%2C2655&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Historyofthe.38Special.jpg?resize=266%2C920&amp;ssl=1 266w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Historyofthe.38Special.jpg?w=1097&amp;ssl=1 1097w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2>.38 Special Origins<\/h2>\n<p><a name=\"38special\"\/>Manufactured by Colt, the .38 Long Colt and the related <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheaperthandirt.com\/firearms\/handguns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pistol<\/a> line were insanely popular. In fact, it was so popular that rival manufacturers such as Winchester offered its firearms chambered in the .38 Long Colt. However, there was one problem with the .38 Long Colt:\u00a0It lacked velocity.<\/p>\n<p>During the Philippine War, American soldiers would fire several .38 Long Colt bullets to take down ONE Moro Jihadi (the enemy). Seriously\u2026 the round was that weak. If they had any hope to compete on the world stage, the U.S. military would have to do something drastic. It would have to create a new cartridge. A round that would fire faster, hit harder, and penetrate further.<\/p>\n<p><center><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-50699 jetpack-lazy-image\" alt=\"Stainless .38 Special Revolver\" width=\"640\" height=\"458\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/49623946_blog2.jpg?w=713&amp;ssl=1 713w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/49623946_blog2.jpg?resize=300%2C215&amp;ssl=1 300w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/49623946_blog2.jpg?resize=640%2C458&amp;is-pending-load=1#038;ssl=1\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-50699\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/49623946_blog2.jpg?resize=640%2C458&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Stainless .38 Special Revolver\" width=\"640\" height=\"458\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/49623946_blog2.jpg?w=713&amp;ssl=1 713w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/49623946_blog2.jpg?resize=300%2C215&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"\/><\/noscript><\/center><\/p>\n<h2>A Lethal Design<\/h2>\n<p>In 1898, the U.S. military developed and introduced the .38 Special cartridge, which was designed to overcome the underwhelming limitations of the .38 Long Colt. The resulting design was a miraculous round for the time \u2014 capable of fitting not only the old .38 Long (and .38 Short) Colt weapons, but the new .38 Special cartridge could be fired from the Navy\u2019s old cap-and-ball <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheaperthandirt.com\/firearms\/handguns\/revolvers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">revolvers<\/a> and the soon-to-come .357 Magnum.<\/p>\n<p>This ability to fit and fire in so many different firearms led the .38 Special to become massively popular among service members and the decision to create the versatile .38 Special cartridge revolutionized the military. By 1907 however, multiple innovations made by <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/john-moses-browning-and-his-creations\/?utm_source=blog.cheaperthandirt&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=history-38-special\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John Browning<\/a> and Colt would make the .38 Special cartridge\u2019s time short-lived in widespread military service.<\/p>\n<p>Soon, the U.S. military would employ the very same program that brought the .38 Special into existence to replace the round with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheaperthandirt.com\/ammunition\/handgun-ammo\/.45-acp-or-.45-auto\/?utm_source=blog.cheaperthandirt&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=history-38-special\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">.45 ACP<\/a>. The love affair with the .38 Special, however, would continue in America for the thousands upon thousands of servicemen who fired it, setting the base for a long-lasting love affair with the .38 Special cartridge.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-image-50701\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"458\" alt=\".38 Special Casings \" class=\"wp-image-50701 jetpack-lazy-image\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/32165526_blog4.jpg?w=713&amp;ssl=1 713w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/32165526_blog4.jpg?resize=300%2C215&amp;ssl=1 300w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/32165526_blog4.jpg?resize=640%2C458&amp;is-pending-load=1#038;ssl=1\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"458\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/32165526_blog4.jpg?resize=640%2C458&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\".38 Special Casings \" class=\"wp-image-50701\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/32165526_blog4.jpg?w=713&amp;ssl=1 713w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/32165526_blog4.jpg?resize=300%2C215&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption>.38 Special exhibits excellent accuracy and power in a light-recoiling platform.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Law Enforcement\u2019s Best Friend<\/h2>\n<p>By the 1920s, a nation full of police officers was looking to replace their outdated, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheaperthandirt.com\/firearms\/handguns\/revolvers\/single-action\/?utm_source=blog.cheaperthandirt&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=history-38-special\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">single-action revolvers<\/a> with something new and more effective. Prohibition helped fuel an organized crime wave and many police officers found themselves routinely outgunned with their standard-issue, single-action revolvers.<\/p>\n<p>Like the soldiers in the Philippines 30 years before them, police forces were looking for a more powerful round, and found a solution with the .38 Special cartridge. Eventually, the round would become so popular among U.S. police forces that it would be used for almost a century in departments across the country. The success did not go unnoticed.