Cartridge comparison
.38 Rimfire vs .38 S&W
.38 Rimfire and .38 S&W are both in the reference; see the full spec comparison below.
Side by side
| .38 Rimfire | .38 S&W | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Pistol | Revolver |
| Introduced | 1861 | 1877 |
| Bullet diameter | 0.374″ | 0.361″ |
| Case length | 0.7299″ | 0.7752″ |
| Max pressure | 12,000 psi | 14,500 psi |
| Recoil | 1.5–2.5 ft·lb | 2.5–4 ft·lb |
| Effective range | 25 yd | 50 yd |
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.