Brass marked +P vs brass not marked +P

[ghh3rd]

Is brass that's marked 38SPL+P the same as the non +P brass? In other words, I want to know if it's OK to load non +P marked brass with +P loads.

I figure that it's just the manufacturers way of letting us know that they loaded it as a +P round, and that after we reload it, it's up to us to keep track of the load.

Am I correct?

Randy

[Ricochet]

You're right. The difference is the headstamp.

Nowadays there's a fairly small difference between standard and +P pressures, anyway.

[243winxb]

Starline 38spec both the same. But the 45acp is different in +P brass.

[sundog]

weigh the cases...

[StarMetal]

+P denotes the load, not the brass. Sometimes the brass is different.

Joe

[Ricochet]

The question was particularly about .38 Special. :)

[Jim]

..... Sometimes the brass is different. Joe

In what respect?

[kelbro]

Weigh it. I have found some +P brass that was heavier.

[Shiloh]

Same caliber brass from lot to lot, and different manufacturers can/will vary. This is whether it is +P or not. As stated, the +P headstamp designates the loading.

I have found it in my own stash of .38 Special brass.

Shiloh

[StarMetal]

In what respect?

....that some +P brass may actually be beefer.

[captaint]

IL'm sure all this is true. Starline does, however, offer at least .45ACP brass in both reg and plus P. Mike

[Marlin Hunter]

But the 45acp is different in +P brass.

So is the 9mm +P (speer brass). It is thicker.


I have some +P 38 special (nickel) and the weight depends on the brand. Even 1 type of winchester +p is heavier then another type of winchester +p. I just bought 500 rounds of once fired 38 special +P brass that has all the same head-stamp because I wanted the same internal volume in each shell. I wanted it marked +P because I was going to load it to +p specs and I didn't want to damage someones gun who I let use my ammo. The only thing I don't like is that it is nickel plated. They don't seem to last as long as bare brass.

[jjohnson]

I contacted Starline a couple years ago, asked them specifically that question, and their answer was that it's just the marking on their .38 special brass.

That doesn't mean it's the same for other manufacturers. You could do as suggested and weigh brass or even cut some in half if you're really curious. To tell you the truth, if I had any doubt, I just wouldn't load +p loads in brass not marked +p.

I rarely hotrod my .38 special reloads anyway - on the odd occasion I carry a .38, I just pack store-bought +p "self defense" loads.

[blackthorn]

So far as I am aware any actual difference in cases is coincidental, the +P is stamped to indicate a heavier load that may not be safe to fire in all guns! Therefore the danger lies, not in over-loading .38 Special brass but in loading and firing +P level loads in older weaker guns. While the person who assembled the loads will know they are +P, (while I intend to be the exception, we dont all live forever) down the road someone else may get ahold of those loads and blow up his/her gun. I would load standard loads in +P cases but I would NOT load +P loads in standard cases! Have a great day.

[badgeredd]

I reload some of my 38s @ +P pressures. When I do, I take a red felt marker and color the bottom of the case with it, as well as mark the box with a red +P. Dimensionally, I have found little difference in the cases in 38 Special. Since my family members all know I mark hot loads, they would know what to do with them if I wasn't around to tell them. I suppose that loading +P in so mark cases is the "safest" tactic when it comes to strangers using the ammo, but I personally have a problem with the idea that I have to protect everyone from themselves. It seems to me that if ammo is marked as reloads and noted as +P, then everyone should be safe if they use common sense and I need not copy the governments idea of protecting stupid people. Just my 2 cents on a subject that grinds me.....

Edd

[wilddog45]

Ever heard of a Keith load? Elmer Keith used to load 38 special brass to 357 mag velocities to use in the short cylinder n frames of the time. This was before the .357 mag was introduced.

[Ricochet]

The commercially loaded .38-44s weren't far from that. Way beyond modern +P loads.

[Bret4207]

If you want to load up some +P type stuff I would hope you'd segregate the brass into identical groups, ie- all Winchester +P or whatever. With a top end load a few reduced capacity cases could ruin your day.