<\/p>\n<p>Taking advantage of the ingenious design of the .38 Special cartridge, the FBI introduced the \u201cFBI Load\u201d in 1972 \u2014 known to most of us as the \u201c+P\u201d bullet. Loaded with more powder, more penetration, and more stopping power, this variation of the .38 Special round became the standard load for federal, state, and local law enforcement entities for decades \u2014 until more popular <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheaperthandirt.com\/firearms\/handguns\/semi-automatic\/?utm_source=blog.cheaperthandirt&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=history-38-special\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">semi-automatic pistols<\/a>\u00a0began to replace the older-style revolvers.<\/p>\n<p>Many, however, objected to the .38 Special cartridge. The reason? Some believed that since the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheaperthandirt.com\/ammunition\/handgun-ammo\/.357-magnum\/?utm_source=blog.cheaperthandirt&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=history-38-special\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">.357 Magnum<\/a> \u2014 a more powerful cartridge \u2014 existed, why not use that? There were a host of benefits to using a smaller cartridge, but first people had to understand it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-image-50698\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"458\" alt=\"Blued .38 Special Revolver\" class=\"wp-image-50698 jetpack-lazy-image\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46829300_blog1.jpg?w=713&amp;ssl=1 713w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46829300_blog1.jpg?resize=300%2C215&amp;ssl=1 300w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46829300_blog1.jpg?resize=640%2C458&amp;is-pending-load=1#038;ssl=1\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"458\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46829300_blog1.jpg?resize=640%2C458&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Blued .38 Special Revolver\" class=\"wp-image-50698\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46829300_blog1.jpg?w=713&amp;ssl=1 713w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/46829300_blog1.jpg?resize=300%2C215&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption>A .38 Special revolver is an incredibly handy and maneuverable defensive firearm.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2>.38 SPL vs. .357 Mag<\/h2>\n<p>To start, the .357 Magnum is a larger, more powerful round, but that\u2019s about where the advantages end, and where your difficulties are going to begin. If quickly grabbing an easy-to-wield pistol is your main concern, the .357 Magnum is not what you are looking for. The magnum round is very large. The pistols chambered for .357 Magnum are big and heavy. If you need the gun in a hurry, the difference in size is going to leave you struggling to handle the weapon when you need it the most.<\/p>\n<p>With the .38 Special and the newer loads, you could get the best of both worlds. They could provide comparable <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/stopping-power-choosing-self-defense-ammunition\/?utm_source=blog.cheaperthandirt&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=history-38-special\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stopping power<\/a> and penetration to a .357 Magnum round, and the pistols that fire .38 Special are smaller and much easier to access. These advantages over the large, heavy, and often unwieldy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cheaperthandirt.com\/357-magnum\/firearms\/handguns\/?brand=357Magnum&amp;utm_source=blog.cheaperthandirt&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=history-38-special\">.357 Magnum pistols<\/a> have led to one burning question that must be answered.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>The Most Popular Round in the World?<\/h2>\n<p>This cartridge is a uniquely American creation that has stood the test of time to remain one of the\u00a0most popular pistol loads ever created. While that\u2019s already saying a lot, the fact that it saw wide use by the police, military, and FBI is a testament to how practical, capable, and popular the .38 Special cartridge was \u2014 and still is today. It should be looked at as a champion example of design and engineering. The .38 Special is a utilitarian, all-in-one option<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>round for target shooters, hand loaders, and <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/home-defense-checklist\/?utm_source=blog.cheaperthandirt&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=history-38-special\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">home defense<\/a> alike.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Have you ever fired a .38 Special cartridge? If so, what are your thoughts on it? Let us know in the comment section.<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><em>Editor\u2019s note: This post was originally published in April of 2020. It has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and clarity.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"tve_leads_end_content\" style=\"display: block; visibility: hidden; border: 1px solid transparent;\"\/><!-- AI CONTENT END 1 -->\n\t<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.cheaperthandirt.com\/history-38-special\/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=history-38-special\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After ruling the Philippines for almost half a millennium, Spain ceded control to the United States. The result? By 1899, the U.S. military was facing an armed rebellion in the Philippines that lead to the development of the\u00a0.38 Special cartridge (and .45 ACP). Thanks to this, we now have one of the most popular and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":773,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-gun-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=772"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/772\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}