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38 SPL +P S&W BULLET
webley
Member Posts: 154 ✭✭✭
Can this bullet be safely fired from a 1972 S&W M-38 AIRWEIGHT and a 1976 COLT DETECTOIVE? If not, what cal is recomended?
Comments
The bullet is the projectile that leaves the case.
The case contains the bullet, powder and primer.
If your ammo is factory ammo marked 38SPL+P follow the advice of the previous poster.
If the case is marked as you describe and it is a handload, nobody except the person loading it can tell you how it is loaded.
The firearms manufacturers failed to have the foresight to anticipate that someone would, some day, try to increase the power of their .38 special rounds. Some guns could always safely handle +P rounds, some have been modified to safely handle them after a certain serial number or date, & some should never be fired with +P. For a specific gun, you must look at the recommendation stamped on the barrel, the manufacturers literature, or ask the factory.
Neal
bpost makes a good point. But, I think that the problem is just your terminology: The thing that you put into your gun is properly called a "round"; the front part (the projectile) is the "bullet", & the back part is the "case".
Splitting hairs, I think the best term for a loaded and primed case with bullet is a "cartridge". But this is just semantics.
With respect to .38+P ammo, this ammo was designed from its inception to be fired in any modern .38 special revolver in good working condition. You can safely run this ammo in pretty much *ANY* current-manufacture revolver (including all Smith and Wesson .38 special revolvers, Rugers, Taurus, etc).
According to SAAMI, .38 special ammo is loaded to a maximum pressure of 17,000 PSI. .38+P is loaded to a max of 20,000 PSI.
Now compare to .357 magnum, 9mm luger/parabellum, or .40SW, each at 35,000 PSI.
As you can see .38+Ps aren't really all that "hot" in comparison to most modern pistol rounds, and in fact, they aren't even all that much more powerful than than ordinary .38 specials. Meanwhile, guns are supposed to be able to survive being fired with 30% (or greater) overpressure "proof" rounds.
Now as to the original question, it so happens that both the early alloy frame Smith revolvers (eg "airweights"), as well as the Colt revolvers aren't considered particularly tough guns.
Even though .38+P rounds probably won't "blow up" either gun, and are probably safe for occasional/emergency use, use of high pressure ammo in both those two particular models will accelerate wear on the guns, and should be discouraged.
In the case of the Colt, constant use of high pressure ammo will eventually increase end-shake (front-back cylinder looseness), and possibly affect the guns timing as well.
The earlier alloy-frame Smiths are prone to distortion of the frame (frame "stretching") with high volume shooting, and this effect would be more pronounced with .38+P ammo.
So with both revolvers, I'd say its safest to stick to ordinary (ie NOT "+P"), .38 special ammo that can be found at any gun or sporting goods store.
As a minor side point, .38+P ammo should be safe to fire in unlimited quantity in any .357 magnum revolver.
It is not worth the risk of "Occasional/Emergency" use and facing the risk of the darn thing blowing up in your face or damaging a nice piece.
I don't fire any +P's in my S&W Airweight.
Thank you