+p ammo useless in snubnose?

There's no getting around the fact that you will lose muzzle velocity in a 2" snubnose revolver compared to longer barrel lengths (ie 4-6"). But a +P cartridge will start out at a higher velocity compared to the same weight bullet in a standard pressure loading, so it's certainly not "useless."

Fact is, carrying a snubnose necessarily incurs a compromise in terms of muzzle velocity - you're trading a certain degree of potential lethality at longer ranges for a more compact and lightweight package. Given the intended ranges at which snubbies are intended to be used, it's a worthy compromise for a lot of folks.
 
I carry the Speer Short Barrel +P in my non +P rated 25 year old S&W model 37 airweight and don't worry at all that the gun is going to fail. I don't practice with the 37 using +P ammo on a regular basis but I will run a cylinder or 2 of whatever I am using in it for CCW whenever I change from one load to another to see where it shoots.

The SP101 is a little more gun then a J frame .38

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Slightly harder to conceal, in the 2 1/4" barrel
Click to expand...

Yes the barrel is slightly longer but width wise the difference between the SP101 and a J Frame is measured in hundredths of an inch.
 
+P in sbubbies

I have been carrying and reloading for snubbies for 40 years and I will tell you that +P will always out perform standard 38 spl loadings for the most part.You may not always get better expansion,but you will usually always get better penetration for the most part and you will always get better energy figures.The salesman was probably just trying to sell what he had?
 
Yes the barrel is slightly longer but width wise the difference between the SP101 and a J Frame is measured in hundredths of an inch.
Click to expand...
Actually the difference is almost exactly a full 1/10 of an inch. Just put your J-frame in your SP101 holster and feel it wiggle back and forth.

Then take into account that the weighs in at a whopping 25.5 oz and you have quite a difference carry wise.
 
A word to the wise: Just because a guy works in a gun store and maybe carries one doesn't mean he knows what he's talking about.
 
Thanks to a buddy at a Woodbridge Gun Shop I carry 95 grn +p Hollowpoints in my Taurus Model 85.

Speed+light bullet=expansion.

Not a bad shooting round in this gun either.

I am wavering as to whether I want to go back to a +p158 grn bullet just to have the mass when I need to shoot it.

+P's are definitely useful in a snub.

ANYTHING that can help get expansion out of a snub fired bullet is a help.
 
I have an SP101 2 1/4" .357 that gets pocket carried in jeans in a Mika roundcut holster frequently. The weight was noticeable at first but after a few times carrying I don't notice it. If I try to carry it in the pocket of something other than jeans, especially cotton cargo shorts the weight is more noticeable and I go to an IWB.

SP101's are one of the few consistent darlings of the firearms forums. You'll be hard pressed to find an owner that has anything bad to say about them.

Comparing apples to apples a stainless .357 J Frame S&W Model 60 with a 2 1/8" barrel weighs 22.5 ounces while a Ruger SP101 2 1/4" 357 weighs 25 ounces. Those extra couple of ounces get you a 1/8" longer barrel, a full length ejector rod that will never unscrew and is not a stressed part of the lockup, and a K frame sized forcing cone, among other things.

Both are excellent guns and I would be proud to own either. I chose an SP101 and am very happy with my choice. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm sure there are a lot of S&W fans that will say the same.

For Christmas I received a S&W 340 M&P CT. This splits the difference in weight between my P-3AT and SP101 but gives the firepower of the SP101. It will be my new carry gun for summer and in the cooler months the SP101 will go OWB while the 340 is backup in a Mika pocket holster.

The SP101 is heavy enough to make a day at the range shooting any 38 Specials a joy and up to 100 full power 357 handloads fun. I don't expect the 340 to be quite so pleasant.
 
Last edited:
Hi all,

Great stuff. I'm going to have to start a new thread about some of the things mentioned here.

I think you're probably right that the guy was hoping I'd just say "oh well, I guess I don't need a +p rated gun...I'll take this one." :D . Unfortunately for him that won't be happening. But there's a lot that I never considered because I've got lots to learn. I'll post a new thread about some questions this thread has raised.

Thanks folks.

Dan
 
Why people are concerned about P+ ammo and and HP ammo. I understand that the impact is slightly different so is the stopping power, but lets face it, in the reality you never know how it's gonna play out. In some cases you might shoot all your 10 rounds of P+ HP ammo and in some cases a regular bullet 115gr FMJ will do the job.

It's nice to have a variety of guns for collection, sure but not to the point where you don't want to buy a good priced gun b/c it doesn't shoot P+, I dunno I think it's over rated.

Personally, i would rather have 10FMJ than 5 P+ Hp rounds
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top