Revolver · Obsolete
.38 Extra Long
Extended .38 rimmed cartridge used in early 19th century revolvers.
- Caliber
- 0.374″ · 9.5 mm
- Introduced
- 1875
- Case
- Rimmed
- Primary use
- Self-Defense
- Status
- Discontinued
- Introduced
- 1875
- Type
- Revolver
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Various / American commercial
- Manufacturer
- Various
- Standard
- Obsolete
- Status
- Discontinued
- Availability
- Collector
- Case capacity
- 18.5 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:18.75
- Primer
- Boxer Small Pistol
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Max pressure
- 18,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 50 yd
- Recoil
- 2.5–4 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
Published velocity/energy data isn't available for .38 Extra Long — 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.
Wikipedia · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 9.50 | 0.374 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 9.55 | 0.376 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 9.60 | 0.378 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 11.00 | 0.433 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.29 | 0.051 | · |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 37.59 | 1.480 | ~ |
| Overall length | 51.44 | 2.025 | ~ |
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 Extra Long 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
An early black powder revolver cartridge predating standardization of the .38 Special. Used in frontier-era revolvers of the 1870s and 1880s. The longer case held more black powder than the .38 Short. Completely replaced by .38 Special and .38 S&W by the early 20th century.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .38 Extra Long use?
- .38 Extra Long typically uses a 1:18.75 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .38 Extra Long?
- .38 Extra Long uses a 0.374″ (9.5 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .38 Extra Long still in production?
- .38 Extra Long is discontinued; typical availability is collector.
- What is .38 Extra Long used for?
- .38 Extra Long is primarily used for self-defense.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 3 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →