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[pasound]

I have one j frame that I trust with +P 38 ammo - my 637. I have three other j's - my nickel 38 Airweight, and my blued 36, 1983 for the 38 and 1973 for the 36. My other is my 1983 60, stainless steel.

I have fired +P 38's in my 637, and it even survived a double charge Winchester 110gr Silvertip at the range. I've fired 110gr Silvertips (ammo has been around a long time) in a 60, identical to the the one I own now. They are not +P. Winchester replaced all my ammo, so I have a lot.

My defensive j frame ammo choice these days is Hornady 130 gr HST, but not for the 36 or 38. The 60 should be ok with it.

Otherwise, I have a lot of Magtech 148 WC, and I load a lot of 38 158gr SWC. I don't load +P.

I still own a full box of Remington 158gr +P LSWCHP. Really don't want to put it in my j's. Maybe my GP100.

Ok, any ideas on what is safe in which gun?

 

[stansdds]

J-frames with steel/stainless steel cylinders and frames with a model number stamped into the frame's cylinder yoke recess should be perfectly safe with most 38 Special +P ammo. The hotter, boutique loads from companies like Buffalo Bore will definitely accelerate wear and be a real handful, so you might want to avoid those.

 

[chief38]

Your Stainless M60 is probably the strongest of all your guns listed. I would think your hands would suffer more from the +P's than the gun would. While .38 Spl. +P's are not all that powerful (compared to 357 magnums) in a small, lightweight gun, they can hurt. When I edc'd and shot my M60-7 a lot, the rear of the trigger guard would constantly cause pain in the middle fingers of my hand. A contributing factor in me practicing less with my EDC (not good) and ultimately one of the reasons I went to a Sig P-365 Micro. NO pain, more accurate, more rounds yet lighter in weight and smaller and thinner in size.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

I believe the "130gr HST" you refer to probably is the Federal Micro version...?

IMHO, if your S&Ws are rated for +P ammo you can shoot +P ammo in them.

Cheers!

 

[pasound]

I believe the "130gr HST" you refer to probably is the Federal Micro version...?

IMHO, if your S&Ws are rated for +P ammo you can shoot +P ammo in them.

Cheers!

The cases have HORNADY 38SPL stamped on them.

My 60 is a no-dash, all steel, marked 38 S&W SPL, and the alloy framed 637 is marked .38 S&W SPL +P on the barrel and Airweight on the frame. The all-steel 36 and aluminum alloy 38 are marked 38 S&W SPL and AIRWEIGHT 38 SPL CTG, respectively.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

Does the box say "HST" vs. "XTP"...?

Cheers!

P.S. I can't find a 130gr 38 Special load of any kind from Hornady...

 

[pasound]

I don't have the original 20-round boxes any more. Had them in a MTM plastic box with a hand written label along with some 38+P Federal reversed HBWC's.

I wrote 130gr HST on the label. Probably flip-flopped the labels. They make 125gr XTP now. I still have the HST's - as they are +P's I hold them back for my 637 and GP100. I also still have a full box of Hornady 38 spl 110gr FTX, with the red plastic plug in the hollow point. The 125's do not have a plug.