+ P in old K-38

[MISFIRE]

Can I use +P in my old (I purchased in 1960) K-38? It's a tack driver and I don't want to mess that up.

 

[Harry Bonar]

+p

Dear Sir:
I'd stick to the standard 38 spec ammo; an FBI sniper friend of mine said the first man he shot was with a 38 special - gave him all six, "I was just a little faster than he was."
I have always shot and loaded under the maximum listed loads for any caliber.
Good shooting Harry B.

 

[Handy]

Can you use +P - sure. It's safe enough.

Do you want to shoot much +P through that gun - absolutely not. For all the reasons Harry said.


But if you want to know if you can leave it loaded for emergencies with +P ammo, I'd say go ahead. It will be more effective in stopping an attacker and won't harm the gun in small amounts.

+P does not blow up guns - it just increases the wear (sometimes dramatically). So it just depends why you're asking.

 

[MISFIRE]

Thanks Harry and Handy. Confirms what I had suspected. I'll stick with milder loads, punching paper, exterminating predatory tin cans and nudging along new shooters.