Get Adobe Flash player

Get Adobe Flash player

« previous next »
Pages: 1 2 3 »   Go Down

Author Topic: what is a.38+p  (Read 891 times)

Online 67malibu

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Join Date: Feb 2009
  • Posts: 176
  • Country: us
  • Keep the 2nd Amendment Alive.
what is a.38+p
« on: December 23, 2011, 05:54:56 PM »
can someone please clarify what +p is?

been looking at .38 and .357 airweights and they say it can fire  +p .38's

Trying to decide which one to get. I'm stuck since I already have .357 GP100 I'm wondering if +P can fire out of my old GP  or if I'm better off buying a .38 +p to ccw..?
Logged
if you have no enemies in life it means you have never taken a stand for what you believe in.

Online GunTechie

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (3)
  • Highly Active Member
  • ****
  • Join Date: Apr 2010
  • Posts: 2230
  • Country: 00
  • Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it
Re: what is a.38+p
« Reply #1 on: December 23, 2011, 06:10:47 PM »
A +p is a higher powered. 38spl.  +p+ is higher powered. 38.  If a .38 can shoot +p it usually says so on the barrel.  A .357 magnum can shoot. 38 +p, +p+ or. 357 magnum.  They are the same bullet with a higher charge.  Make sense?

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk
Logged
God created man.
Sam Colt made us equal.

Online GunTechie

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (3)
  • Highly Active Member
  • ****
  • Join Date: Apr 2010
  • Posts: 2230
  • Country: 00
  • Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it
Re: what is a.38+p
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2011, 06:12:02 PM »
Yes you can fire. 38+p out of a gun chambered for. 357 magnum

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk
Logged
God created man.
Sam Colt made us equal.

Online Mustang

  • Trade Count: (11)
  • Highly Active Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2011
  • Posts: 412
  • Country: us
Re: what is a.38+p
« Reply #3 on: December 23, 2011, 06:34:32 PM »
^^^ What he said lol. If you are looking for a Airweight I would not get one in 357 Magnum, unless you are just going to shoot 38s out of it. Imo the 357 Magnum needs the extra weight of the steel for recoil handling. But everyone is different and handle recoil differently. The GP is kind of big so I would opt for the airweight for concealed carry and in 357 Magnum, but just shoot 38s out of them. I have the SP101 and love that little power house. I like the weight of it and it carries very nicely. I shoot and carry the 357 Magnum cartridges for it and every now and then have fun with the 38s and 38 +Ps.
Logged

Offline BlueMax_VMF114

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Highly Active Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2009
  • Posts: 647
  • God Bless Texas
Re: what is a.38+p
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2011, 07:54:48 PM »
The + p is Plus Powder  ;D Higher charged load for the 38 :)
Logged
Go Big Or Go Home   454casull 45acp 45LC 44mag 10mm 357 mag

Love my wheel guns!!

Online Lon

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Highly Active Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: May 2009
  • Posts: 1582
  • Don't drag your balls across a nylon carpet!
Re: what is a.38+p
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2011, 08:19:05 PM »
Quote from: BlueMax_VMF114 on December 23, 2011, 07:54:48 PM
The + p is Plus Powder  ;D Higher charged load for the 38 :)

Not quite. It stands for increased pressure over the standard SAAMI rating. The amount of powder in the round may or may not be increased; it could be a completely different powder.
Logged
An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life. - Robert A. Heinlein

Online 67malibu

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Join Date: Feb 2009
  • Posts: 176
  • Country: us
  • Keep the 2nd Amendment Alive.
Re: what is a.38+p
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2011, 08:31:50 PM »
Quote from: Mustang on December 23, 2011, 06:34:32 PM
^^^ What he said lol. If you are looking for a Airweight I would not get one in 357 Magnum, unless you are just going to shoot 38s out of it. Imo the 357 Magnum needs the extra weight of the steel for recoil handling. But everyone is different and handle recoil differently. The GP is kind of big so I would opt for the airweight for concealed carry and in 357 Magnum, but just shoot 38s out of them. I have the SP101 and love that little power house. I like the weight of it and it carries very nicely. I shoot and carry the 357 Magnum cartridges for it and every now and then have fun with the 38s and 38 +Ps.



