~ FINDERS KEEPERS . . .

[6hold]

.

LOST, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN !​

As what generally happens in my walk through life is this . . . When I can’t find something, many times it wont turn up until I’m looking for something else! Happens all too often. Well when we moved into our new digs I couldn’t seem to come across all the ammo that I thought I had so of course I figured I had used it up and never realized it.

I went looking through a box of tools yesterday for a particular item when what do I spy in the very bottom of the box? You guessed it, my lost ammo! There was my own reloaded 38 special, HBWC’s about 250 cartridges. About a half box of 45 SWC. There was also about 40, 357 magnums but the info slip was missing from that container and they had LSWC’s for bullets. I only hope I didn’t load them hot or I’m going to have some extra lead to clean from the rifling if I did.​

There were a couple yellow boxes there also, I’m pleased to say, they were “Zero” remanufactured 38 special+P hollow-point ammo. Well I have a question, within the last couple weeks I’ve read that if you reload to a (+P) power you should use only +P casings because the manufacturer makes the webbing thicker on their +P's thereby making the casings stronger for the higher power. Is this correct? The Zero casings are 75% standard and 25% +P casings so does that mean that Zero may be loaded a tad less powder than a +P is supposed to have, or perhaps they don’t believe +P casings are any stronger?​

The Zero reloaded (remanufactured) ammo also had one odd duck tucked in there also. It was an aluminum jacketed hollow-point! What happened, did they run out of the other bullets and threw that in to fill the box? I never shot or reloaded that kind of bullet before so it had to come with the others don’t you think?​

The ammo that I reloaded that had the info tag in the box said I loaded them in 1990 and the Zero ammo has to be at least that old because I almost completely stopped buying ammo once I started reloading, 22 and shotgun not included. That’s it folks, nothing earthshaking but I thought I’d just throw it out there to see what you think.​

 

[edin508]

That is a silver bullet for Vampires. Bonus box! Zombie and Vampire ammo

 

[6hold]

That is a silver bullet for Vampires. Bonus box! Zombie and Vampire ammo

 

[FalArAk]

 

[DukeInFlorida]

I've never measured what the difference is, but it's my understanding that +P cases are thicker, hence less volume inside the case. I don't think the difference is huge though. Maybe only a .001 more wall or so.

I have always culled out any +P headstamps when reloading, since I don't have any +P guns.

 

[6hold]

I've never measured what the difference is, but it's my understanding that +P cases are thicker, hence less volume inside the case. I don't think the difference is huge though. Maybe only a .001 more wall or so.

I have always culled out any +P headstamps when reloading, since I don't have any +P guns.

Thanks for the reply DukeInMaine. I haven’t loaded for +P myself but wondered if what I read was correct. I think I’ll do the same as you and set aside the +P casings and use the regular casings to reload for accuracy and perhaps use the +P for "whatever" at a later time.​

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[Jose]

I've never measured what the difference is, but it's my understanding that +P cases are thicker, hence less volume inside the case. I don't think the difference is huge though. Maybe only a .001 more wall or so.

I have always culled out any +P headstamps when reloading, since I don't have any +P guns.

They are the same.

OEM .38 Special +P is barely 18,000 psi. SAAMI pressure for .38 Special +P is around 26 ksi.

Besides, outside of Trailboss, there is no powder that comes even close to filling a 38 Special case, so the volume difference if any is irrelevant.

And who cares what the headstamp says? It means jack shit. You should have records of what is in a batch, regardless of what the headstamp says.

And have you ever resized rifle brass from one caliber to the other?

 

[DukeInFlorida]

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overpressure_ammunition

It must be noted that "higher pressure" is not the same as "high pressure"; +P cartridges are generally loaded to pressures far below those typically found in magnum cartridges. The +P standard is designed so that if a shooter was to accidentally use a +P cartridge in a non-+P-rated firearm, the chance of a one-time explosive failure is minimal as long as the gun was in good physical condition. Repeated firing of +P ammunition in a gun not rated for it will drastically speed mechanical failure of the gun, however, and so it should only be used in firearms designated by the manufacturer as safe for +P use.

