The 38 +P loads are about the equal of older standard 38 special loads. The standard 38 has been loaded down for the older weaker guns.

 

The medium frame Colt "E" revolvers like the Army Special can safely shoot +P .38 Special ammo, but much of it will cause faster wear.
There's really not much sense in overly wearing an antique Colt, but it can shoot a good bit of it.

In the pre-war days Colt had the standard of just marking revolvers with .38 no matter what the actual caliber was.
A .38 marked Colt could have been .38 Colt New Police/.38 S&W, .38 Long Colt, or .38 Special.
Much depended on the model, with the short .38 cartridges usually in the small frame models like the Police Positive, and the longer rounds in the medium frame models.

 

Thanks for the two answers. I've had this Army special for many years and only shot 38 Colt short and 38 Colt longs in it. Time now to feed it 38 special ammo.

 

You provided a dearth of information. If it shoots .38 Long Colt and .38 Short Colt it is not intended for the .38 Special cartridge, of any type. The cartridges are completely different.

 

Gri. I reload 38Colt short and 38Colt long brass, using 38 special dies. The same dies load 38 special for my S&W 637 Airweight. My wife likes shooting 38 Colt shorts in the 637. Bob.

 

Roger that.

 

Around 1910 Colt quit using their proprietary rounds other than 45 Colt and 45 ACP. Essentially, they started using all the S&W cartridges other than the two mentioned and 44 WCF.

Your Army Special was designed to use the 38 Special cartridge from day one. It's OK to shoot the 38 Short and Long Colt too but why?

 

Good info from a good forum. Thanks all. Bob.