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.38/.45 Clerke

Wildcat semi-automatic pistol cartridge

Wildcat semi-automatic pistol cartridge

FieldValue
name.38/.45 Clerke / 9.1x22mm
image38-45 clerke metallic.jpg
caption.38-45 Clerke cartridge with metallic effect
originUnited States
typePistol
designerBo Clerke
design_date1963
manufacturerArmory Gunshop
parent[.45 ACP](45-acp)
case_typeRimless, bottleneck
bullet.357
base.470
rim_dia.471
rim_thick.050
case_length.880
length1.22
primerlarge pistol
bw1130
btype1FMJ
vel11245
en1445

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The .38/.45 Clerke (pronounced "clark"), aka .38/.45 Auto Pistol .45/.38 Auto Pistol or 9.1x22mm, is a wildcat semi-automatic pistol cartridge developed by Bo Clerke and introduced in Guns & Ammo in 1963.

History and design

It is essentially a .45 ACP case, necked down to .357, resulting in a cartridge similar in form to the earlier 7.65×21mm Parabellum and 7.63×25mm Mauser cartridges. It was created to be a low recoil target cartridge that would function reliably with multiple bullet types, FMJ to cast lead wadcutters without the feeding problems that straight walled pistol rounds sometimes exhibit. The cartridge can be used in standard .45 ACP magazines.

The cartridge is sometimes confused with the 38/45 Hard Head invented by Dean Grennell around 1987. 38/45 Hard Head is based upon shortened and necked down .45 Winchester Magnum or .451 Detonics cases, operates at a much higher pressure and its load data should never be used for the 38/45 Clerke.

Ammunition and reloading

.45 ACP cases can be resized to handload .38/.45 Auto cartridges using form and sizer dies still available from the RCBS Corporation, p/n 56468.

Nearly any M1911 pistol and pistols of the same pattern can be converted to the .38/.45 cartridge with a replacement barrel, from a 38 Super barrel reamed out to .38/.45 dimensions. During the round's initial popularity, drop-in barrels were available from makers like Bar-Sto.

References

References

  1. Campbell, R. K.. (2011). "Shooter's guide to the 1911". Krause Publications.
  2. Sweeney, Patrick. (2009). "Gun digest big fat book of the .45 ACP". Krause Publications.
  3. Barnes, Frank C.. (2006). "Cartridges of the world : a complete and illustrated reference for over 1500 cartridges". Gun Digest Books.
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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