S&W M36 &+p's

A

Aimpro

Inactive
Just obtained a mint S&W Model 36 from the original owner who bought it in 1983. Unfortunately, he lost the box and manual. Does anybody have an early 80's manual for this piece? Does it say anything about +P ammo? I am unsure if this vintage was designed for those rounds. :confused:
 
I have seen a model 36 manual that specifically cautioned against +P ammunition. I understand that S&W may have moderated their stand on that issue after the fact, however. Your best bet would be to contact S&W and ask.

Clemson
 
I have 2 older J frames, a no dash 60 and a no dash 36. I use +p's in both guns. I usally shoot the light stuff and finish up with 2 or 3 cylinders full of the +p stuff. Sometimes i'll run a box of 50 +p's through the gun just for the heck of it. I don't figure i'll ever shoot either gun loose and if i ever do i'll just send it back to S&W for a tuneup.
 
36 & +P

My last issue gun, before I retired, was a Smith mod 36. We were only permitted to use Dept. issued ammo. This was Winchester +P SWCHP. The "FBI" load. No problems at all. We qualified with, and carried these loads in all issued firearms. That was when the .38 Spl. was still the duty load. Had no problem with it then, have no problem with it now.
Y. D.
 
Steady diets of +p in older J frames isn't recommended. I'd shoot a standard .38 spl load with a heavier hollowpoint bullet, and wadcutters at the range for fun. For carry, I might be tempted to use +p's, but I'd really rather not. But that's JMO, and why I traded my 36 for a M19.
 
I had one made late sixties and I shot +p in it just not a study diet I carried the 158+P FBI load in it. When it was stolen I had owned for over 20 years and was still my best carry gun.
 
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