The .38 Special was a round brought to life by Smith & Wesson, hence the name 38 S&W Special. Eventually other companies like Colt got hacked off at having to mark THEIR weapons with "38 S&W Special" and came out with the .38 COLT Special- which was identical except for a flat tipped bullet. Eventually, everyone shortened the name to .38 Special- except S&W Company- who wanted to keep the name. 38 S&W Special and .38 Special are one and the same. 38 S&W (no special) IS a different round, and does not interchange. Make sense? so special refers to the round
It depends on what you mean. A .38 revolver may be a .38 special, but there are other types of .38 besides just the special round.
38 is a imprecise term that may or may not mean 38 special.It could be.
If you mean +P, the difference is velocity.
38 special
It depends on what you mean by "break."
The .38 Special was a round brought to life by Smith & Wesson, hence the name 38 S&W Special. Eventually other companies like Colt got hacked off at having to mark THEIR weapons with "38 S&W Special" and came out with the .38 COLT Special- which was identical except for a flat tipped bullet. Eventually, everyone shortened the name to .38 Special- except S&W Company- who wanted to keep the name. 38 S&W Special and .38 Special are one and the same. 38 S&W (no special) IS a different round, and does not interchange. Make sense? so special refers to the round
If by 38 you mean the 38 special , the answer is yes , as both use a .357 dia bullet
The .38 Special can fire .38 Special, or .38 Long Colt. It cannot fire the .38 S&W, which is fatter and shorter.
38 special
.38 Special, .38 Long Colt, .38 Short Colt. .38 S&W CANNOT be used in a .38 Special. .38 Special can be fired from a .357 Magnum weapon, but .357 Magnum cannot be fired from a .38 Special weapon.
Depends which type of .38 you're referring to. When most people say ".38", they're referring to the .38 Special. Firearms chambered in .38 Special can fire .38 Special cartridges, and nothing else. The .38 Special can also be fired from a .357 Magnum revolver (but only from revolvers - not from anything with a headspaced chamber). The .38 Special is not compatible with the .38 S&W Long, .38 Super, or any other type of .38 caliber cartridge.
no the 38 bullet is fatter and and the special is smaller