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GunCritic

.38 Special (.38 Smith & Wesson Special) VS .45 Colt (.45 Long Colt)

Head to Head Comparison

.38 Special (.38 Smith & Wesson Special)

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50%

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50%

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.45 Colt (.45 Long Colt)

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50%

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50%

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MSRP:

$14.75

Used Price:

$14.75

New Price:

$16.39

MSRP:

$17.99

Used Price:

$17.99

New Price:

$19.99

Gun Specifications

Specifications

.38 Special (.38 Smith & Wesson Special)

.45 Colt (.45 Long Colt)

Height

1.16

0.00

Average FPS

876

915

Average Grain

138

238

Average Energy

235

Recoil

0.53

0.00

Ballistic Coefficient

140.71

147.30

Gun Stats

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.38 Special (.38 Smith & Wesson Special)

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.45 Colt (.45 Long Colt)

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Gun Descriptions

.38 Special (.38 Smith & Wesson Special)

Designed by Smith & Wesson, 38 Special ammo is a centerfire rimmed cartridge commonly used in handguns. It is also compatible with a few semi-automatic carbines and pistols. Also known as 38 S&W, .38 Smith & Wesson Special, or 38 Spl, this handgun cartridge is popular for its accuracy and manageable recoil. It was used as the main service cartridge for most US Police departments between the 1920s and the 1990s. 38 Special Specifications: Cartridge Case: .38 Long Colt Cartridge Case type: Rimmed, straight Diameter of Bullet: 9.1 mm (.357 in) Base diameter: 9.6 mm (.379 in) Neck diameter: 9.6 mm (.379 in) Rim thickness: 1.5 mm (.058 in) Rim diameter: .44 in (11 mm) Length of Case: 1.155 in (29.3 mm) Overall length: 1.550 in (39.4 mm) Case capacity: 1.52 cm3 (23.4 gr H2O) Max pressure: 17,500 psi (121 MPa) Smith & Wesson is the manufacturer of 38 Special Ammo. But now, several other companies are also manufacturing 38 Special Ammo. 38 Special Ammo is good for hand loaders. 38 Special Ammo is almost similar to 38 Short Colt, 38 Long Colt, and 357 Magnum, except for the difference in case length. As the construction is identical, 38 Special Ammo can be used in handguns chambered for 357 Magnum. 38 Short Colt and 38 Long Colt can be fired safely from handguns chambered for 38 Special. The straight walls of the cartridge, rim’s head spacing, accessibility of earlier fired cases, and the compatibility with 357 Magnum firearms made it much popular.

.45 Colt (.45 Long Colt)

45 Colt Ammo About The .45 Colt Ammo, also known as .45 Long Colt Ammo, is straight-walled, rimmed handgun bullet that was designed in 1872 and manufactured in the next year, 1873. The .45 Colt Ammo was initially created as a black-powder round for revolvers. For 14 years, the .45 Colt Ammo served as an official handgun for the United States military since 1873. The modern .45 Colt Ammo loadings use smokeless powder. The .45 Colt Ammo cartridge is an inside lubricated type, meaning it was completely safe from dirt and grit during handling, making it quite popular. The .45 Colt Ammo remains popular in Cowboy Action Shooting, while the bullet is also used in handgun hunting and target shooting competitions. The overall length of this bullet is 40.6mm, while the diameter measures 11.5mm. The .45 Colt Ammo can travel at a velocity of 1,125 feet per second while creating an energy level of 450 ft.lbf. Manufacturer The .45 Colt Ammo resulted from a joint operation between Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company and the Union Metallic Cartridge Company in the United States in 1872. Uses The .45 Colt Ammo still remains in use 148 years after its introduction and is widely used in hunting medium to big game like deer, elk, and black bear. The heavier variants of the .45 Colt Ammo create enough penetrating power to take down the heavy game easily.

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