Colt Diamondback Question

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db45

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I have a .38 Spl. Diamondback from the mid-70's. I have read (and have assumed) they are safe with +P factory loads. Anyone know for sure if that is the case?

Thanks.
 
Very popular topic. Factory +P ain't all that, anyway. Only about 100 FPS increase and is really no hotter than standard ammo made 30 years ago. They have reduced the loadings in recent years because of lawsuits from people with blown up Rubys and Stars. Your Colt will shoot all the +P you want.
 
The factory has the last word, and to see what they said, here's a link to a late owner's manual.
http://www.stevespages.com/page7b.htm

Check out page two, which clearly states the factory recommendation on +P ammo.

Everyone has their own opinion, but NO ONE knows more about it than the factory who designed and built it.
 
I've used +P ammo in some later Colt D-frame revolvers but very sparingly. They will go out of time much quicker with the heavy stuff--the same as any revolver.

The later Colt manuals tells one not to use +P+ ammo. Some U.S. Treasury agencies issued +P+ 110-grain ammo for use in Smith K-frame revolvers such as the Model 66s chambered in .357 Mag. Corbon made a +P+ rated load for a time. I would definitely NOT use any of that ammo in any small-frame .38 Special revolver.
 
.38 Spl. Diamondback

Back in the late 60's and 70's I shot nothing but SUPER VEL in my .38 Spl. Diamondback. Would that be +P+ today?
 
The Super Vel boxes didn't say +P, +P+ or whatever. I wish I still had some to chronograph. Whatever it moved at, it was a great improvement over those 158-grain and 200-grain roundnose lead bullets. It grouped well but printed sort of low in fixed-sight service revolvers.
 
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