1947 M&P 38 special

[scannerman]

Hello all,

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays, and that Santa brought you all the S&W's you've been wanting.

What is the consensus on using +P ammunition in an M&P 38 special, whose serial number puts it right around 1947?

Thanks for your input.

 

[David LaPell]

I have a M & P from 1948, and while I am sure it could take it on a limited use, I don/t push the limits of the old revolver so I stick with standard loads.

 

[Win712]

I have a M&P from 1951 that I use as a bedside revolver that has +P, 158 grain LSWCHP in the chambers. However when I shoot at the range I most often use standard 158 grain loads, I don't see a big difference between +P and Standard loads as to point of impact shooting double action at 7 yards or less. Save the +P for self defense use and you and your M&P should be fine. Greg

 

[scannerman]

Thanks for the replies so far, and I should have clarified that I meant using the +P only occasionally, and using standard loads for practice, plinking, etc...

 

[JSR III]

I am just curious. Why, beyond the obvious ballistic differences compared to standard loads, do people wish to shoot +P? In other words, what are the preceived advantages to +P?

 

[diamonback68]

JSR III No advantage, but as soon as someone gets a new gun the first thing they seem to want to do is "hotrod" it. Makes no sense.
Did you ever notice no one ever asks that question about K-22 .22LR?

 

[Art Doc]

Factory ammo labeled as +P does not exceed the maximum allowable chamber pressure for the caliber. It is a commonly held misconception that it is loaded hotter than specifications allow. It is +P only because it generates higher pressures than the "standard" load which is so far below industry maximum as to be laughable.

A post-tempering (around 1920 but I personally use 1930 as a cut off date) k frame will not be damaged or excessively worn by using +P ammo, which in my opinion is actually a fairly mild target load. I load my 38 Special ammo much hotter than factory +P and so far I have not had any problems in my older K frames.

Pictured below is my 1942 M&P with examples of the 1,000 rounds of +P the 800 rounds of my own +P+ (125@1,150 FPS) that I fired through it with zero effect to the gun.

 

[scannerman]

Thanks Saxon for the reply. Very interesting. I appreciate your post.

Diamonback68, nobody said anything about hot-rodding any gun. I asked a specific question about ammunition in my particular gun. Obviously you have nothing of value to add to the conversation, so how about just skipping any of my topics or posts in the future.

JSR, the question was asked because of the "obvious ballistic differences compared to standard loads", to use your quote. I would think it obvious why anyone might ask about it.

 

[diamonback68]

Diamonback68, nobody said anything about hot-rodding any gun. I asked a specific question about ammunition in my particular gun. Obviously you have nothing of value to add to the conversation, so how about just skipping any of my topics or posts in the future.

I wasn't answering your post I was replying to JSR III's question. Lighten up, we don't get attitudes on this forum.

 

[Art Doc]

scannerman- When you post a question or comment in an open forum you are inviting responses from anyone who chooses to reply. You are free to agree or disagree with the opinions offered but getting argumentative won't help.

 

[David LaPell]

Sax I am curious about that .38 (as I am with any .38 M & P with a 5-inch barrel and a lanyard), what is the history of that old timer? Was that a police gun or some military?

 

[Art Doc]

Most of the oldtimers around here have seen that gun many times.

It started out as a Victory Model shipped in August of 1942 as a Navy contract gun. I saw it in a pawn shop about 8 years ago priced at $125. The barrel was bulged right behind the lug. it was also refinished and heavily polished removing most stampings. The shop owner said to make an offer on it so I said I would give him $60 for it and he snapped at it.

I shot the gun to see if the bulge affected accuracy and it was awful. Watched ebay for a couple weeks and saw a 5" M&P barrel listed with a $5 starting price. I was the only bidder and bagged it for that amount (+$2 shipping). A few days later I got a old but perfect Bianchi holster for the 5" K frame for $5.

