Wonder if anyone has pressure tested the Big 3's 38 Spl +P 158 gr LHP loads? I bet they are at the minimum of SAMMI +P range whereby Buffalo is at or near the 20k psi limit.

Checked the SAMMI specs and it lists their velocity with test barrel at 1,050 fps (sounds like the old advertised "hi-speed" rounds of the 1960s) and 880 fps vented barrel.

The old 38-44 round is a doable round if the Big 3 wanted to up their pressures with the right powders. Look at Buffalo Bore, they make a good copy of the old 38-44 loading.

Appreciate comments, observations and experiences

SAMMI specs which I quoted above are for 38 Spl +P with 158 gr lhp.

Other data points...

SAAMI barrel lengths -
Test solid barrel - 7.71 inch
Vented barrel - 5.63 inch

Does anyone here pressure test ammo? Most of he rigs are straightforward but tapping into the gun chamber is a problem. They make strain gauges that wrap around the barrel, but I wonder how to correlate that with chamber pressure. Probably an idea would be to get some really hot rounds, test them and consider the reading as a good maximum load. Hmmm. Sounds worth looking in to but even that will run into some money.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

There's no good way to get reliable chamber pressure information from an actual revolver as there is no good way to attach any pressure measurement instrumentation to the cylinder. Some have attempted it using the old copper crusher method (which virtually no one uses today). Chamber pressure testing done by professional testing labs and ammunition manufacturers use various types of chambered test barrels and instrumentation, but do not use revolvers. A vented pressure test barrel supposedly approximates firing conditions in a revolver, but I have no idea how closely.

Get a 'max allowable load' and knock off about 10% or better just for safe keeping.

For my purposes, I could get a barrel strain gauge and compare it to 'known' loads and maybe in concert with a chronograph get something close. I don't want to attach strain gauges to my barrel with superglue, though, and I don't really have enough handguns with enough bare barrel exposed to be able to use it. My 686 comes close, but it has that full lug that is bound to affect the results. Semi autos are out unless you can wire the gauge to the barrel and insert it in the gun.

I had an idea to get an old barrel and weld it to a heavy plate with a bolt down hatch to contain the cartridge with a hole in the back big enough to put a firing pin through. This would work well with semi auto barrels and with that, you could tap a pressure line to the front of the chamber which would be better than strain gauges.

A revolver would be a little different because you'd have to provide a chamber.

You could sink some money into a rig like this but at least you wouldn't be testing with your valuable firearms.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Unfortunately for us, we will have to simply rely on the charts and books that are published by the ammo manufacturers and SAAMI because I know of no practical way we customers can do this at home. The only thing one can do is to inspect fired cases for signs of excessive pressure. Bulged cases, flattened primers, hard to eject cases, etc.