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Old 01-29-2017, 12:44 PM
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Default +P

I keep hearing about some ammo that has +P. What is +P ?


Thanks in advance.
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Old 01-29-2017, 12:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Codinqueen View Post
I keep hearing about some ammo that has +P. What is +P ?


Thanks in advance.
It is loaded hotter (faster and more hit power) than standard ammo in that caliber. Only use in guns that are rated as +P. It should say right on the gun. If in doubt do not use it!
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Old 01-29-2017, 12:49 PM
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Got it, thanks for the quick reply.
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Old 01-29-2017, 12:51 PM
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I believe +P is shorthand for High Pressure.
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Old 01-29-2017, 12:52 PM
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SAAMI, the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturing Institute, determines the maximum average pressure allowed for each caliber of commercial ammunition. They have specified a +P rating which exceeds their normal rating for a limited number of calibers. For example, 9mm is rated at 35,000 psi whereas the +P is rated at 38,500 psi. This allows a slightly higher muzzle velocity but you must make sure your firearm is capable of handling this additional pressure.
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Old 01-29-2017, 01:25 PM
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Oh;
I thought it stood for,
+ more Powder or
more people to hold the gun.

Sorry.
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Old 01-29-2017, 01:58 PM
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don't confuse with +P+
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Old 01-29-2017, 02:40 PM
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don't confuse with +P+
There actually is no SAAMI standard for +P+, that is something the ammo manufacturers came up with on their own. It simply means that the ammo has pressures that exceed the +P rating. Use at your own discretion!
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Old 01-29-2017, 02:44 PM
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There's lots of info out there about +P, much more than could be covered in a single post. Like others have said it means a high pressure than the cartridges standard pressure.

Most quality modern guns can handle +P loads but it is prudent to research a specific firearm if you aren't sure. Most guns do not indicate whether or not +P is acceptable unless you comb through the manual and even then it's not necessarily there. I own half a dozen different 9mm's and 38 specials and none of them have +P stamped anywhere on them.
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Old 01-29-2017, 05:52 PM
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I have never seen or heard of any gun being marked as +P. Unless yours is very old, there is no safety hazard in shooting +P ammunition occasionally, but it may put more stress on the gun and shorten its useful life. In most cases, there is NEVER a good reason for feeding any gun a steady diet of +P loads. As previously noted, there is also a +P+ load, but SAAMI does not recognize it in their chamber pressure standards. It is defined only as being greater than +P.
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Old 01-29-2017, 06:00 PM
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I have never seen or heard of any gun being marked as +P.
...
Both of my S&W 642's are marked +P on the barrel.
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Old 01-29-2017, 06:14 PM
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I have never seen or heard of any gun being marked as +P. Unless yours is very old, there is no safety hazard in shooting +P ammunition occasionally, but it may put more stress on the gun and shorten its useful life. In most cases, there is NEVER a good reason for feeding any gun a steady diet of +P loads. As previously noted, there is also a +P+ load, but SAAMI does not recognize it in their chamber pressure standards. It is defined only as being greater than +P.
My 642 and my Ruger LCR.38 are so marked. I have also seen other guns (models) at the dealer that are marked +P.
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Old 01-30-2017, 05:16 AM
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+P = Plus Pressure

Like said above, +P ammo is loaded to slightly higher pressures than standard ammo. IMO it's more of a marketing scheme than anything else. There is no good reason to charge so much more for a few more grains of powder but they do.
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Last edited by ArchAngelCD; 01-31-2017 at 11:41 AM. Reason: Autocorrect got me again!
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Old 01-30-2017, 09:03 AM
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My 637-2 has +P roll stamped right on the bbl after 38 S & W Spl.

My Model 60 no dash does not have any +P mark at the same place on the barrel.

I shoot +P only occasionally in the 637-2 but not at all in the M60.
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Old 01-31-2017, 11:29 AM
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Originally Posted by cmansguns View Post
My 637-2 has +P roll stamped right on the bbl after 38 S & W Spl.

My Model 60 no dash does not have any +P mark at the same place on the barrel.

I shoot +P only occasionally in the 637-2 but not at all in the M60.
I'm not telling you to do anything I'm just asking questions.

Do you really think an Aluminum alloy frame revolver is stronger that an all steel frame revolver?

Is it possible to stamp a barrel +P before the standard was created? That would be like having a coin dated 100 BC, how would they know?

