Model 60 ammo question

[coondogger]

Can the S&W Model 60 in .38 Special handle +P loads?

 

[rcmodel]

Yes. In limited quantities for carry.

+P ain't all it's cracked up to be compared to some standard pressure ammo when the gun was likely made.

rc

 

[speedway]

Practice with +p periodically to become accustomed to the additional recoil if an urgent need arised, but don't shoot +p on a regular basis unless you want the gun to shake itself loose.

 

[coondogger]

Thanks.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I have a model 60 that I've had for about 25 years. God only knows how many +P and +P+ have been thru that gun. It's still one of the tightest revolvers I own with the exception of a little end shake which is very common on s & w revolvers.

Now if you were shooting an airweight, model 37 I would limit +P and never shoot +P+ as it will streach the frame and render the gun useless.

+P .38 ammo of today is close to what the standard .38 load was decades ago. Some of the foreign .38 ammo is loaded right up there and I suspect some of it is hotter than most American +P.

 

[rcmodel]

I recall Dick Metcalf & Guns & Ammo, or maybe Shooting Times ran a S&W Airweight torture test with +P back when it first came out in the 70's.

He used two brand new J-Frame S&W Airweights, and shot 2,500 rounds of +P through each of them.

Measurements were taken at the start of the test, and every 500 rounds to completion of the test.

The result?
Neither gun blew up.
Neither gun broke.
Both guns ended with no measurable wear in any dimension.
Both guns ended with lighter & smoother triggers.
Both guns ended with a higher average velocity.
Both guns ended with slightly better average group size.

rc

 

[coondogger]

The gun is my wife's. She received the +P ammo as christmas gift at her office. I should have mentioned this. I spoke with my uncle the other day and he felt that she would be very uncomfortable firing plus loads through a snubbie.

 

[Starter52]

Modern +P loads can be a bit sharp. I've found that a good set of rubber grips goes a long way to making any small revolver more comfortable.

 

[coondogger]

Even with the Hogue grips on the gun, I suspect it would still be rather unpleasant to shoot plus loads through.

 

[GCBurner]

The gun will handle +P loads with no problem. After shooting off a box in practice, however, the palm of your hand will feel like it's been whacked with a wooden ruler by an angry Nun.