USSR
Member
My favorite .38 Special load for use in my Model 686 is a Lyman 358429 ahead of 5 grains of Unique. No problem with this +P load in my .357, but what about my friend's Model 15?
Don
Don
Is a S&W K frame (Model 15) +P Capable?
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dentkimterry
Member
I would like to ad to this question my recently aquired model 10-6 
I don't think I'd run a steady diet of +P through them. Practice with standard 38's and maybe use +p for self defense. I mean they're both solid guns.
Then again that Lyman bullet is a 168 gr. but should be ok with 5 gr of Unique.
Then again that Lyman bullet is a 168 gr. but should be ok with 5 gr of Unique.
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sheriffoconee
Member
the answer is YES you can shoot plus P out of your Smith 15 and 10
bmcgilvray
Member
A Model 15 will be fine with +P ammunition or handloaded equivalent.
Paul5388
US Veteran
According to S&W, any gun with a model number can shoot +P. That isn't necessarily the case with pre model numbers. From page 12 of the S&W Owner's Manual Modern Revolver:
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I would and do fire current +P ammo in any steel K frame made after WWII and especially the ones with a model number.
5.0 of Unique... 158/160 gr. LSW bullet? Sounds like a suggestion I once read in an article written by Skeeter Skelton! I've been shooting that load for over 25 years. Excellent.
sourdough44
Member
If you look at the data '+P' isn't that much more than regular 38 spcl loads. I feel it's just mostly a 'degree of wear', slight at that. With all the stories one hears just imagine the likelihood of +p ammo ending up in a gun not designed for it? That's why the difference isn't all that great.
That said I usually don't use any more(pressure) than required, mostly to go easy on the gun, brass, & myself.
That said I usually don't use any more(pressure) than required, mostly to go easy on the gun, brass, & myself.
sps282
Member
I shoot 5 gr. unique in my model 10 & 15 all the time it's both guns favorite load.....they also get a diet of much hotter stuff also with no problems!
As already stated, your Model 15 K frame is fine with +P loads. Ignoring a couple of dubious sources and looking at 75 years worth of pressure tested data for the .38 special and 158-173 grain bullets will show that 5 grains of Unique isn't actually +P loading.-It is a standard pressure loading yielding slightly better ballistics than the long established factory standard ballistics for the cartridge. Shoot them by the thousands!
....just to keep it confusing. You are correct and Lyman 49 lists the pressure as 15,500 CUP with that load. Lyman 47 shows the same cast bullet #358429 weighing 168 grains (Linotype) and 5.0 of Unique yielding 860 fps and 16,700 CUP. Which is correct? Both of course. A different batch of bullets and a different lot of powder assembled in different cases, probably with different dies and shot on a different day caused the ballisticians to call max at a lower charge weight and pressure level. Sometimes it seems more like alchemy than science due to the variables.................but given all the years of safe use of the 5 grain load in innumerable revolvers I am inclined to believe that even if some batches of components pushed that load a smidge beyond SAAMI specs it really is of no consequence. Historically most test batches stayed under the Saami Max..... which incidentally has done considerable hopping around.
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