S&W has stated any of their all steel revolvers with a model number (post 1957) is safe to shoot +P ammo. IMO your M60 is better suited to shoot the +P stuff than your M637, not that commercial .38 Special +P ammo is that stout.
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Old 02-03-2017, 11:49 PM
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FWIW, in 9mm, +P 124 JHP is roughly the same power as a NATO spec round, but the NATO is a FMJ.

Generally, in an alloy pistol, +P rounds are OK for occasional use to verify function and accuracy, and safe as a carry round. Some will put a higher poundage recoil spring to cut down on frame battering.
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Old 02-04-2017, 12:25 AM
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Quote:
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I have never seen or heard of any gun being marked as +P. Unless yours is very old, there is no safety hazard in shooting +P ammunition occasionally, but it may put more stress on the gun and shorten its useful life. In most cases, there is NEVER a good reason for feeding any gun a steady diet of +P loads. As previously noted, there is also a +P+ load, but SAAMI does not recognize it in their chamber pressure standards. It is defined only as being greater than +P.
My early (1990) 640 no-dash .38 Special is one about 5,000 with CEN prefix serial numbers that are factory-etched "TESTED FOR +P+", inside the cylinder window. Several other members here own them.

I haven't the slightest interest in firing +P+ in mine, nor do I see any need for that power level in .38 Special. Get a .357 Magnum.
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Old 02-04-2017, 01:06 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DWalt View Post
I have never seen or heard of any gun being marked as +P. Unless yours is very old, there is no safety hazard in shooting +P ammunition occasionally, but it may put more stress on the gun and shorten its useful life. In most cases, there is NEVER a good reason for feeding any gun a steady diet of +P loads. As previously noted, there is also a +P+ load, but SAAMI does not recognize it in their chamber pressure standards. It is defined only as being greater than +P.
My 638-3 has it stamped on the barrel.

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Old 02-04-2017, 03:44 AM
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Default Older guns..

plus P came into being in the (I think) mid 70s. Older guns won't have the plus P marked on the barrel. Not to worry. S&W says that any steel gun new enough to have a model number will take plus P.
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Old 02-04-2017, 05:28 AM
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Old 02-04-2017, 10:19 AM
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Codinqueen, just because a gun is marked +P doesn't mean you have to shoot +P ammo in it. I shoot standard .38 Special in my 642. +P ammo is no fun.
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Old 02-04-2017, 07:43 PM
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It's nice that some handguns are marked as +P capable, but doesn't seem to be common practice. Read the manual to see what mfr says about +P ammunition. Manuals are available free for download, either from mfr's website or online repositories.

Every pistol I've owned has been +P capable. None were marked to that effect--Colt, S&W, Ruger, Walther, AMT, Glock--but the manuals gave the information.

I did own a Diamondback DB9, which had no markings prohibiting +P--but the manual explicitly stated the gun was not designed to handle +P. I know someone who's DB9 'violently deconstructed' from one round of +P.
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Old 03-01-2017, 09:49 PM
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Default 9mm+P

Pdx1 124 grain 9mm +p 1200 fps
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Old 03-01-2017, 10:10 PM
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Then there is the +P+ monkey wrench...

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Old 03-01-2017, 11:39 PM
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...+P...

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Old 03-01-2017, 11:45 PM
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Then there is the +P+ monkey wrench...
I've carried one every day for seventeen years. Never with +P+ though. No interest in that. See my post above.
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Old 03-02-2017, 12:33 AM
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Default Older funs won't have it....

Quote:
Originally Posted by DWalt View Post
I have never seen or heard of any gun being marked as +P. Unless yours is very old, there is no safety hazard in shooting +P ammunition occasionally, but it may put more stress on the gun and shorten its useful life. In most cases, there is NEVER a good reason for feeding any gun a steady diet of +P loads. As previously noted, there is also a +P+ load, but SAAMI does not recognize it in their chamber pressure standards. It is defined only as being greater than +P.
Older S&Ws won't have the +P on the barrel. This question comes up a LOT. It's smarter just to stamp it rather have people in doubt for 40 years. (+P has been around since around the mid 70's)

Smith says that any ALL STEEL gun with a model number can shoot +P ammo. This MAY NOT MEAN that it should be fired all the time with +P because it will increase the rate of wear. In other words, instead of a J frame Smith lasting for about 30,000 rounds, you will only get around 28,000 if you shoot continuous +P loads.,

Now some guns, like small and light, ALLOY framed guns will shake loose quicker with a steady diet of +P rounds. Which I can relate to because continuous +P through an alloy j frame gun makes ME shake loose a lot faster.
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