I swapped the barrel myself using a heavy bench vise, wooden blocks to pad the barrels, and a hammer handle through the frame to unscrew it. Came right off. Whole swap took maybe 30 minutes and the B/C gap was fine without any additional work. The serial on the barrel is from around 1939 so it's fairly contemporary with the gun. The stocks are from immediately after the war.

The new barrel shoots fine and I have shot it a lot including testing a case of Remington +Ps and 800 rounds of my own +P+s to see if anything would happen to this well worn old gun. Nothing did so I don't worry about factory +Ps in these revolvers (not that I did before the test).

Here's another photo.

Here's a recently acquired mate sent to Great Britain in 1945.

 

[scannerman]

I wasn't answering your post I was replying to JSR III's question. Lighten up, we don't get attitudes on this forum.

I don't need to lighten up. You need to check your attitude before you go giving advice to anyone else to. My attitude is fine, I just suggested you skip any topics I post. You are the one derailing a thread, not me. I simply asked a question regarding a particular firearm and a certain type of ammunition that some use in that particular model, which others chose to courteously reply to, and you decide to come in with your asinine "hotrodding" remark. You would get a so-called attitude on any forum you did that on.

Saxon, I understand what you're saying, but it's considered bad forum etiquette to derail someones thread with unsolicited and off-topic replies.

 

[Texas Star]

Dr. Pig-

I knew the story behind this oft-pictured gun, bu not about the Bianchi holster. Do you know what model that holster is?
Got a photo?

I'm mildly surprised to learn that Bianchi made a holster for five-inch guns. I wish that more companies would.

I think the five-inch M10/M&P is perhaps the best looking version.

T-Star

 

[Art Doc]

TS- Back in the 1960s and 1970s 5" holsters were produced but after that the availability decreased as the guns ceased production. It's a Model 5B I think? A basic holster that can be hard to find in the 5" length.

scannerman- Really, don't get all twisted up. Forum discussions are living, breathing things that can wander a bit from the original topic. The participation is the important thing, not rigidly adhering to set guidelines.

 

[GF]

"...I don't need to lighten up."

Pig did we wait until we got into double figures on our posts before we got confrontational, or did we jump right in?

I don't remember?

GF

 

[diamonback68]

I don't need to lighten up. You need to check your attitude before you go giving advice to anyone else to. My attitude is fine, I just suggested you skip any topics I post. You are the one derailing a thread, not me. I simply asked a question regarding a particular firearm and a certain type of ammunition that some use in that particular model, which others chose to courteously reply to, and you decide to come in with your asinine "hotrodding" remark. You would get a so-called attitude on any forum you did that on.

Saxon, I understand what you're saying, but it's considered bad forum etiquette to derail someones thread with unsolicited and off-topic replies.

scannerman, I did not highjack your thread, I merely commented on owners with .38s in general, not you, and was in response to JSR III post, not yours.
If you had been on this forum for a while, which you haven't been, you will know that your question gets asked at least twice a week and there must be at least zillion answers already on here and you could have gotten many many answers and insights if you had merely done a "search" first. Simple solution, I will put your name on the "ignore list" feature on this forum and you can do the same with mine and that will be the end of it.

Best regards..................Dick

 

[Art Doc]

GF- Depends on which forum. I have certainly engaged in my share of ridiculous arguments. I like to think I have matured with time and learned better.

BTW- I don't like being called "Pig." SP works for an abbreviation.

 

[Texas Star]

TS- Back in the 1960s and 1970s 5" holsters were produced but after that the availability decreased as the guns ceased production. It's a Model 5B I think? A basic holster that can be hard to find in the 5" length.

scannerman- Really, don't get all twisted up. Forum discussions are living, breathing things that can wander a bit from the original topic. The participation is the important thing, not rigidly adhering to set guidelines.

Saxon Pig-

Thanks. I have a couple of 5B's, also basketweave stamped. I think it was Bianchi's best practical holster, sort of a Thumbsnap Threepersons design.

T-Star

 

[DBWesson]

Gentleman:
The most interesting part was the banter back and forth as to who needs a change of attitude.
The rest of the thread was quite boring.
DBWesson