Quote:
Originally Posted by WR Moore
IIRC, the writer was Dean Grinnel and the reference was to the 200 gr Super Police (you should pardon the label) load. Oddly enough, the same bullet at 850-900 f/s out of a .357 romps through cars. This isn't to say that was the first time the comment was used or that it wasn't later borrowed.
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The idea of the .38 S&W/.38 Special "Super Police" load with a 200 grain bullet was not to penetrate cars but to be more effective on people. It is longer than the then-standard 158 grain LRN bullet and less stable. Therefore it tends to yaw in human tissue, creating a greater wound channel. See attachment for a ca. 1962 box of Remington 200 grain .38 Special.
One of my pet peeves is that some confuse the Super Police load with the .38-44 load. They are not the same. I have even seen that confusion evident in S&W factory letters with obviously incorrect statements like "...the .38/44 revolver was designed for use with the
Super Police load..."
BTW - the revolver is a .38/44. The cartridge is a .38-44. Those two are often confused also.