Smith & Wesson's .38-caliber rimfire revolver cartridge, used in the S&W No. 2 Army revolver — one of the most popular privately purchased sidearms of the Civil War era. Came in Short, Long, and Extra Long variants across its production life.
Type: Pistol
Introduced: 1861, United States
Parent case: None
Standardization: Obsolete / Non-standard
Bullet diameter: 0.375" (9.53 mm)
Case length: 0.775" (19.69 mm)
Overall length: 1.175" (29.85 mm)
Max pressure: 12,000 PSI
Rim type: Rimfire
Primer: Rimfire
Typical twist rate: 1:18.75
Muzzle velocity: 700–850 fps
Muzzle energy: 163–289 ft-lbs
Effective range: 25 yd
Common bullet weights: 150, 180 gr
Primary use: Self-Defense, Military
Production status: Obsolete
Also known as: .38 Short RF · .38 Long RF · .38 Extra Long RF · .38 S&W RF
History: Smith & Wesson introduced the No. 2 Army revolver in 1861, chambered in .38 rimfire. Though the US government did not officially issue the revolver, demand from soldiers purchasing their own sidearms was enormous — S&W produced over 77,000 No. 2 revolvers during the Civil War. The cartridge gave a meaningful power advantage over the .32 rimfire used in the smaller S&W No. 1. As centerfire…
Notable firearms: Smith & Wesson No. 2 Army Revolver, Various pocket revolvers of the 1860s–1880s
Military use: {"country":"United States","years":"1861-1872","notes":"Used by officers, cavalry, and soldiers who privately purchased S&W No. 2 Army revolvers during the Civil War"}
Similar cartridges: .38 S&W, .32 Rimfire, .41 Short