Old .38 Special Ammo Question

[Walter Rego]

I wasn't sure if the Lounge was the best place to post this question or not, but at a gun show today I picked up several boxes of old .38 Special ammo at what could be considered as good prices by today's standards. A dealer had purchased an estate and among the ammo on the table were boxes of Peters .38 Special 200 Grain Lead, Index 3841 in the old blue and red boxes. The ammuntion is brass cased, headstamped R-P over 38 SPL and the bullet looks like the standard 158 gr. LRN loads. I find it interesting that the cases have dual cannelures.
Is this 200 gr. loading what were considered the old "Super Police" loads ? Any idea as to the age ? The rounds are in a styrofoam tray so I'm thinking post 1960's.
The next box is Remington Kleanbore .38 Special 158 Grain Bullet with Steel Jacket in the red & green box. The headstamp is Rem UMC over 38 SPL, brass case, no cannelure and the bullet looks like a standard copper jacket RN. What would have been the purpose of a steel jacket as opposed to the standard FMJ ? Any idea as to age ? The boxes are pretty tattered so I may just fire them in my old M&P's.
Thanks

 

[Goodtime Charlie]

Walter:

I'm not an ammo collector, but I know that there are those who collect old ammo, and I would imagine yours has some collector value. I suggest that you don't shoot them.

Seems like I read that the steel jacketed rounds were an attempt to increase penetration, such as a LEO would need when shooting at criminals in vehicles.

The 200 grain bullet was an attempt to increase "stopping power", but as I understand it, the cartridge was a ballistic dog, and sometimes the bullets keyholed.