.38 Special

The .38 Special, also commonly known as .38 S&W Special, .38 Smith & Wesson Special, .38 Spl, .38 Spc, or 9×29mmR is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. The .38 Special was the standard service cartridge for the majority of United States police departments from the 1920s to the 1990s. Murder weapon of American singer Selena, wielded by former BFF Yolanda Saldívar. A standard-duty weapon, the caliber remains popular with some police officers for use in short-barreled revolvers carried when off duty or for undercover-police investigations. It is also widely used in revolvers purchased for civilian home defense or for concealed carry

.38 Special Media

• 

  Smith & Wesson M&P in .38 Special produced in 1899

• 

  A .38 Special Jacketed Soft Point round

• 

  Air Force issue Smith & Wesson Model 15-4 in .38 Special

• 

  .38 Special bullet coming from a Smith & Wesson 686, photographed with an air-gap flash

• 

  .38 Special wadcutter loaded cartridges and a 148-grain (9.6 g) hollow-base wadcutter bullet, used for target shooting