The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

**Mike Irwin** · March 16, 2011, 09:00 AM

Regarding +P ammunition in M&Ps of this vintage...

+P ammunition will not cause the guns to explode. They will, however, cause extremely accelerated wear and can even cause the chambers to stretch.

I've seen it happen.

There were a lot of people in the old days who couldn't be bothered to read warnings on ammo boxes (just like today) so they ran .38-44 HD ammo through their early M&Ps. No cylinder grenades that I've ever heard of, just lots of premature wear.

Friend of mine who is very into the early K frames says he figures that 100 rounds of +P ammo in a gun of this vintage will cause the same wear and tear as 5,000 to 10,000 rounds of standard velocity lead bullet loads.

March 16, 2011, 09:00 AM	#23
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	Regarding +P ammunition in M&Ps of this vintage... +P ammunition will not cause the guns to explode. They will, however, cause extremely accelerated wear and can even cause the chambers to stretch. I've seen it happen. There were a lot of people in the old days who couldn't be bothered to read warnings on ammo boxes (just like today) so they ran .38-44 HD ammo through their early M&Ps. No cylinder grenades that I've ever heard of, just lots of premature wear. Friend of mine who is very into the early K frames says he figures that 100 rounds of +P ammo in a gun of this vintage will cause the same wear and tear as 5,000 to 10,000 rounds of standard velocity lead bullet loads. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.