There have been some other myths mentioned here as fact, so those should be addressed.
First, the .38 Special was never issued with the .38 caliber service revolver; the cartridge was the .38 Long Colt. The Navy contract cartridges were made with a .376 diameter heel-type bullet; the Army cartridges, both contact and Frankford, were made with an inside lubricated .357" diameter bullet. In 1903, about serial number 200,000, the chambers of new revolvers were lengthened to accept .38 Special, but that ammunition was not issued to the military until many years later.
The gun that technically succeeded the .38 was the Model 1909 revolver, not the .45 caliber automatic pistol. While the Model 1909, a Colt New Service, was made for the .45 Colt, that ammunition was NOT issued with it; the Army found the small rim of the .45 Colt jumped the extractor, so Frankford Arsenal made the Model 1909 cartridge with a larger rim. That was the only ammunition issued with that revolver.
Some Model 1873 (SAA) revolvers were taken out of storage and sent to the Philippines, but the ammunition issued was the old .45 Army (aka the .45 Schofield), not the .45 Colt.
Jim
First, the .38 Special was never issued with the .38 caliber service revolver; the cartridge was the .38 Long Colt. The Navy contract cartridges were made with a .376 diameter heel-type bullet; the Army cartridges, both contact and Frankford, were made with an inside lubricated .357" diameter bullet. In 1903, about serial number 200,000, the chambers of new revolvers were lengthened to accept .38 Special, but that ammunition was not issued to the military until many years later.
The gun that technically succeeded the .38 was the Model 1909 revolver, not the .45 caliber automatic pistol. While the Model 1909, a Colt New Service, was made for the .45 Colt, that ammunition was NOT issued with it; the Army found the small rim of the .45 Colt jumped the extractor, so Frankford Arsenal made the Model 1909 cartridge with a larger rim. That was the only ammunition issued with that revolver.
Some Model 1873 (SAA) revolvers were taken out of storage and sent to the Philippines, but the ammunition issued was the old .45 Army (aka the .45 Schofield), not the .45 Colt.
Jim