Lindcott Armory Revolver · Obsolete
.38 Colt New Police
Colt's variant of .38 S&W, renamed for marketing purposes in the early 20th century.
- Introduced
- 1896
- Type
- Revolver
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Colt
- Manufacturer
- Colt
- Standard
- Obsolete
- Status
- Discontinued
- Availability
- Collector
- Bullet ⌀
- 0.361″
- Case length
- 0.775″
- Overall length
- 1.24″
- Base ⌀
- 0.387″
- Rim ⌀
- 0.44″
- Case capacity
- 13 gr H₂O
- Twist
- 1:18.75
- Primer
- Boxer Small Pistol
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Max pressure
- 14,500 psi
- Eff. range
- 50 yd
- Recoil
- 2.5–4 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
- Velocity
- 770–850 fps
- Energy
- 170–225 ft·lb
- Typical MSRP
- $0.85/rd · price history →
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input, not a measured load.
Factory loads
In production — 2 active loads across 2 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 20 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC | $/rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sellier & Bellot | Lead RN | 145 | Lead RN | 685 | 151 | — | $0.85 |
| Fiocchi | Lead RN | 145 | Lead RN | 685 | 151 | — | $0.85 |
| Norma | Classic | 150 | Lead Round Nose | 770 | 197 | — | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Custom | 150 | Lead Round Nose | 770 | 197 | — | — |
| Kynoch | Classic | 150 | Lead Round Nose | 770 | 197 | — | — |
| Graf | Standard | 150 | Lead Round Nose | 770 | 197 | — | — |
| Bertram | Bertram Reloads | 145 | Lead RN | 770 | 191 | — | — |
| RWS | Classic | 150 | Lead Round Nose | 770 | 197 | — | — |
| Kynoch | Kynoch | 145 | Lead RN | 770 | 191 | — | — |
| Wolf | FMJ | 150 | Lead Round Nose | 770 | 197 | — | $0.35 |
| Fiocchi | Classic | 150 | Lead Round Nose | 770 | 197 | — | $0.85 |
| UMC | UMC Standard | 145 | Lead RN | 770 | 191 | — | $0.34 |
| Armscor | Standard | 150 | Lead Round Nose | 770 | 197 | — | $0.06 |
| Sellier & Bellot | SP | 150 | Lead Round Nose | 770 | 197 | — | $0.85 |
| PPU | Standard | 150 | Lead Round Nose | 770 | 197 | — | $0.38 |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Dimensions
Reloading cost
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Connected reference
History
Colt's variant of .38 S&W, introduced in 1896. Renamed the New Police designation for marketing purposes while being dimensionally nearly identical to the Smith & Wesson cartridge. Used in Colt Police Positive revolvers. The two cartridges were effectively interchangeable in practice.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .38 Colt New Police use?
- .38 Colt New Police typically uses a 1:18.75 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .38 Colt New Police?
- .38 Colt New Police uses a 0.361″ (9.1694 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .38 Colt New Police still in production?
- .38 Colt New Police is discontinued; typical availability is collector.
- What is .38 Colt New Police used for?
- .38 Colt New Police is primarily used for self-defense.
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 2 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. Spotted an error? Report it →