By the late 1880s, the quest for smaller, more efficient calibers, which had begun some 20 years earlier, was moved on to the next stage. Abetted by smokeless power, most nations had been able to reduce the bores of their military rifles from the 11mm/.45 sizes down to 8mms and .30s. This same trend was carried on in military handguns and the move toward lighter, more efficient revolvers and (later) autos was set in motion. This continued to the point that when World War I began, with the exception of the British and Americans who stayed with, or returned to .45, a large majority of countries were wielding primary sidearms in the .32 to 9mm range. But we get ahead of ourselves.

Following the Civil War, the United States experimented with a number of cartridge revolvers, wisely settling, in 1873, on the superb Colt .45 Single Action Army. At the time, this was the most powerful (and one of the most reliable) military handguns in the world, with a stopping power that is still formidable today. Later, a quantity of Smith & Wesson Schofield SAs, which had the added advantage of simultaneous ejection, were also added to Uncle Sam's arsenal. These chambered a slightly attenuated .45 cartridge that would later become standard issue.

Though many countries were also fielding single actions at the time some, such as France, Great Britain, and Austria, opted for double actions. The advantage of a handgun that could be rapidly fired by simply pulling the trigger was not lost ordnance officials, and this, along with smaller, more efficient smokeless rounds, led to the obvious conclusion: the Single Action Army would have to be replaced.

Colt had been fooling around with double action for some time with varying success. While its Model 1877 Lightning and Model 1879 Frontier revolvers were extremely popular with the public, their actions, when compared to some of the British and European designs, were somewhat lacking. That being said, it must be admitted that the Brits liked them and many were sold in England and the Colonies. Both of these guns had solid frames and loaded and ejected in the manner of the Single Action Army.

After some experimentation, Colt came out with a gun that would satisfy military requirements. Featuring a double-action and swing-out cylinder, this sleek new revolver was chambered in a equally updated round, the .38 Colt--though it was also available in the older .41 Colt that was offered in the Model 1877.

The new .38 Long Colt cartridge (there was also a .38 Short Colt round that was used in some pocket revolvers) fired a 150-grain lead bullet, backed by 31⁄2 grains of smokeless powder, at 770 fps for a muzzle energy of 195 ft.-lbs. Compared to the .45 Colt's 400 ft.-lbs., the .38 was really something of a non-starter, but officials figured it was adequate for the job, and in 1889 the revolver and cartridge were accepted for use by the U.S. Navy. Civilian versions were also sold by Colt--a practice that would continue throughout the production life of the firearm.