This thread reminds me of the several months I spent in post Gulf War 1 in Kuwait.

I was assigned to a Kuwait army base as technical representative, and out of sheer boredom, I browsed and dug around in the pistol range backstop. Recovered several hundred .38-200 FMJ bullets fired years ago by Kuwait army personnel. What was remarkable was that almost every single slug was in perfect condition and undeformed. Except for the rifling marks, they could have been reloaded and used again!

I take that as a testament to the low velocity and energy of the .38-200 pistol cartridge.

If you have to have a comparison, it is comparable to the .38 Special WC at target velocities. Would YOU want to stake your life on that performance?