1989 Model 37-1 and +P ammo?

[Valmet]

Hi all- recently acquired a 1989 mfg 37-1 Airweight and wanted to check with the collective regarding +P ammo? While I won't be giving it a steady diet, am I correct in assuming that an Airweight as late as 1989 should do ok with +P ammo? Thanks in advance.

 

[Model19man]

I might use +P for SD use but for practice I would use standard 38 Special in a Model 37 no matter what anyone said.

 

[ImDrRich]

The gun is not rated for +P. There are plenty of other great round for short-barrelled revolvers. Have a look at Precision One ammo or Hornady Critical Defense ammo.

 

[Dump1567]

I bought a really nice used model 37-1 about 6 months ago. Halfway home I noticed the frame was cracked where the barrel screws in.

I wouldn't tempt fate by shooting +P ammo out of your 37.

 

[chief38]

IMO the best SD round for your M37 is a standard velocity 158 grain Flat Nose Lead semi wadcutter. At least the flat nose is better than the old RNL bullet by a bit. Not only will your alloy frame revolver last a lot longer, it will also be more controllable and less painful to shoot than with +P's.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Use Plus-P only to familiarize yourself with the difference in recoil and point of impact, and if you have to shoot to qualify, then use Plus-P for that. Otherwise, use only standard pressure ammo.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Here is S&W's 1998 product brochure for Airweight models.

It says "Now Rated for .38 Special +P."

To me, that means the Airweights were not rated for +P before 1998.

You may interpret it differently.

It's your gun. You decide.

 

[Valmet]

Thanks for the input gentlemen, it is appreciated.

 

[Baxter6551]

Your gun and your call. I carry the non plus P Critical Defense load in all my J frames both steel and lightweight. In the fall of 2021 I sent my early (non plus P rated) 642 back to the factory for a cracked frame under the forcing cone. That's my knife tip pointing to crack in second photo. I had never shot it with plus P and round count was relatively low. It was my backup gun. They replaced it with a 442 (my request vs. a 642) as I wanted the black finish. Took a few months. This one is rated for plus P but I still carry the Critical Defense in it.

 

[stansdds]

I think with an aluminum frame, especially one that S&W did not rate as acceptable with +P ammo, I'd avoid shooting +P ammo.

 

[Dump1567]

Here is S&W's 1998 product brochure for Airweight models.

It says "Now Rated for .38 Special +P."

To me, that means the Airweights were not rated for +P before 1998.

You may interpret it differently.

It's your gun. You decide.

So, do we assume any alloy J built on a J Magnum frame is +P rated?

And even so, we can still experience frame cracks regardless of ammo or rating?

And that crack may have more to do with how hard the barrel was torqued into the receiver and not necessarily the ammo (this is all speculation)?

 

[two-bit cowboy]

So, do we assume any alloy J built on a J Magnum frame is +P rated?

I don't assume anything. My newest Airweight shipped in 1969. I've
never shot any of my Airweights, and I have no plans to start. I
carry a stainless steel J-Magnum .357, which is a topic that also
stirs the soup.

I also don't buy into the ammo manufactures' greedy claims about +P.

At least a score of ballistics gurus on this forum have analyzed and
debunked +P compared to other .38 Special ammo ad nauseam.

It's a topic for which I've developed a special immunity. I only
shared the product sheet because Dr. Jinks was kind enough to
share it with me recently.

 

[K Harris]

The Hornady Critical Defense standard pressure 110 grain is a fantastic round. When shooting it through an airweight the recoil is similar to the 148 grain wadcutter, which is also a fine round for the airweight. I believe that at least some of the cracking problems on the airweight's is due to shooting too many rounds too rapidly. Aluminum and steel do not expand and contract at the same rate. Get it really hot, and that disparity could cause the frame to crack in that thin area under the barrel shank. Just a theory. I do not shoot +P in my airweight's, and I do not shoot long strings.

 

[steelslaver]

I have a couple newer model 37 on J magnum frames. They may be rated for +P but your ability to get them back on target after the 1st shot will suffer. With a 2" barrel it becomes a question of if another 100fps is worth it