+p loads in regular brass
- Thread starter AgentAdam
- Start date
- Status
evan price
Member
9mm +P is just the designation that says that's what the load is, the cases are no different.
IN .38spl, I don't know if there is a difference, I don't load +P 38 since my guns are old. I separate and sell the +P headstamp 38 cases.
The basic SAAMI spec for pressure is the base pressure. For 9mm Luger, it is 35,000 psi. 9mm Luger +p is 38,500
.38 Special is 17,000, .38 SPl +P is 18,500.
Bear in mind that both cartridges have had their limits reduced significantly in recent years from what they once were.
If you are just shooting targets or practicing, +P is not even really necessary, paper targets won't know the difference. If you need +P to duplicate a self-defense ammo, that's a different story.
IN .38spl, I don't know if there is a difference, I don't load +P 38 since my guns are old. I separate and sell the +P headstamp 38 cases.
The basic SAAMI spec for pressure is the base pressure. For 9mm Luger, it is 35,000 psi. 9mm Luger +p is 38,500
.38 Special is 17,000, .38 SPl +P is 18,500.
Bear in mind that both cartridges have had their limits reduced significantly in recent years from what they once were.
If you are just shooting targets or practicing, +P is not even really necessary, paper targets won't know the difference. If you need +P to duplicate a self-defense ammo, that's a different story.
.38 spl brass from the same manufacturer is the same regardless of wether it has the +P on it or not. The +P is used as a discriminator for the loads. 9mm is the same too.
.45 ACP +P on the other hand has a thicker web and smaller case capacity so the +P and regular pressure rounds for this caliber are different.
Check out Starline's "Product Information and Description", as brass manufacturers its pretty much standard with all brass. I've seen similar information from Remington.
.45 ACP +P on the other hand has a thicker web and smaller case capacity so the +P and regular pressure rounds for this caliber are different.
Check out Starline's "Product Information and Description", as brass manufacturers its pretty much standard with all brass. I've seen similar information from Remington.
.38 Special
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,373
I have never had any trouble with +p loads in standard .38 brass. That I am aware of, +p marked brass is a fairly recent invention.
mkl
Member
I don't think there is any difference in 38 Special cases other than the head stamp, unless manufacturers have thinned down the "regular" ones since they started the +P phenomena.
Back in the early 1970's, when the Speer #8 was the latest reloading manual, Speer had a small section on "defense loads" for the 38 Special. Some of those loads developed 357 magnum pressures!
Brass never showed any excessive pressure signs.
Speer did warn that frequent use of those loads in a small frame revolver would loosen up the gun. Recoil in a J-frame size revolver was just painful. I only shot about 25 of the box of 50 I had loaded. Put the rest of the box away and forgot about it.
About five years ago, I found the old box of those "defense" loads and took them to the range for use in my 357 L-frame S&W. I could tell no difference in recoil or muzzle blast between those 38 Special loads and the full bore 357 magnum loads.
Brass from both looked the same -- no pressure signs.
Maybe a long way of saying that your revolver will probably start coming apart before you see any pressure problems with the 38 Special case. Note that the 38 Special cases I was using were "regular" cases manufactured in the early 1970's.
Perhaps someone can weigh the various flavors of today's 38 Special cases and then compare those weights to some 30 or 40 year old cases. I'd do it, but I don't have any of the "new" ones.
Back in the early 1970's, when the Speer #8 was the latest reloading manual, Speer had a small section on "defense loads" for the 38 Special. Some of those loads developed 357 magnum pressures!
Brass never showed any excessive pressure signs.
Speer did warn that frequent use of those loads in a small frame revolver would loosen up the gun. Recoil in a J-frame size revolver was just painful. I only shot about 25 of the box of 50 I had loaded. Put the rest of the box away and forgot about it.
About five years ago, I found the old box of those "defense" loads and took them to the range for use in my 357 L-frame S&W. I could tell no difference in recoil or muzzle blast between those 38 Special loads and the full bore 357 magnum loads.
Brass from both looked the same -- no pressure signs.
Maybe a long way of saying that your revolver will probably start coming apart before you see any pressure problems with the 38 Special case. Note that the 38 Special cases I was using were "regular" cases manufactured in the early 1970's.
Perhaps someone can weigh the various flavors of today's 38 Special cases and then compare those weights to some 30 or 40 year old cases. I'd do it, but I don't have any of the "new" ones.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
I agree completely.
The strength of some older .38 Special guns is the limiting factor.
Not the strength of the case itself.
rcmodel
- Status
