[joshk-k]

Hi all!

I recently got a 1968 Colt Trooper in .357 Magnum. I know I can shoot .38 specials through it (and have already, with great success). The co-worker who sold it to me threw in a box of Speer Gold-Dots in ".38 Special +P." It's fine to shoot these through this gun, right? The "+P" doesn't make it unsafe, right?

Thanks,
Josh

[rcmodel]

+p .38 is less then half the pressure of a .357 Magnum round.
18,500 PSI vis 35,000 PSI.

Knock yourself out!

rcmodel

[joshk-k]

Great! That's what I thought, but just got thrown off for a sec.

JOsh

[batmann]

They are fine, in fact, they are pretty good SD rounds!

[PRM]

Getting personal again, but the main reason I like a .357 chambering in my S&W Model 60 is that it is more than sturdy enough to take the 38+p. I like the way the 38 handles and shoots in the shorter barrel.

[rcmodel]

I should have mentioned that if you plan to shoot a lot of .38 Spl in your .357, it is imperative that you clean the chambers throughly (with a .40 bore brush & solvent) before going back to .357 ammo.

The shorter .38's will leave carbon build-up in the fronts of the longer chambers. That can cause difficult chambering & extraction.

In extreme cases it can cause pressures to raise because the carbon rings prevent the mag case mouths from expanding fully to release the bullets.

rcmodel

[bflobill_69]

See now I learn something new every day on this forum....

TY Rcmodel

Quote: "I should have mentioned that if you plan to shoot a lot of .38 Spl in your .357, it is imperative that you clean the chambers throughly (with a .40 bore brush & solvent) before going back to .357 ammo."

Bflobill_69

[swampshooter]

although it rarely happens because most of us don't shoot as much as we would like to, shooting a steady diet of .38s in a .357 will gas cut the cylinder and create a permanent situation whereby .357 cartridges will not eject. the only cure is to replace the cylinder. if shooting a lot it is best to use light loads assembled in .357 cases. this happened to my .357 when i was shooting competitively but i probably had 5,000-8,000 rds. of .38s shot through this revolver before i noticed it. just a couple boxes now and then won't do any damage.

[HB]

No Offense, but the above post needs a citation...

HB