Ah, the old "Super Police" load as it was called. Back in the day, ammo companies named their loads as a short hand way of getting the customer to remember the ballistics. It is confusing to us today unless you read up on the actual bullet weights and velocities.

That load was pretty feeble on the "receiving end," and although feeble, it was not really listed for use in the K frames, but it was authorized for use in the .38/44 revolvers (the heavier bullet made pressures higher). S&W used to say what loads were ok in particular models by using the load's name.

For example, K frames tended to be ok with 38 S&W Special and 38 S&W Special Mid-Range. The first was the standard old 158 grain load, while the second was the 148 grain wadcutter target load.

N frame 38s often listed acceptable loads as 38 S&W Special Hi-Speed, 38 S&W Special Super Police, 38 S&W Special and 38 S&W Special Mid-Range. The Hi-Speed load was the .38/44. The Super Police was the aforementioned feeble 200 grain loading.

N frame .357s listed all the same loads as the N frame 38s, but the first round listed was .357 Magnum, followed by the N frame list of 38s.

There were changes to the list over the years. For example, S&W at one point advertised its K frames as ok with the .38/44. Colt said its Police Positive and Detective Specials were ok with that load, so I am not sure how much was just S&W trying to compete for LE contract business, but later S&W stopped listing the .38.44 as ok with the K frame.

S&W also sold K frame 38 Specials to government agencies knowing they would be shot with low end .357 Magnum loads loaded into 38 Special cases on special contracts so agencies did not have to defend against idiots saying they were using Magnums. The so-called "Treasury Load" comes to mind. Essentially a 110 grain JHP .357 Magnum loaded into a 38 Special case.

That was not really a recent trend either as the original FBI purchase of Colt Police Positives instead of 1911 .45s was conditioned on the revolvers using the .38/44 Hi-Speed, but with the Keith sharp shoulder semi-wadcutter instead of the round nose. You can view the documents over at Larry Wack's excellent site: Historical G-Men.

Home - Dusty Roads Of An FBI Era

The documents on the weapons orders and the memo justifying the 38s based on the .38/44 with the Keith bullet are here:

http://historicalgmen.squarespace.co...nCommittee.pdf

http://historicalgmen.squarespace.co...comparison.pdf

(note the 1125 fps velocity of the 158 grain 38 Special Keith Semi-Wadcutter they adopted)

http://historicalgmen.squarespace.co...lttraining.pdf

http://historicalgmen.squarespace.co...stribution.pdf

And, here is the Colt literature provided to the FBI at the time of the weapons order in 1933. Page 9 shows the loads authorized for use in the Police Positive.

http://historicalgmen.squarespace.co...t%20Manual.pdf