For the rock band of the same name, see 38 Special .The .38 Smith & Wesson Special (commonly .38 Special, .38 Spl, , or .38 Spc, pronounced "Thirty-eight Special") is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistol and carbines also use this round. The .38 Special was the standard service cartridge of most police departments in the United States from the 1920s to the early 1990s. In other parts of the world, p