.38 spl +P OK for model #64 yeah? neah?

Photoman44 said:
Speer used to quote SAAMI spec for .38 Special +P at 21,500. The lawyers are dumbing down this country so bad, before you know it, we'll all be drooling idiots.
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You are correct, the original .38 Special +P pressure limits were 21,500 PSI but that didn't last too long so I quoted the 20,000 PSI limits which were used for a long time. Speaking of Speer, their .38 Special +P ammo is still pushing the 20,000 PSI limits instead of the 18,500 PSI limits.

The European CIP limits for the .38 Special are still 21,500 PSI and that number is for all .38 Special ammo since there are no distinctions for standard and +P in Europe.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
You are correct, the original .38 Special +P pressure limits were 21,500 PSI but that didn't last too long so I quoted the 20,000 PSI limits which were used for a long time. Speaking of Speer, their .38 Special +P ammo is still pushing the 20,000 PSI limits instead of the 18,500 PSI limits.

The European CIP limits for the .38 Special are still 21,500 PSI and that number is for all .38 Special ammo since there are no distinctions for standard and +P in Europe.
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So does this mean that if I buy European .38 special ammo (Sellier&Bellot - I assume they're European in manufacture...sounds European to me:confused:) that the loadings will be more in line with what .38 spl was intended to be?
 
I'm not sure about S&B ammo but I'm fairly sure Fiocchi ammo is "hotter" than most of it's American counterparts. Please don't misinterpret what I meant. I said European ammo uses the CIP limits but that doesn't mean all their ammo will push the limits. Just like the ammo made in America it usually falls short of the limits in favor of consistency and accuracy.

Back to Fiocchi, I have seen some of their .38 Special ammo pushing a 125gr bullet listed @1000 fps. You would be hard pressed to find factory ammo made here doing that.
 
Dadsnugun said:
So does this mean that if I buy European .38 special ammo (Sellier&Bellot - I assume they're European in manufacture...sounds European to me:confused:) that the loadings will be more in line with what .38 spl was intended to be?
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S&B is a well known Czech brand.
 
One +P load which might give you a surprise is the Remington +P 158 grain LSWCHP "Chicago loads" (or "FBI loads"). I put some of those through my 64-8 at an indoor range and thought I was shooting a black-powder musket. Glad they had a good ventilation system! :eek:
 
Dadsnugun said:
Am I the only one who finds this kind of stuff extremely discouraging? What exactly is accomplished by taking a perfectly acceptable and functional loading, or device, or anything really, and calming it down...does the average Joe find reality that frightening?!?!?:mad::mad::mad:

Oh well...on a good note, I picked up my M64 today and love it!:D I'll put some pictures up later perhaps..
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Then they can say that a 6 shot .38 revolver isn't enough and we need 15 shots of .40 in a fancy plastic gun.
 
In my experience the Fiocchi load in the .357 and .38 wadcutter seems to run a bit hotter than most. I've had no problems with their ammo and after using Fiocchi's wadcutter I'd feel well armed with it in my 642. having said this I also would like to say unlike any LEO I need not run to the sound of gunfire. I'd be hauling *** in the other direction.
 
The 64 would handle 38+P just fine.

I've been using Fiocchi Wadcutters in my 642 too. I like them as well.
 
Thanks for all the input! I completely forgot about this thread :o. I've actually been using the last few days to clean up the garage so that I can set up my reloading stuff that's lain dormant for...well, for longer than I care to admit. While doing some research to get myself back up to speed, I've discovered that the drop in pressure limits is due mostly to pressure spikes that became noticeable with the advent of electronic measuring systems. Before, with the old CUP method, they couldn't "see" these spikes and so they thought the higher pressures safer than they actually were.

I still think, as a general rule, we are being "nanny'd" into complete moron-eptitude, but with things that go boom, caution is always a good approach.
 
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