Lindcott Armory Revolver · Obsolete
.38 Extra Long
Extended .38 rimmed cartridge used in early 19th century revolvers.
- Introduced
- 1875
- Type
- Revolver
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Various / American commercial
- Manufacturer
- Various
- Standard
- Obsolete
- Status
- Discontinued
- Availability
- Collector
- Bullet ⌀
- 0.357″
- Case capacity
- 18.5 gr H₂O
- Twist
- 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
- Velocity
- 700–800 fps
- Energy
- 130–175 ft·lb
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input, not a measured load.
Factory loads
In production — 3 active loads across 3 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 20 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC | $/rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graf & Sons | Cowboy | 150 | RNFP | 900 | 270 | — | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Cowboy | 150 | RNFP | 900 | 270 | — | — |
| Ten-X Ammunition | Cowboy | 150 | LRN | 900 | 270 | — | — |
| Bertram | Antique | 150 | FMJ | 895 | 267 | — | — |
| Old Western Scrounger | Replica | 150 | Lead RN | 895 | 267 | — | — |
| Winchester | Historical | 150 | LRN | 870 | 252 | — | — |
| Fiocchi | Classic | 178 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 266 | — | — |
| Kynoch | Soft Nose | 178 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 266 | — | — |
| Norma | Classic | 178 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 266 | — | — |
| Graf | Standard | 178 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 266 | — | — |
| RWS | Classic | 178 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 266 | — | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | Standard | 178 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 266 | — | $0.85 |
| PPU | Standard | 178 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 266 | — | $0.38 |
| Buffalo Arms | Custom | 178 | Lead Round Nose | 800 | 253 | — | — |
| Fiocchi | Heritage Line | 180 | Lead RN | 750 | 225 | — | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
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
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 0.357″ (9.07 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.
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 3 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. Spotted an error? Report it →