In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Options
Shooting +P Loads in S&W Model 36
Arby
Member Posts: 668 ✭
I was given a box of Federal 129 grain Hydra-Shok ammo for my S&W Mod 36 which was made in the 1960's. I have shot several, to establish POA, and didn't notice any significant difference between them and other factory ammo in performance. I carry them for PD but don't shoot them otherwise.
A fellow at the range looked at the weapon and admired the condition, but said to stay away from +P ammo. I had heard this before and kind of blew it off because I have others say that the early steel J frames were capable of handling +P stuff with out any problems.
Question for the Experts: What is your opinion regarding +P in S&W early J frames?.
A fellow at the range looked at the weapon and admired the condition, but said to stay away from +P ammo. I had heard this before and kind of blew it off because I have others say that the early steel J frames were capable of handling +P stuff with out any problems.
Question for the Experts: What is your opinion regarding +P in S&W early J frames?.
Comments
Even well made firearms can eventually wear out or become damaged at the points where they get the most stress.
IMHO If you want or need 357 performance then get one.
added 5000 rounds is like just barely broken in.
I was given a box of Federal 129 grain Hydra-Shok ammo for my S&W Mod 36 which was made in the 1960's. I have shot several, to establish POA, and didn't notice any significant difference between them and other factory ammo in performance. I carry them for PD but don't shoot them otherwise.
A fellow at the range looked at the weapon and admired the condition, but said to stay away from +P ammo. I had heard this before and kind of blew it off because I have others say that the early steel J frames were capable of handling +P stuff with out any problems.
Question for the Experts: What is your opinion regarding +P in S&W early J frames?.
I'm no expert. But I ruined, a early 60's vintage Model 37. (Aluminum frame version, of your Model 36). With my hand loads. Stretched the frame,caused the cylinder to go out of time. I didn't believe at the time, that my loads were any hotter than +P's. Silly me.
Plus P's might be OK, for your steel frame Model 36. But poison for the aluminum "J" frame revolvers. My 2 cents.
Its like a race car...the more compression you get in your engine, the shorter it's life will be.
In short, contrary to popular misconception, +P ammo is barely more powerful than ordinary 38 ammo, the ammo itself was designed to be safe in all modern .38 revolvers, and every steel Smith gun is *WAY* tougher than that.
http://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=698598
Personally, speaking, I have no issue firing .38+P from my early ("no dash") model 36 (blued steel version of the model 60) or from my .38 model 60, and in fact, that's the ONLY ammo I'll put in there for carry or "glovebox" type use.
If you don't want the gun to wear out, then don't shoot it.
Again, maybe a steady diet of thousands of rounds of +P ammo would wear out one of these guns sooner. Though, if so, I've never actually heard of such a case with a *STEEL* (that's key here) J-frame snubnose.
In practice 99.95% of these revolvers will never see that many rounds in their entire lifetimes. Unless you shoot your gun a *LOT* (and by a "lot" I mean a box of ammo every week for many years) I wouldn't worry about this at all. Its a non-issue.
Now, as above, if you happen to have a vintage ALUMINUM frame Smith J-frame, that's a totally different story. The original "airweight" guns were made of pure aluminum, not hardened alloy like today's guns.
That aluminum didn't stand up well to the battering from recoil, and these guns were and still are subject to frame stretching. Even normal .38s will eventually ruin these guns. In effect they've got very short service lives. +Ps, of course, will make it happen sooner.
IMO, if you've got one of those, you probably shouldn't shoot it *AT ALL* (unless "in anger"). Put it away as a collectible, and get yourself a proper modern alloy or steel frame replacement, that will last you a lifetime shooting .38 (or .38+P!) ammo.
Modern Smith airweight guns have been beefed up design wise and have much better metallurgy. These guns are perfectly fine with +P, and in fact they've been "torture tested" with 5000 rounds of +P ammo (ie 100 boxed) and have come out just fine.