History and Usage
The cartridge's relatively poor ballistics were highlighted during the Philippine-American War of 1899-1902, when reports from U.S. Army officers were received regarding the .38 bullet's inability to stop charges of frenzied Moro juramentados at extremely close ranges. A typical instance occurred in 1905 and was later recounted by Col. Louis A. LaGarde:
"Antonio Caspi, a prisoner on the island of Samar, P.I. attempted escape on Oct. 26, 1905. He was shot four times at close range in a hand-to-hand encounter by a .38 Colt's revolver loaded with U.S. Army regulation ammunition. He was finally stunned by a blow on the forehead from the butt end of a Springfield carbine."
Col. LaGarde noted Caspi's wounds were fairly well-placed: three bullets entered the chest, perforating the lungs. One passed through the body, one lodged near the back and the other lodged in subcutaneous tissue. The fourth round went though the right hand and exited through the forearm.
As an emergency response to the round's unexpectedly dismal performance, the U.S. Army authorized officers to carry M1873 Colt Single Action Army revolvers, chambered in .45 Long Colt, and issued from reserve stocks. Army Ordnance also purchased a number of M1902 Colt 45 revolvers (The M1902 was actually Colt's New Double Action Army Model 1878, a .45-caliber rod-ejector double-action revolver) for issue to officers deploying overseas.
The 38 Long Colt remained in service until 1909, when the .45 M1909 cartridge was issued along with the 45 Colt New Service revolver as the new standard military sidearm for the U.S. Army.
In civilian use, the 38 Long Colt was chambered in a number of Colt revolvers and saw some use among target shooters. Various U.S. police forces also adopted the cartridge. However, the cartridge became nearly extinct after Smith & Wesson's more powerful .38 Special cartridge became widely popular as a civilian and police service cartridge. By 1908, even Colt was chambering their new Police Positive and New Army revolvers in "38 Colt Special", which was nothing more than the standard Smith & Wesson 38 Special with a different headstamp.
Read more about this topic: .38 Long Colt
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