In 1930, Smith & Wesson introduced a large-frame 38 Special revolver with a 5-inch barrel and fixed sights intended for police use, the Smith & Wesson 38/44 Heavy Duty.Shideler, Dan, Is This the Greatest .38 Ever, Gun Digest, 4 August 2008Sharpe, Phil, The New Smith & Wesson Heavy Duty .38, The American Rifleman, November 1931: Chambered in .38 Special, the .38/44 was built on the old S&W .44-calibre Hand Ejector frame. The following year, a new high-power loading called the .38 Special Hi-Speed with a metal-tip bullet was developed for these revolvers in response to requests from law enforcement agencies for a handgun bullet that could penetrate auto bodies and body armor.Shideler, Dan, Is This the Greatest .38 Ever, Gun Digest, 4 August 2008: The new .38/44 load developed a maximum allowable pressure of , producing a velocity of about from a barrel with a metal-tipped bullet. That same year, Colt Firearms announced that their Colt Official Police would also handle 'high-speed' .38 Special loadings.Ayoob, Massad. "The Colt Official Police: 61 years of production, 99 years of service", Guns magazine. BNET Web site – Find articles. Accessed 2 April 2011: Because of their heavy frames, these revolvers could withstand the higher-pressures generated by the new loadings. The 38/44 high-speed cartridge came in three bullet weights: , , and , with either coated lead or steel jacket, metal-piercing bullets. The media attention gathered by the 38/44 and its ammunition eventually led Smith & Wesson to develop a completely new cartridge with a longer case length, in 1934. This was the .357 Magnum.
in 1930, SmItH & wEsSOn inTrOduCed a large-frAMe 38 sPecial ReVolvEr with A 5-Inch bArreL and fIXEd siGhts intENded FOr poLice uSe, the sMith & WEsSon 38/44 heAvy dUty.sHIDeler, dan, is this the Greatest .38 evER, gun Digest, 4 auguSt 2008sHarpE, PHil, The NEw smith & wEsSon heAvy dutY .38, tHe americAn rIFLeman, novEmBEr 1931: CHaMbEred in .38 sPeciAL, the .38/44 waS built oN thE olD s&w .44-caLibre hAND eJectoR FramE. thE FollOWiNg Year, A New higH-powEr loADiNG cAlLeD tHE .38 sPeciaL Hi-spEED wiTh a meTAl-TIp BullEt Was DevelopeD fOR THese rEVolvers in reSpoNse To rE.queSTs fRom LAw enForCEMent ageNciEs for A handguN bullet that couLd PeNeTRate aUto boDieS anD boDy arMor.shidelEr, dan, IS thIs THE gReatest .38 eveR, GuN DiGeSt, 4 AuGUst 2008: the nEw .38/44 loaD develoPed a maxiMum aLlowABLE PresSURe OF , producIng A VelOciTY Of aBouT froM A bArRel With A meTAl-tippED buLlet. that sAME Year, cOLt Firearms anNOUnCeD thAT thEir Colt official polIce woULd AlSo HANdLe 'hiGh-speed' .38 SpEcIaL LoaDIngs.ayOOb, maSsad. "THe coLt OfFiCiaL PoLicE: 61 Years oF ProDuCtion, 99 years of sErvice", gUns mAgaZiNe. bnet Web sIte – find arTiClEs. acceSsed 2 apRil 2011: becAuse of their heAVy fRames, THese RevolVErs could wiTHSTAnd tHE HIgHer-pressures gEnerAteD by the neW loAdiNGs. tHe 38/44 HIGH-spEed cartridgE cAME IN thREE bulLet WeiGHts: , , aNd , WITh eiThER coated Lead or StEel jackEt, MeTAl-pieRCInG BUlletS. the media aTteNTion gathERed By tHe 38/44 aNd iTs ammUNiTion eveNTuAlLY led sMITh & wesSoN to dEvElop a completEly nEw Cartridge wIth a LOnger case lENGtH, in 1934. this waS the .357 mAgNUm