.38 +p vs .38/44 vs .357 mag

[rwsmith]

The L frame......

The L frame is a great compromise that can take full .357 without the additional size and weight.

 

[shawn mccarver]

I have a question about the three loads.
I think in ascending power it would be standard.38 special, .38+p, .38/44, then .357mag.
I know .38/44 was the father of .357 and was presumably only safe in n frame, and later magnum revolvers.
But how does it compare to .38+p?
I'm not looking to cook up some hot ammo or anything like that I was just wondering if there was any comparison of the +p to the old heavy load .38/44

You have the order of power correct.

The 38/44 pushed a 158 at about 1100 fps.

S&W introduced it in the N frame.

Colt, on the other hand, certified its Police Positive for the 38/44 and that is the revolver selected by the FBI when the agency got around to issuing handguns. A memo at the time mentioned that the Bureau adopted the 38 over the 45 Auto because of the power of the 38/44 round with the then new Keith (Elmer Keith) bullet (semi-wadcutter with sharp cutting shoulder).

S&W briefly certified its M&P snub for the 38/44, but that didn't last long.

If you want to know what the 38/44 feels like without shooting collector grade original cartridges, get a box of the Buffalo Bore "Outdoorsman" cartridges. They work fine in the J frames, but "you don't have to get in front to figure out that it just went off."

From the BB website:

"This load is safe to shoot in all 38SPL and 357 magnum firearms of modern design that are in normal operating condition. In the super lightweight alloy revolvers (around 11-12 oz.) the bullet will not jump crimp under recoil provided you do not subject an unfired round to more than 5 or 6 firings. In all steel guns, even short barreled ones, crimp jump is not an issue as the all-steel snub nosed revolvers are much heavier than the alloy versions."

I have used it in the 642 without incident. It is not fun, but it is nice to have a heavy load that will penetrate deeply if you have a close encounter with something needing a deep driving brain shot when hiking in the woods and you desire to be only discreetly armed.

You have to use a 4 inch barrel to get the velocity they did in 1930, but in the 2 inch you still get an honest 1,025, give or take.

In 38 Special, I like 3 loads for serious work: Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel, the 158 LHP +P "FBI Load," and the BB "Outdoorsman."

 

[Tim357]

The SAAMI pressure for std .38 is 17k psi, for +P is 20k psi. So if a company loaded a round with 16,900 psi it would be a std load. If they loaded a round at 17,100 psi it would be considered +P. The actual difference in performance would be nil. Now, if companies load like BB to max +P pressure of 20k psi, there is noticable difference in performance.

 

[old tanker]

...The 38/44 pushed a 158 at about 1100 fps...S&W introduced it in the N frame...

Colt, on the other hand, certified its Police Positive for the 38/44 and that is the revolver selected by the FBI when the agency got around to issuing handguns.

Are you sure?? I think(?) it was the Official Police that Colt said was suitable for the .38-44. The Police Positive Special was a bit lighter than Smith's M&P in that era.