+P ammo

J

jlflegal

New member
I bought a nearly mint 1969 S&W stainless .38 special snub from my neighbor, its only had one box of ammo thru it in thirty years.

My question: Is it okay to fire +P cartridges with it? The retired police officer at my gun shop said it should be okay so I bought a box of Corbons. He said to practice with normal loads and keep the hot ones for home defense. I fired a cylinder's worth and it didn't seem too harsh.

Do you guys agree?
 
Model 60?

I assume that you're talking about an all stainless Model 60. If this is the case, you should have no problem. If it's an Airweight, then I would not use +P.

Even in an Airweight, one cylinder full would show you nothing. You would NOT experience a castrophic failure! What would happen is that, in a gun not suitable for +P, the gun would shoot loose (wear out) faster than it should.


Yr. Obt. Svnt.
 
I agree - use standard loads under usual circumstances and +p for your occasional defense only.
 
"K-Frame 38 Mod. 19 for shooting. It's the .357 frame with a 38 chambering."

K-Frame .38 special sounds like a Model 14. Is there a difference between a Model 14 and a Model 19 with .38 chambers?
 
I have a model 60 38 Special stainless steel and a Colt Agent 38 Special aluminum frame.



1) With 110 gr FMJ bullets and Bullseye powder:

4.5 gr is 38 Special

5.0 gr is 38 Specila +P

9.0 gr is 357 mag

I have shot 9 gr in my 60, but the cases are sticky, so I backed off to 8.7gr.




2) with 110 gr FMJ bullets and Blue Dot Powder:

7.8 gr is 38 Special

9.1 gr is 38 Special +P

16.0 gr is 357 mag

I have shot 16.9 gr in my model 60 38 Special.

I have shot 16.5 gr in my Agent 38 Special aluminum. [I wish I had not.]




3) With 158 gr FMJ bullets and H110 powder:

9.6 gr is 38 Special

10.8 gr is 38 Special +P

16.7 gr is 357 mag

I have shot 15.9 gr in my model 60 38 Special.


Armed with this experience, you can imagine how humorous it is for me to read posts about, "+P in a 38 Special?"
 
Ari,

To the best of my knowedge, there have been no Model 19s made chambered in .38 Spl., only .357 Mag.

Can you provide a little more information on this gun?
 
Mike Irwin:

I'll bite. What is AUFF?

Jay



P.S. I am charter member and co-founder of UG.
which is the Uglo-american society of Greater Richmond.
 
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