Quote:
Originally Posted by texmex
It wasn't hard for S&W to chamber their revolvers for the British 38/200 since that cartridge was simply the 38 S&W (not Special) with a 200 grain bullet. It seems like a giant step backwards to me from the previous 455 cartridges the British used. I guess what they really wanted was revolvers smaller than N frame or Webley Mk 6. Considering all the shortages they had in WW2, less lead in each cartridge may have been a factor also. I guess 38/200 is a powerhouse compared to the Italian 9MM Gilsenti with its 123gr bullet at 1000 fps for a whopping 300 foot pounds of energy. Not much of an improvement over the 380 ACP (9mm Kurtz) with its about 200 foot pounds.
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According to the tests done in the 1920’s, the British claimed the short wide almost full wadcutter like 200 grain bullet at a very mild velocity of around 650 FPS was nearly as effective as the larger 45’s ( where have we heard this before?)
Unfortunately by WWII they had to change to a jacketed 178 grain bullet that was a very different shape ( similar to a modern 9mm profile hardball) which proved less effective.
I believe typical muzzle energy for the 38 S&W runs right below 200 foot pounds.