(Testimony of Cortlandt Cunningham)
Mr. Cunningham.
Yes, sir. The complete .38 Special cartridges, both brands, they are approximately the same they are made to specifications, and they are within--just 1/1000th difference between the two of them. They are very close. In some cases, there is a slight difference, but generally they are the same size.
The .38 Special cartridges are a little over 1 1/2 inches in length. The .38 S&W cartridges are approximately 1.2 inches in length. In other words, there is about 4/10ths of an inch difference in their length.
The bullets of the .38 Special weigh 158 grains--both brands. The bullets in the .38 S&W cartridges--there is one grain difference--Western Lubaloy bullets weigh 145 grains, and Remington's bullets weigh 146 grains, which is very close, When you figure there are 7,000 grains to the pound.
The length of the bullets themselves--the .38 Special bullets are approximately .72 plus inch. The .38 S&W bullets are approximately .6 plus inch. The lengths of the cartridge cases are also different. A .38 Special is approximately 1.15 inches for both brands. The .38 S&W cartridge cases are approximately .77 inch. And there you have approximately a quarter of an inch difference between the lengths of the cartridge cases.
The diameters of the bullets--the .38 Special bullets, at the portion of the bullet where the case is crimped into the bullet are approximately .357".
Mr. Eisenberg.
That is the groove around the base of the bullet, also known as the cannelure?
Mr. Cunningham.
No, it is just above the two grooves, which are known as cannelures, where the bullet is crimped. It is known as the crimp ring. It is nothing more than where the case has been crimped in.
Mr. Eisenberg.
I have pulled out the bullet from Exhibit 591, and there is a little groove running above the second groove from the top--from the bottom, the base, of the bullet.
Mr. Cunningham.
That would be your crimping groove. Up at approximately that area, both .38 Specials are approximately .357". However, the base of the .38 Specials, both brands, are about .350"
In other words, there is about 7/l000ths difference between the base and where they are crimped, and both brands of .38 Specials seem to run--slightly under sized at the base.
On the .38 Special the diameter of the bullets where they are crimped is .357". The .38 S&W Remington- Peters bullets run about .360", or just slightly less, which is about 3/1000ths larger. Their bases, both brands, run about .356''. In other words, they run about 6/1000ths larger at the base even though the bullets are shorter overall in the .38 S&W.
Mr. Eisenberg.
To summarize that, in terms of the diameter, do I understand that the .38 Special and the .38 S&W have a similar diameter as you approached the nose of the bullet, but that the .38 has a somewhat larger diameter at the base than the .38 Special?
Mr. Cunningham.
.38 S&W.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Now, why would the gun be rechambered from the original chamber, which was designed for the .38 S&W, to the chamber as it stands now, which you tell us is designed for the .38 Special?
Mr. Cunningham.
In this country, the .38 S&W is not a popular cartridge at the present time. In years gone by, many, many, many weapons have been made for that particular cartridge. But they are usually the top-break, the cheaper type of weapon. The .38 Special cartridge is a better cartridge. There is a higher velocity and everything about the cartridge is better than the .38 S&W, ballistically.
The .38 Special has become popular in this country for revolvers. And the reason it was chambered, in .38 S&W originally is because in England and on the Continent it is a popular cartridge. The .38 S&W in England is the .38-200. They loaded a 200-grain bullet into the same cartridge case, and it was the standard British Army load for this particular weapon and others. Why they took that particular cartridge, I do not know.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Was the gun rebarreled as well as rechambered?
Mr. Cunningham.
No, it was not. The barrel of this weapon has been
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