Starline 38sp and 38sp+P the same?

As far as I know, Starline has always made the claim that there is no difference in their 38 Spl brass, +P or not.

AFAIK, there is no difference in any brass brand, at least among the large companies, between regular and +P. It's just a headstamp difference.

It's so you don't have ammo loaded hot in a "normal" headstamp that might go into a unsafe old gun.

Much like 223 / 5.56 being identical brass from starline except the headstamp. You could load 5.56 brass like it's 223, except what if you have a box of 5.56 loaded like 223 and another loaded like 5.56, and you get confused which is which?

I wouldn't put a 38spl+P in an old RG saturday night special, and if you load "normal" 38spl brass hot and I run across it somehow it may go in a bad gun.

According to Starline the two are the same but for the headstamp. In reality there is no reason for thicker brass for a cartridge that generates 20,000 psi instead of 17,000 psi.

I separate mine out to make into JHP ammo but as others have said the only difference is the headstamp.

Being a curious kind of guy, several years ago I sectioned some 38 Special plain and some 38 Special +P brass. My measurements were the same between the two (wall thickness and head configuration). The 38 is the only cartridge I did this with and so sure about other cartridges (but if I want more velocity/performance than my 38 Spec. standard loads give me I'll go to my 357 Magnums...).

Hooda Thunkit said:

AFAIK, there is no difference in any brass brand, at least among the large companies, between regular and +P. It's just a headstamp difference.

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In some other calibers, that's not necessarily true.

For instance, Starline's +P 45 ACP brass is different. https://www.starlinebrass.com/45-auto-plusp-brass They say:

ATLDave said:

In some other calibers, that's not necessarily true.

For instance, Starline's +P 45 ACP brass is different. https://www.starlinebrass.com/45-auto-plusp-brass They say:

The 45 Auto+P is a strengthened version of the 45 Auto with the same external dimensions. A thicker web and heavier sidewall at base strengthens the case in potentially unsupported areas. This case has approximately 2 grains less internal water capacity than the standard 45 Auto.​

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Very true. I wasn't clear in that reply. I should have specified that I was speaking only regards 38 Spl brass.

I made the mistake of assuming the context of the thread would be clear enough, but it apparently was not.