What is " + P " exactly ???

Gideon2 · February 17, 2007, 11:59 AM

I have been out of the reloading world for a while! I have discovered a label on brass and Manufactures bullets that has me in the dark.

It seems to have slipped thru all of the reloading book I have as well. Can you give me a source for that information?
Thanks
G2

OJ · February 17, 2007, 01:02 PM

Standards are established for the pressure that is produced with the firing of cartridges and +P cartridges produce more than that standard pressure. I aasume, if your cases are designed for +P ammo, they are stronger than average..

benedict1 · February 17, 2007, 01:12 PM

ABCs of Reloading will discuss it--also, just do a Google search for definition--I will assume you are asking about .38 Special loads.

The text below comes from this link--

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38_Special

Be very cautious with +P loads--older revolvers can't handle them. If in doubt about your gun, contact the manufacturer or check their website for information about such cartridges being used.

Performance

Due to its blackpowder heritage, the .38 Special is a low pressure cartridge, one of the lowest in common use today. By modern standards, the .38 Special fires a medium sized bullet at rather low speeds. The closest comparisons are the .380 ACP, which fires slightly lighter bullets slightly faster than most .38 Special loads, and the 9 mm Luger, which fires a bullet that is generally somewhat lighter but significantly faster. Both of the latter are usually found in automatic pistols.

The higher-pressure .38 Special +P loads offer about 20% more muzzle energy than standard-pressure loads and places between .380 ACP and 9 mm Luger.

For example, a certain .38 Special +P loading fires a 125-grain bullet at 945 ft/s for a muzzle energy of 248 ft·lbf. A standard-pressure .38 Special only makes 850 ft/s for 201 ft·lbf of muzzle energy. A 9 mm Luger, by comparison, will fire a 124-grain bullet at 1140 ft/s for 358 ft·lbf of energy, and a .380 ACP will fire a 95-grain bullet at 955 ft/s for 192 ft·lbf of energy. The .357 Magnum will fire a 125-grain bullet at 1,450 ft/s for a muzzle energy of 583 ft·lbf, or packing nearly three times as much energy as the same bullet in a .38 Special.

Experience has proven that it is reasonably effective for self-defense purposes, but only a minority of US police departments issue or authorize use of the .38 Special as a standard duty weapon, most having switched to the higher-capacity and faster-reloading automatic pistols. It is still common in security use by guards who value the reliability and simplicity of a revolver, and by civilians for concealed-carry and police for secondary pistols because its recoil when fired from very small and lightweight revolvers is considered much more manageable than more powerful cartridges.

flintsghost · February 18, 2007, 12:24 PM

With regard to the brass in +P factory rounds, I believe based on what I have, that it is all the same brass in the Federal line. Federal 9mm, 9mm+P and 9mm +P+, all weigh exactly the same and the head stamp is the only difference. My +P+ looks so bad coming out of my H&K USPc that I trash it in file 13 just to be on the safe side. The regular and +P all are reloaded in the same cycle without problems.

February 17, 2007, 11:59 AM	#1
Gideon2 Junior Member Join Date: February 17, 2007 Location: North Central Texas Posts: 4	What is " + P " exactly ??? I have been out of the reloading world for a while! I have discovered a label on brass and Manufactures bullets that has me in the dark. It seems to have slipped thru all of the reloading book I have as well. Can you give me a source for that information? Thanks G2

February 17, 2007, 01:02 PM	#2
OJ Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 1998 Location: COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, USA Posts: 1,570	Standards are established for the pressure that is produced with the firing of cartridges and +P cartridges produce more than that standard pressure. I aasume, if your cases are designed for +P ammo, they are stronger than average.. __________________ OJ - SEMPER FI - DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY NRA ENDOWMENT LIFE MEMBER

February 17, 2007, 01:12 PM	#3
benedict1 Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 245	ABCs of Reloading will discuss it--also, just do a Google search for definition--I will assume you are asking about .38 Special loads. The text below comes from this link-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38_Special Be very cautious with +P loads--older revolvers can't handle them. If in doubt about your gun, contact the manufacturer or check their website for information about such cartridges being used. Performance Due to its blackpowder heritage, the .38 Special is a low pressure cartridge, one of the lowest in common use today. By modern standards, the .38 Special fires a medium sized bullet at rather low speeds. The closest comparisons are the .380 ACP, which fires slightly lighter bullets slightly faster than most .38 Special loads, and the 9 mm Luger, which fires a bullet that is generally somewhat lighter but significantly faster. Both of the latter are usually found in automatic pistols. The higher-pressure .38 Special +P loads offer about 20% more muzzle energy than standard-pressure loads and places between .380 ACP and 9 mm Luger. For example, a certain .38 Special +P loading fires a 125-grain bullet at 945 ft/s for a muzzle energy of 248 ft·lbf. A standard-pressure .38 Special only makes 850 ft/s for 201 ft·lbf of muzzle energy. A 9 mm Luger, by comparison, will fire a 124-grain bullet at 1140 ft/s for 358 ft·lbf of energy, and a .380 ACP will fire a 95-grain bullet at 955 ft/s for 192 ft·lbf of energy. The .357 Magnum will fire a 125-grain bullet at 1,450 ft/s for a muzzle energy of 583 ft·lbf, or packing nearly three times as much energy as the same bullet in a .38 Special. Experience has proven that it is reasonably effective for self-defense purposes, but only a minority of US police departments issue or authorize use of the .38 Special as a standard duty weapon, most having switched to the higher-capacity and faster-reloading automatic pistols. It is still common in security use by guards who value the reliability and simplicity of a revolver, and by civilians for concealed-carry and police for secondary pistols because its recoil when fired from very small and lightweight revolvers is considered much more manageable than more powerful cartridges.

February 18, 2007, 12:24 PM	#4
flintsghost Member Join Date: February 8, 2007 Location: Frostbite Falls Posts: 17	With regard to the brass in +P factory rounds, I believe based on what I have, that it is all the same brass in the Federal line. Federal 9mm, 9mm+P and 9mm +P+, all weigh exactly the same and the head stamp is the only difference. My +P+ looks so bad coming out of my H&K USPc that I trash it in file 13 just to be on the safe side. The regular and +P all are reloaded in the same cycle without problems.