Concerning the use of .38-44 High Speed" ammunition in smaller Colt's and Smith & Wesson K-frame revolvers.
Smith & Wesson introduced the .38-44 variant of the .38 Special cartridge in 1930 as an alternative to Colt's increasingly popular .38 Super pistol, the cartridge of which could penetrate barrier material the standard .38 Special load couldn't. Smith & Wesson's matching revolver was called the .38-44 Heavy Duty, and consisted of their N-frame .44 Military revolver chambered in .38 Special. Smith & Wesson Company Historian noted:
This new ammunition was not recommended for use in medium-frame revolvers, since it was felt the new high-velocity cartridge could damage the lighter-weight frames.
History of Smith & Wesson, by Roy G. Jinks. pp. 209
Colt responded by advertising their New Service, Shooting Master and Single Action Army (all large frame revolvers) models could also handle the hotter load.
By the middle/latter 1930's the Great Depression had seriously reduced orders at both companies, and both were in desperate financial condition. After running some tests, the management at Colt concluded that the pressures generated in .38-44 loads could indeed have a negative affect on the timing, and could streach a frame, on D-frame (Police Positive Special, Detective Special) revolvers; but they would not blow the gun up, and it was unlikely that anyone could stand the recoil long enough to do serious damage. Lesser damage they could fix at the factory, and in the unlikely event that something worse happened they'd replace the gun. Thus by advertising that ALL of they're .38 Special revolvers could handle the .38-44 cartridge they'd pick up enough additional sales to more then compensate for any risks.
This put the ball in Smith's & Wesson's court. They did some experimenting too, and concluded that they're recently introduced 2" snubby version of the K-frame Military & Police could last for awhile because most of the slow-burning powder use in the .38-44 would burn outside of the muzzle on the short barrel. So they came out with an advertisement centered around the snubby, saying that it to could be used with the hot load, while being pretty sure very few would.
This went on until 1941, when the United States entered World War Two, and after the war both companies were in much better shape financially. Neither were suffering for orders, and both dropped any mention of using the Hi-Speed loading in they're lighter framed revolvers.
The term "Plus-P" can cover a lot of advertising hype, but some of it still has hair on its chest. The Old Fuff will agree that Plus-P .38 Special ammunition won't hurt Colt hand-ejector revolvers built on the .41 Official Police platform, and probably won't do more then put a smaller D-frame out of time, sooner rather then later. But if it does the revolver's owner may find that (depending on its age) getting parts and
qualified repairmen is between difficult and impossible, and seldom inexpensive.
