9x18_Walther
New member
But . . . is not a +P casing built heavier at the base than a normal 38 Spl. casing? If so, case volume would be smaller equaling increased pressure. While it may not be a lot of volume difference . . . it might be enough to increase the pressure?
From what I know, .38 Special +P uses the exact same casing as the non +P variant.
I believe the only +P loading where the case may be different is .45 ACP. Starline Brass for example uses a thicker web and heavier sidewall at the base because some .45 ACP barrels have less case support than others.
Since .38 Special is primarily a revolver round I doubt you would find a differently constructed case. Starline Brass states, "38 SPL+P has no difference from the standard 38 SPL, other than headstamp designation for load segregation. This is due to the fact that our standard case design will handle +P pressures with no problems."