To understand the .38 ACP, you’ve got to put yourself in the boots of a U.S. cavalryman at the turn of the 20th century. The sidearm of the day? Likely a Colt Army revolver in .38 Long Colt. Trouble was, that round just didn’t get the job done.
Colt 1900
The History and Legacy of Colt Model 1900
By the late 1890s, John Moses Browning was already a known name in firearm design circles. He had given Winchester some of its most iconic lever-actions, including the Model 1885, 1886, 1892, and 1895. But by the time 1896 rolled around, Browning was ready to tackle a new frontier: the semi-automatic pistol.
The Pistols of John Moses Browning
From the earliest semi-automatic designs to the iconic 1911, John M. Browning’s genius forever changed the landscape of handguns.