Revolver · Obsolete
.38 Colt New Police
Colt's variant of .38 S&W, renamed for marketing purposes in the early 20th century.
- Caliber
- 0.361″ · 9.169 mm
- Introduced
- 1896
- Case
- Rimmed
- Primary use
- Self-Defense
- Status
- Discontinued
- Introduced
- 1896
- Type
- Revolver
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Colt
- Manufacturer
- Colt
- Standard
- Obsolete
- Status
- Discontinued
- Availability
- Collector
- Case capacity
- 13 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 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
Introduced by Colt
Ballistics
Published velocity/energy data isn't available for .38 Colt New Police — an obsolete/collector cartridge.
Performance
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
SAAMI · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 9.17 | 0.361 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 9.79 | 0.386 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 9.82 | 0.386 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 11.18 | 0.440 | ~ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.40 | 0.055 | ✓ |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 19.69 | 0.775 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 31.50 | 1.240 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .38 Colt New Police is highlighted below.
Factory loads
Being verified
Advertised FPS, energy, and BC are withheld until loads clear verification.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
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″ (9.169 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.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 2 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →