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{{Short description|Firearm cartridge}}{{more citations needed|date=May 2012}}

factoids

factoids

| origin = United States| type = Rifle and handgun| service = | used_by = | wars = | designer = | design_date = | manufacturer = | production_date = | number = | variants = | is_SI_specs = | parent = | case_type = Rimmed, straight| bullet = .374| neck = .376| shoulder = .376| base = .378| rim_dia = .433| rim_thick = .051| case_length = 1.48| length = 2.025| rifling = | primer = Rimfire| is_SI_ballistics = | bw1 = 150| btype1 = LRN| vel1 = 1250| en1 = 520| bw2 = | btype2 =| vel2 = | en2 = | bw3 = | btype3 = | vel3 = | en3 = | bw4 = | btype4 = | vel4 = | en4 = | bw5 = | btype5 = | vel5 = | en5 = | test_barrel_length = Rifle| balsrc = }}The .38 rimfire refers to a family of cartridges that have been in service in the United States since the mid-19th century. The cartridges are produced in short, long, and extra long variants.Much like the smaller .32 rimfire, the rounds were originally manufactured loaded with black powder. In the early 1900s, manufacturers switched to the "new" smokeless powder.The .38 rimfire was preferred to the .32 rimfire for hunting and self-defense purposes because of its larger diameter bullet and increased muzzle energy.

History

The .38 rimfire cartridge was a common round for many antique revolvers and rifles from the 1870s to the early 1900s. It was a common self-defense round for a small revolver that was often kept in a vest pocket through to the 1890s. Production in the United States of rimfire calibers larger than .22 ceased upon the country's entry into World War II and was never resumed again by any of the major manufacturers. Factory loaded ammunition is no longer available except as collector items.

Uses and variants

The .38 rimfire cartridge was available in short, long, extra long, and also shotshells. Most of the revolvers and rifle which were produced were chambered for either .38 short rifle , or .38 long rifle. While there were a few different rifles produced for the .38 extra long cartridge and a few rolling block, falling block, and bolt-action rifles had smoothbore barrels which had a slight choke which enabled it to shoot the .38 RF shotshells, which was good for hunting small game at close ranges. Hopkins & Allen produced revolvers and rifles chambered for the .38RF. Rifles of this caliber were produced by Remington (the revolving rifle of 1866), Ballard, Stevens and Frank Wesson, and revolvers by Enterprise, Favorite, Forehand & Wadsworth, and Colt.BOOK, Barnes, Frank C., 2012, Richard A. Mann, Cartridges of the World A Complete Illustrated Reference for over 1500 Cartridges., Gun Digest, 978-1-4402-3059-2, 500,

See also

• Hopkins & Allen
• Revolvers
• Rifles
• Rimfire ammunition
• American Civil War

References

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• weblink{{unreliable source?|date=May 2012}}
• BOOK, Walter, John, 2006, The Guns That Won the West: Firearms on the American Frontier, 1848-1898,weblink 251, Greenhill Books, 1853676926, 2013-11-20,

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