I have a Model 36 that I verified it's age with a Historical Society letter as shipped from the factory in 1968. Would like to use the HST + p 130 gr. load as carry ammo. Would this load be too hot for a pistol of this age, not for practice but carry only? Is it true that 38 spl. ammo standard pressure was actually loaded hotter than modern day +p? back in the 60's and 70's?

What is true is that +P ammo will wear out your revolver faster than standard pressure ammo, but it is a phenomenon which will not make its presence known until after many thousands of +P rounds. There is no danger of any kind presented to you or the gun by firing +P ammo in it.

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Pisgah

It's generally accepted that any S&W which has a stamped model number on the frame is safe for +P use. Many recommend that +P be used on a limited basis in these older J-frames rather than as a steady diet.

I have a similar vintage Model 36 as well as other all steel J-frames. I practice with standard pressure .38's and typically finish with a cylinder of +P as the +P is my EDC carry ammo in these revolvers.

Very few people will actually want to shoot enough +P ammo through their J Frames to wear them out. This is because the small frames are uncomfortable and sometimes down right painful to shoot with stout loads.

I carry Buffalo Bore #20A 158 grain +P LSWCHP-GC in my M60-7 and do re-familiarize myself with them at least once or twice year but keep them to a minimum. This is the most powerful 158 grain .38 Special load I know of and certainly not fun to shoot, but producing 1025 fps out of a 2" bbl. and what I believe to be superior performance is the reason why I do. So far I have had no Frame stretching, no loosening and no change that I can detect. Again, I limit them to a few cylinders full a year.

I would never tell you what to do with your guns, I will only give an opinion on what I do.

Not every gun that is safe to shoot with +P ammo is marked +P. The .38 Special +P was recognized by SAAMI in 1972 I think. Since your gun was shipped in 1968 there is no way it could be marked +P. You can't mark for something that did not exist at the time.

According to S&W and all steel revolver with a model number (post 1957) is safe to shoot +P ammo. Some say they used to claim any post WWII all steel revolver but I can't find that from S&W so I can't verify it.

Many shooters will practice with standard pressure ammo and carry +P ammo and shoot the higher pressure ammo rarely. You should do what you think is safe.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

"Is it true that 38 spl. ammo standard pressure was actually loaded hotter than modern day +p? back in the 60's and 70's? "
The claimed velocity for ammo fell dramatically when affordable chronographs appeared and people could independently verify velocity out using real guns instead of the pressure test barrels used by the manufacturers. Take the velocity ratings of old ammo with a grain of salt.

If you search on YouTube you can find some tests of old ammo. The old ammo never produced higher velocity than modern ammo in the tests I have seen. There could be types of old ammo that really was hotter than it is now but don't automatically believe the numbers on the old boxes.

Allen Jones did a gel test with a M15 4" with the old 38 special loads.

the 148 wc for LE qualification was clocked at 850fps out of the 4" barrel.
The 200 LRN did 664fps and the 158 LwcHp , stock # w38SPD did 951fps.

1972 might be correct but I have 1973 listed as my SAMMI date.
The w38SPD ammo came out in 1972, if I am correct and was used in Texas, per my notes.

The 148gr load was the only one that opened my eyes, to todays spec's.
Even the 110 JHP High Vel. loading was doable, for a all steel frame.

If anyone has shot a Air-weight J frame with a 148 lead, they know
that if it gets near 200 ft/lbs of ME, they have a hand thumper load. That comes at less than 800fps.

This is the modern version of the WWs I always carried in a J frame:

The Rebirth of the 200-grain 38 Special Super Police Cartridge

You should note that Allan (note spelling, which I think is correct) was with the Dallas County forensics lab and was with Speer-CCI for years and wrote their handloading manuals. I knew him when I was a gun writer. Very nice guy with a keen sense of humor.

In this case, his reading for midrange WC ammo is higher than normal. But you can get that or better with Buffalo Bore's 150 grain hard wadcutter at full velocity, but not Plus P pressures.

George Nonte also noted that the old full wadcutter load was lethal, but only BB makes such an item now, I believe. I think it's probably an excellent choice for older revolvers or small J frames if you don't want Plus P pressures. Ideal for Victory Models, for instance.

I'd be very interested to hear from anyone who's shot any animals or men with that or other BB ammo.

It wasn't loaded hotter. The method of measuring velocity changed.

Instead of longer pressure barrels, results were taken with four-inch vented barrels. So, reported velocities were less, as was the case all along in the real world.

Some here and on other boards who think they are experts have been spreading the rumor that older standard ammo was hotter.

I have a copy of the Dec 1974 FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin that has that test. The velocity of the Remington 148 gr wadcutter was 749 fps. The velocities of the Remington 200 LRN and the Winchester 158 gr SWC HP are the same as the velocities you listed.