Commercially available +P cartridges

Cartridges that are commonly boosted with +P pressures are the 9 mm Luger, .45 ACP, and .38 Special, which are all cartridges that date from the dawn of the 20th Century. There has been significant improvement in metallurgy and quality since the first guns in those calibers have been made, with the result that higher pressures are now safe in modern firearms. Many models will specify to the degree they can use +P ammunition; for example, many aluminum alloy framed .38 Special revolvers should not regularly be used with +P ammunition, for while the cylinder is capable of withstanding the pressures, the added force will increase wear and reduce the service life of the gun.

SAAMI specifications for common +P cartridges are as follows:
Cartridge Standard pressure +P pressure Notes
9 × 19 mm 35,000 38,500 10% increase
.38 Special 17,000 18,500 9% increase
.45 ACP 21,000 23,000 9.5% increase
.38 Auto 26,500 36,500 38% increase to make .38 Super
.45 Colt 14,000 25,000 79% increase, Ruger only load

The +P+ designation is not currently used by the SAAMI, but is used by some manufacturers to designate loads that exceed the +P SAAMI specification. One source lists the 9 × 19 mm +P+ loading as having a pressure of 42,000 psi, an 18% increase over the standard pressure of 35,000 psi, and the .38 Special +P+ as 22,000, a 29% increase over the standard pressure.

Small ammunition makers and reloading guides will often include special loads for specific purposes, such as the above listed .45 Colt load for Ruger revolvers. These loads are generally designed to provide maximum performance from older cartridges, when used in newer, stronger firearms. The 14,000 psi limit for .45 Colt, for example, reflects the black powder performance of the round, and is safe even in firearms built in 1873, when the cartridge was introduced. Using modern, solid head brass in a Ruger Blackhawk revolver, a similar design originally chambered in the high pressure .44 Magnum, the pressure can be pushed far higher with no ill effects. However, since these loads, with nearly double the pressure, could destroy a firearm intended for black powder level loads, they are less commonly encountered.

 

[EddieCoyle]

The .38 SPL and the .38 SPL +P cases are the same. There's no need to cull them out when you're reloading. The +P on the headstamp is to indicate that the initial factory loading of the cartridge, not a difference in the brass. The above applies to cases from the same manufacturer; you will see slight differences in the case volumes between manufacturers.

Like Jose said, the .38 Special is very underpowered. If you want to see a real hot-rodded .38 Special, check out some of the old .38/44 HV loads from Winchester. They were as hot as a .357 Magnum (before such a thing existed).

 

[6hold]

The .38 SPL and the .38 SPL +P cases are the same. There's no need to cull them out when you're reloading. The +P on the headstamp is to indicate that the initial factory loading of the cartridge, not a difference in the brass. The above applies to cases from the same manufacturer; you will see slight differences in the case volumes between manufacturers.

Like Jose said, the .38 Special is very underpowered. If you want to see a real hot-rodded .38 Special, check out some of the old .38/44 HV loads from Winchester. They were as hot as a .357 Magnum (before such a thing existed).

Thanks EC, I new nothing about the .38/44 HV loads or guns that used them so I took your advice. I Googled around and found this article (among others) about a guy refurbishing a S&W 38/44 Heavy Duty that had a bulged barrel. Nice article for anyone interested, the link is:

http://www.tactical-life.com/online/exclusives/performance-center-3844-heavy-duty/​

#>>>>>#>>>>>#​

Performance Center 38/44 Heavy Duty​

Written by Rich Grassi.

While at home one day, I got a frantic phone call from a friend. While it’s not an official association, we’re members of what one could call the “Revolver Rescue Group.” He said to make a quick trip to a local pawn shop and he’d meet me there. . . . continued . . .​

Read the full article at the link above.​