I am going through the ammo cabinet, cleaning and consolidating, and I came across a box of Fiocchi 38 special HPs. The box said it was standard pressure but the head stamp said +P. I don't remember buying or shooting standard pressure defensive rounds. Which is more likely, Fiocchi putting +p rounds into standard box or Fiocchi putting standard pressure loads in +p stamped cases?
I don't think they would load the wrong cases from the factory, seems like something they would keep an eye on, I'm guessing they just put them in the wrong box.

__________________
GOA life member

30 years ago I got some Fiocchi 38 spcl 158g jhp's. They were stamped NNY 38 spl. I asked the specialty dealer clerk if they were +P? He replied: "Ehhh, ahhh". I fired one into a box of dry wall mud from 3 ft. It penetrated about 6"' and expanded impressively for a 38 spl. I have never seen any other 38, +p or std expand at all.

__________________
"Don't Give Up the Ship"

Factory ammo with a +P headstamp must be treated as +P ammo. Any other course of action would be rather foolish.

Mmmmm, I know what you are saying but not sure it applies here as I normally shoot +p.
I carry +p for defense and I use +p for home defense. If I'm deciding on carrying this stuff I would like it to actually be +p and not standard load.

If I treat this +p head stamped ammo as +p I would carry it as I do any other +p. If I'm not sure what it is, so I treat it as standard pressure the worse thing that will happen is I'll shoot it up at the range. Foolish only because defensive ammo is expensive.

__________________
GOA life member

This does not make sense...

Fiocchi was an Italian company.

What appears to be "NNY" headstamp was actually cyrillic lettering used on Yugoslavian ammunition.

The company (Prvi Partizan) would later adopt the lettering of PPU for the U.S. market.

As far as I know, Prvi Partizan Ammunition never had any relationship with Fiocchi.

I'd chronograph a few rounds.

Could it be that Fiochi measured pressure initially using CIP European pressure standards, thus the standard velocity box.

For US SAAMI specs, measured differently for the same load, the pressure may have qualified as +P, thus the case marking.

Just a guess. Chrono the load and doubt will be removed.

If they are not too old, I would forward photos of the box and a round of the ammunition from different angles to Fiocchi and ask them. If you are unsure treating them as +P as suggested above is a wise idea.

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

...and see how they do.

__________________
"He was kinda funny lookin'"

If the case head is stamped +P, proceed with the assumption that it is +P ammo.

__________________
VCDL, GOA, NRA

I'll take it to the range and compare it to some +p that I know are +p.
My feeling is that it's +p because I bought it with other +p ammo at the same time. Seems like I remember buying something like six boxes on the same order.

__________________
GOA life member

Take it to the range, shoot it up using a +P rated revolver. As an unknown, don't use it for self-defense. Problem solved.

__________________
Only a cold warrior

The late Dean Grennell of Gun World magazine was very savvy in matters involving new guns and ammo. He would advise to fire one round, eject the case and inspect it for signs of excess pressure or splitting. Also check the gun for any damage including the barrel to make sure the bullet had cleared the muzzle.

If you still have concerns, and you might, better not to be lackadaisical, perhaps perform the above in a .357 revolver with its extra margin of strength. DO NOT, under any circumstances, give the ammo to someone else to fire. I once had to replace the bbl in a Marlin Papoose carbine when I fired some cartridges given to me by a buddy. A bullet lodged in the bbl resulted in a bulged bbl when the next round pushed it out.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103