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
S&W .38 Special Question
breakerdan
Member Posts: 364 ✭✭✭
What date of manufacture on S&W K frames would it be possible to shoot +p 38s like the Remington 158 grain +p "FBI Load," without
loosening up my guns or causing damage?
My guns in question would be:
Military&Police 1920 vintage
K38 pre model 15 mid 1950s vintage
loosening up my guns or causing damage?
My guns in question would be:
Military&Police 1920 vintage
K38 pre model 15 mid 1950s vintage
Comments
Your question would be better answered if you contact Smith & Wesson.
ga@smith-wesson.com
1-800-331-0852 8am to 8pm M thru F eastern time
Jim
Neal
It can't be done; that's why S&W developed the L frame.
Neal
But they do now make the "J" frame in .357 mag.
Despite the hype, the .38+P isn't all that much more powerful than the "ordinary" .38 special.
SAAMI spec maximum pressure is 17,000 PSI for .38 special.
Maximum pressure for .38+P is 18,500 PSI.
Maximum pressure for .357 magnum is 35,000 PSI.
As you can see, .38+P isn't even 10% more pressure than the regular .38, while .357 magnum is over twice the pressure.
.38+P was specifically designed to be fired in modern .38 specials revolvers, and that's before there was any special "+P" rating on the guns themselves.
So *any* gun capable of firing .357 should be able to fire UNLIMITED numbers of .38+P without damage, and that includes the K-frame .357s, as well as all the recent era +P-rated J and K frames.
If you consider that most of the modern guns in .38 have otherwise identical versions in .357 magnum, it seems clear that these should have no problem with .38+P rounds, even in large numbers. For example, the alloy frame .38+P J-frame snubnoses have been "torture tested" with thousands of rounds of .38+P, and they hold up.
I wouldn't recommend trying it, but in fact, most of the modern guns are probably capable of handling ammo hotter than .38+P safely.
As more food for thought, guns are supposed to be tested with "proof" loads that have 30%-40% more pressure than the safe maximum.
Now with respect to the specific guns above, even though it would probably be safe, why would you want to push things with a nearly 100 year old 1920s era gun? With newer K-frames being relatively cheap and common, why risk beating up your vintage gun?
On the other hand, a good condition mid-1950s K-frame can probably handle +P rounds just fine. How many you'd have to fire before you noticed timing or end-shake issues, I have no idea, but I suspect it would number in the hundreds to thousands of rounds. I wouldn't worry at all about a few in there for "nightstand" use or occasional practice.
Again, wouldn't hurt to ask to ask Smith, who are probably going to tell you that its safe to use the ammo in either gun, but it will accelerate wear on the gun.
edit: quote:What about the K frame Model 66 in 357?
What about it?
That gun is rated for .357 magnum. I'd imagine you could put literally thousands of .38+Ps through it without noticing any damage or premature wear issues. As above, .38+Ps are "baby" rounds for any gun designed for .357.
As to wear in K frames with .357 magnums, that's a more interesting question.
The wear issues described in K-frames with .357s were really more prevalent in competition shooters who put thousands of full power loads through their guns.
Supposedly the K frames are more susceptible to damage from the lighter 125 grain bullets as opposed to the heavier 158 grainers, because the former hit the forcing cone faster, and the shorter overall bullet length means more hot gas escapes around the bullet eroding the forcing cone.
The average shooter who is probably shooting mostly .38s in their model 66 (or 19) with only occasional 357s, will probably never have an issue. If you want a gun for *only* .357, and LOTs of them, you're better off with one of the L or N frames.