page_title: .38 Special
hierarchical_section_title: .38 Special
caption_attribution_description: .38 Special revolver cartrdige. FMJ bullet. Manufacturer: Sellier &amp; Bellot.
context_page_description: The .38 Smith & Wesson Special is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round. The .38 Special was the standard service cartridge of most police departments in the United States from the 1920s to 1990s, and was also a common sidearm cartridge used by military personnel in World War II. In other parts of the world, it is known by its metric designation of 9×29.5mmR or 9.1×29mmR.
  Known for its accuracy and manageable recoil, the .38 Special remains one of the most popular revolver cartridges in the world more than a century after its introduction. It is used for target shooting, formal target competition, personal defense, and for hunting small game.
context_section_description: The .38 Smith & Wesson Special (commonly .38 Special, .38 Spl, or .38 Spc, pronounced "thirty-eight special") is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round. The .38 Special was the standard service cartridge of most police departments in the United States from the 1920s to 1990s, and was also a common sidearm cartridge used by military personnel in World War II. In other parts of the world, it is known by its metric designation of 9×29.5mmR or 9.1×29mmR.
  Known for its accuracy and manageable recoil, the .38 Special remains one of the most popular revolver cartridges in the world more than a century after its introduction. It is used for target shooting, formal target competition, personal defense, and for hunting small game.
caption: .38 Special round, scale in centimeters
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