.38+p vs. older .38 special

[Hotlead]

My 15 mins or so looking/searching didn't answer my question, but I'm sure it's been discussed here before, so bear with me.

I've been trying to determine if .38+p is OK in my S&W victory, and been finding all sorts of information, opinions, fears, and lies. What I have seen several times is that SAAMI changed the chamber pressure spec on .38spc in the early '70s, usually cited as dropping from 20,000psi to 17,000psi.

Now, from what I've read, 20,000psi is the current spec on .38+p. So, does that mean .38+p is relatively the same as the old .38 special that my victory was designed for?

Am I OK to shoot/practice with .38spc, load +p for defense, and likely never fire them but not kill myself if I do?

Or, should I stick solely with .38special in this revolver (it has less than 50rds through it, and has been sitting on a shelf for 60 years).

Is this the right sub-forum for this question?

I try to pack as many questions into a thread as possible, to reduce my bandwidth electron footprint, Al would be proud of me

Thanks in advance, Hotlead.

 

[Dragon88]

The gun may technically be strong enough to withstand a cylinder full of +P, or it may not. It is certainly not designed for it and I would strongly recommend against it. Stick to standard pressure loads for practice and carry, the bad guy won't notice the extra 3000 psi and there's absolutely no reason to risk your nice old Victory model using non-rated ammunition.

 

[murphydog]

Supposedly, S & W heat-treated their .38 M & P revolvers starting back in the 1920s to handle higher-pressure smokeless powder loads. How careful they were in doing this while turning out over 800000 (!) Victory Models in about 3 years is anyone's guess. Also, there are +P and there are really +P .38 Specials, that on paper range from fairly tame to pretty stout. The former may be safe, the latter - ?

All things considered...standard pressure or target .38s (130 gr FMJ, 148 gr WC, 158 gr RNL) would be safest.

 

[Treeman]

You will get lots of conflicting answers. S&W of today says that your Victory model is NOT approved for +P. S&W of the time said it was. (+P as a designation didn't exist but the 38/44 and High velocity loads existed, were approved, and were hotter than any of the current +Ps other than "boutique" rounds like Buffalo Bore) Since all +P's are lower pressure than proof pressures no +P .38 special is actually an immediate threat to the structural integrity of a sound revolver. Over many rounds +Ps can loosen things up but it doesn't create a hand grenade.

 

[semperfi71]

There has been a lot of discussion around the Forum about .38 Special +P and it appears that +P isn't really all that "+P" according to some.

Your K-Frame S&W Victory model should be able to handle a 158 grain lead bullet at 900 to 950 fps. This may or may not be +P but it also appears that a .38 caliber 158 grain bullet (lead or jacketed) at 900 to 950 fps is potent enough for most use in self-defense. Again according to information gathered here.

I have never fired a Victory model. The government load was a 130 grain jacketed bullet at low velocities. I believe that all of the K-Frame S&W .38 specials were sighted for 158 grain loads. However the Victory's might have been sighted for the 130 grain load.

If that is the case then a Victory might shoot point-of-aim "better" with 125 grain modern loads versus 158 grain modern loads.

Then again, all shooters are different and one person may find one load in a fixed sight revolver shoots differently than another person might find.

If I were concerned I would find a 158 grain load (and some 148 grain loads will also) that shoots to point of aim and that is "standard". This would be my practice round. Then I would find a "stouter" 158 grain load (again at about 900 to 950 fps) and use that as my defense load.

 

[old bear]

Hotlead, here's my $.02, shoot standard ammo at the range and for S/D load it with +P or even +P+ ammo. If you ever have to use it for real, possible damage to the gun will be the least of your worries.