Cartridge comparison
.38-44 Heavy Duty vs .38 Special +P
.38-44 Heavy Duty and .38 Special +P are both in the reference; see the full spec comparison below.
Side by side
| .38-44 Heavy Duty | .38 Special +P | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Revolver | Revolver |
| Introduced | 1930 | 1970 |
| Bullet diameter | 0.357″ | 0.357″ |
| Case length | 1.1551″ | 1.1551″ |
| Max pressure | 25,000 psi | 20,000 psi |
| Recoil | 8–12 ft·lb | 3.5–12.1 ft·lb |
| Effective range | 50 yd | 50 yd |
| SAAMI | Not SAAMI standardized | SAAMI standardized |
| CIP | Not standardized | Not standardized |
| Obsolete | Obsolete | — |
Highlighted cells hold the clear edge where both sides have a number. Every figure is a range maximum from the reference; typical loads run lower.
Case profiles, to scale
Drawn to the same scale, so the proportions are true. Physical size varies with your screen.
