.38 Long Colt
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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 LC differ 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 a nominal 770 fps (feet per second) producing 171 fpe (foot-pounds of kinetic energy). The cylindrical "shank" or "bearing surface" of the bullet, just in front of the cartridge case mouth, is .374 or .375 inch in diameter, the same as the cartridge case (exactly like the .22 rimfire cartridges). A smaller-diameter portion of the bullet, the "heel," is crimped inside the case mouth, and the lubricant is outside the case, and exposed. This came about as a way to convert cap-and-ball revolvers, which had cylindrical or single-diameter "charge holes," or firing chambers, to cartridge arms.
The .38 LC uses a .357-.358 inch bullet, the bearing surface and lubricant of which are entirely contained within the cartridge case. This keeps the waxy lubricant from collecting grit which can damage the revolver's barrel. Unfortunately Colt retained the single-diameter charge hole, so the bullet was grossly undersize as it travelled through the chamber throat. It was supposed to expand in the throat and be "swaged down," or reduced again in diameter, as it entered the barrel, but expanded unevenly producing poor accuracy. Velocity was the same 770 fps, but bullets weighed 150 grains.
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 War of 1899-1902]. The dismal performance of the round against the "fanatical and narcotized Moro tribesman"--indigenous people defending their home against yet another colonial invader--led to the emergency re-adoption of Colt "Peacemaker" model 1873 revolvers chambered for the more powerful .45 Long Colt cartridge, whose ballistics were emulated by the later .45 ACP round.
[edit] See also
| .38 Calibre |
|---|
| Cartridges |
| .38 Long Colt (1875) | .38 S&W (1877) | .38 ACP (1900) | .38 Special (1902) | .380 ACP (1908) | .38/200 (1922) | .38 Super (1927) |
| Revolvers |
| M1899 Revolver | Smith & Wesson M&P/Victory | Enfield No. 2 Mk I | Colt Detective's Special |
| Pistols |
| Colt M1900 | Colt M1902 | Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer | Colt M1908 Pocket Hammerless | Browning M1910 | Walther PPK |
| Lists |
| List of handgun cartridges | List of rifle cartridges | List of firearms |
