.38

.38 refers to the type of firearm and firearm cartridges.

The .38 is considered a large dead space firearm cartridge; Anything larger than .32 is considered a large caliber, and one of the most common handguns manufactured in the United States. Prior to 1990, the standard sidearm of police in the United States was a revolver that fired the .38 special cartridge, seconded by the .357 Magnum revolver.

Handgun cartridge table

 * {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left"

! Cartridge name || Bullet diameter || Case length || Cartridge length || Type || class="unsortable"|Source
 * .380 ACP (.380 Auto, 9 mm Kurz, 9mm Browning Short, 9×17mm)|| .356 in || .680 in || .980 in || Rimless || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .38 Casull|| .356 in || .933 in || – || Rimless ||
 * .38 Short Colt|| .357 in || .762 in || 1.052 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .38 Long Colt|| .357 in || 1.030 in || 1.320 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .38 Special|| .357 in || 1.16 in || 1.550 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .38 AMU (.38 Army Marksmanship Unit)|| .357 in || 1.15 in || – || Rimless ||
 * .38 ACP (.38 Auto, 9×23mmSR)|| .358 in || .900 in || 1.280 in || Semi-rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .38 Super|| .358 in || .900 in || 1.280 in || Semi-rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .38 Super Comp|| .358 in || .896 in || 1.280 in || Rimless || Starline cartridge dimensions
 * .38 S&W (.38 Colt New Police, .380 Rim, .38 S&W Corto, .380-200 British Service)|| .359 in || .780 in || 1.200 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .380 Revolver Short [British Webley pattern from 1860s, copied by Colt to produce .38 Short Colt]|| .375 in || 0.700 in || 1.100 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .380 Revolver Long [British Webley pattern from 1860s]|| .375 in || 1.000 in || 1.400 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .38-40 Winchester (.38-40 WCF)|| .401 in || 1.300 in || 1.590 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 92
 * }
 * .38 Super|| .358 in || .900 in || 1.280 in || Semi-rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .38 Super Comp|| .358 in || .896 in || 1.280 in || Rimless || Starline cartridge dimensions
 * .38 S&W (.38 Colt New Police, .380 Rim, .38 S&W Corto, .380-200 British Service)|| .359 in || .780 in || 1.200 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .380 Revolver Short [British Webley pattern from 1860s, copied by Colt to produce .38 Short Colt]|| .375 in || 0.700 in || 1.100 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .380 Revolver Long [British Webley pattern from 1860s]|| .375 in || 1.000 in || 1.400 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .38-40 Winchester (.38-40 WCF)|| .401 in || 1.300 in || 1.590 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 92
 * }
 * .380 Revolver Short [British Webley pattern from 1860s, copied by Colt to produce .38 Short Colt]|| .375 in || 0.700 in || 1.100 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .380 Revolver Long [British Webley pattern from 1860s]|| .375 in || 1.000 in || 1.400 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 274
 * .38-40 Winchester (.38-40 WCF)|| .401 in || 1.300 in || 1.590 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 92
 * }
 * .38-40 Winchester (.38-40 WCF)|| .401 in || 1.300 in || 1.590 in || Rimmed || Barnes 1997, p. 92
 * }
 * }