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Sevens · July 1, 2013, 02:05 PM

It may also be worth noting here that the .38 Super+P isn't actually a " +P " like many have come to understand.

" +P " is not as simple as some believe... it is not just "loaded to a higher pressure." To be accurate, it's a genuine SAAMI designation and industry standard. As such, it's not valid when simply thrown at the end of a cartridge, if that cartridge is not built to a set industry standard... which in our favorite industry... is maintained by SAAMI.

If you look at Buffalo Bore's site, or if you read posts and blogs by some handloaders, they'll toss a careless little " +P " at the end of something they made...to try and tell you that it's beyond industry spec. Buffalo Bore makes fantastic ammo, IMO, but their practice of doing this goes far beyond an minor "annoyance", IMO.

The problem is that when you simply attach a +P to a cartridge for which no SAAMI standard +P exists, all you've done is tell the world that you've made an out-of-spec cartridge that is set to no standard... or to your own mystery standard.

SAAMI has developed and set standards for 9mm+P, .38 Special+P and 45 ACP+P. The others don't exist. Cases have been made for .45 Colt+P, but SAAMI tends to not keep any manner of an active web "page", most searches turn up dated .pdf documents.

.38 Super+P occupies an oddball spot in the world with it's common " +P " moniker in that:
.38 Super
and
.38 Super+P
...are exactly the same cartridge, loaded to exactly the same industry standard. It seems the +P was tossed on to the end of the name quite some time ago to alert the buying public to the LARGE difference in pressure between the .38 Super and the older, much lower pressure yet same physically dimensioned parent round of the .38 Super, the .38 Automatic.

These days, when a cartridge is developed from another and raised to much higher pressures (to offer more performance), they typically lengthen the cartridge to make it physically incompatible with the shorter parent case. Like the .44 Magnum will not chamber in a .44 Special, and the .357 Magnum will not chamber in a .38 Special. That added case length? It's not so they could jam more propellent in there. It's simply to keep Uncle Bubba from blowing up an old .38 Special with some heavy .357 Magnum loads.

The .38 Super -will- fit in to old pistols that were designed around the old, basically dead & gone .38 Automatic round. It is not safe to be used in those pistols. But the .38 Super and the ".38 Super+P" are the same exact round, built to the same standard.

July 1, 2013, 02:05 PM	#4
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	It may also be worth noting here that the .38 Super+P isn't actually a " +P " like many have come to understand. " +P " is not as simple as some believe... it is not just "loaded to a higher pressure." To be accurate, it's a genuine SAAMI designation and industry standard. As such, it's not valid when simply thrown at the end of a cartridge, if that cartridge is not built to a set industry standard... which in our favorite industry... is maintained by SAAMI. If you look at Buffalo Bore's site, or if you read posts and blogs by some handloaders, they'll toss a careless little " +P " at the end of something they made...to try and tell you that it's beyond industry spec. Buffalo Bore makes fantastic ammo, IMO, but their practice of doing this goes far beyond an minor "annoyance", IMO. The problem is that when you simply attach a +P to a cartridge for which no SAAMI standard +P exists, all you've done is tell the world that you've made an out-of-spec cartridge that is set to no standard... or to your own mystery standard. SAAMI has developed and set standards for 9mm+P, .38 Special+P and 45 ACP+P. The others don't exist. Cases have been made for .45 Colt+P, but SAAMI tends to not keep any manner of an active web "page", most searches turn up dated .pdf documents. .38 Super+P occupies an oddball spot in the world with it's common " +P " moniker in that: .38 Super and .38 Super+P ...are exactly the same cartridge, loaded to exactly the same industry standard. It seems the +P was tossed on to the end of the name quite some time ago to alert the buying public to the LARGE difference in pressure between the .38 Super and the older, much lower pressure yet same physically dimensioned parent round of the .38 Super, the .38 Automatic. These days, when a cartridge is developed from another and raised to much higher pressures (to offer more performance), they typically lengthen the cartridge to make it physically incompatible with the shorter parent case. Like the .44 Magnum will not chamber in a .44 Special, and the .357 Magnum will not chamber in a .38 Special. That added case length? It's not so they could jam more propellent in there. It's simply to keep Uncle Bubba from blowing up an old .38 Special with some heavy .357 Magnum loads. The .38 Super -will- fit in to old pistols that were designed around the old, basically dead & gone .38 Automatic round. It is not safe to be used in those pistols. But the .38 Super and the ".38 Super+P" are the same exact round, built to the same standard. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.