So its a Hot loaded .38.  is there really that much difference in a +P Versus a standard .38 load ? and if they make a +P+ when does that become as strong as a standard .357 ?  I'm actually considering a .357 for ccw love the smiths but that sp101 looks great.  thanks for answering my question on the +p loads.
« Last Edit: December 23, 2011, 08:34:29 PM by 67malibu »
Logged
if you have no enemies in life it means you have never taken a stand for what you believe in.

Offline BlueMax_VMF114

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Highly Active Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2009
  • Posts: 647
  • God Bless Texas
Re: what is a.38+p
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2011, 10:13:35 PM »
Quote from: Lon on December 23, 2011, 08:19:05 PM
Quote from: BlueMax_VMF114 on December 23, 2011, 07:54:48 PM
The + p is Plus Powder  ;D Higher charged load for the 38 :)


Not quite. It stands for increased pressure over the standard SAAMI rating. The amount of powder in the round may or may not be increased; it could be a completely different powder.

Thanx Lon i always thought it was Powder  ;D
Logged
Go Big Or Go Home   454casull 45acp 45LC 44mag 10mm 357 mag

Love my wheel guns!!

Online Alan Laidlaw

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Highly Active Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2008
  • Posts: 738
  • Country: 00
  • CTGUNTALK Rules!
    • Pistol Protection Plus LLC
Re: what is a.38+p
« Reply #8 on: December 24, 2011, 01:43:34 AM »
I am glad to see someone finally got it right. Good job Lon! (you must have had a good instructor) :P

Logged
Member: NRA NSSF HRSA CCDL USCCA AOPA
NRA Certified Pistol / Rifle Instructor / RSO. NRA Recruiter. Teaching the course required to obtain your CT Carry Permit, only $110 www.pistolprotectionplus.com

Online Alan Laidlaw

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Highly Active Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2008
  • Posts: 738
  • Country: 00
  • CTGUNTALK Rules!
    • Pistol Protection Plus LLC
Re: what is a.38+p
« Reply #9 on: December 24, 2011, 01:45:46 AM »

[/quote]
So its a Hot loaded .38.  is there really that much difference in a +P Versus a standard .38 load ? and if they make a +P+ when does that become as strong as a standard .357 ?  I'm actually considering a .357 for ccw love the smiths but that sp101 looks great.  thanks for answering my question on the +p loads.
[/quote]

There could be a significant difference between a std pressure 38 spl and a +P. Enough so that it could be very dangerous if shot out of one of the many millions of early 38 spl revolvers still on the market. But even a +P+ wil not come that close to a .357 Magnum.
« Last Edit: December 24, 2011, 01:50:29 AM by Alan Laidlaw »
Logged
Member: NRA NSSF HRSA CCDL USCCA AOPA
NRA Certified Pistol / Rifle Instructor / RSO. NRA Recruiter. Teaching the course required to obtain your CT Carry Permit, only $110 www.pistolprotectionplus.com

Online DINK

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Highly Active Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2009
  • Posts: 690
  • Keep the 2nd Amendment Alive.
Re: what is a.38+p
« Reply #10 on: December 24, 2011, 07:00:51 AM »
Pressure levels for commercially-loaded ammunition in the USA are established by SAAMI, the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturer's Institute, Inc.  This is how we try to avoid "ka-booms" when shooting.  Manufacturers of firearms and ammunition all agree to agree on what pressure levels ammunition should have and the safety levels built into firearms so they can fire that ammunition safely.

According to SAAMI, standard .38 Special 110 gr. JHP ammo has a Maximum Average Pressure of 17000 CUP (Copper Units of Pressure).  The equivalent loading in the +P range is 20000 CUP, and a .357 Mag would be 45000 CUP.

I had never been to the SAAMI website before- fascinating stuff.
Logged

Online GunTechie

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (3)
  • Highly Active Member
  • ****
  • Join Date: Apr 2010
  • Posts: 2230
  • Country: 00
  • Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it
Re: what is a.38+p
« Reply #11 on: December 24, 2011, 08:25:13 AM »
If you are getting a gun with < 3" bbl dont bother with a .357 magnum.  You wont get the additional muzzle energy.  The bullet will be out if the barrel before enough powder burns off.  All you get is a bigger bang more recoil and lots of muzzle flash.

Oh and don't quote me on the 3".  I am planning some testing on this in the future.  It may be more like 4" where you get energies higher than a +p. 

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk
Logged
God created man.
Sam Colt made us equal.
Pages: 1 2 3 »   Go Up
« previous next »