The .38 Long Colt is a
cartridge introduced by Colt's Manufacturing Company in 1875. It is slightly more potent than its predecessor, the .38 Short Colt ,or .38 SC. It is also known as simply the .38 LC. The .38 SC and LCdiffer in case length and in
bullet diameter, weight and design. The.38 Short Colt uses a 130-grain (there are 7,000 grains to the pound,or 437.5 to the ounce) heel-based or outside lubricated bullet at anominal 770 fps (feet per second) producing 171 fpe (foot-pounds ofkinetic energy). The cylindrical shank or bearing surface of thebullet, just in front of the cartridge case mouth, is .374 or .375 inchin diameter, the same as the cartridge case (exactly like the .22rimfire cartridges). A smaller-diameter portion of the bullet, the heel, is crimped inside the case mouth, and the
lubricant is outsidethe case, and exposed. This came about as a way to convert cap-and-ballrevolvers, which had cylindrical or single-diameter charge holes, orfiring chambers, to cartridge arms. The .38 LC uses a .357-.358 inchbullet, the bearing surface and lubricant of which are entirelycontained within the cartridge case. This keeps the waxy lubricant fromcollecting grit which can damage the revolver's barrel. UnfortunatelyColt retained the single-diameter charge hole, so the bullet wasgrossly undersize as it travelled through the chamber throat. It wassupposed to expand in the throat and be swaged down, or reduced againin diameter, as it entered the barrel, but expanded unevenly producingpoor accuracy. Velocity was the same 770 fps, but bullets weighed 150grains. The United States Army adopted the .38 Long Colt in 1892 and it remained in service until 1911, when the military adopted the .45 ACP and the M1911 autoloading pistol.The .38 LC develops an anemic (by modern day standards) 198 fpe (265 J)at the muzzle. These poor ballistics were highlighted during the Philippine Insurrection of the Spanish-American Warof 1899-1902>. The dismal performance of the round against the fanatical and narcotized Moro tribesman--indigenous people defendingtheir home against yet another colonial invader--led to the emergencyre-adoption of Colt Peacemaker model 1873 revolvers chambered for themore powerful .45 Long Colt cartridge, whose ballistics were emulated by the later .45 ACP round.As a result of the fame this
caliber has achieved from its creationto the various cinemas it has been advertised in as well as its basicsimplicity, the .38 caliber has become the weapon of choice for mostgun amateurs. The design has come under fire over the years fromPro-Gun Control Advocates who cite a government-conducted study findingthat 40% of all gun-related killings, intentional or accidental, are aresult of some kind of .38 caliber weapon, almost triple the nextclosest design. However, because of its small size and legitimate uses,it has not been banned as of yet. Source: Cartridges Of The World, 8thEditon, Frank C. Barnes/M.L. McPherson
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