.38+p in snubnose revolver

[hemidan]

I'm confused.
I recently purchased an Undercover Southpaw .38 revolver ( 2" barrel) from Charter Arms. The website said this was a +p revolver but the manual said +p ammo was not recommended.
I e-mailed Charter Arms about my confusion and got a quick reply.
They said they didn't recommend +p in a revolver with less than a 4" barrel because the bullitt would leave the barrel before all the powder was burned and it would also have a harsh recoil.
I can understand the recoil being harsh ( it's a 12 once gun), but does the rest make sense to you folks?
Please help.

[Daryl in Az]

It would likely depend on the ammo used.

If the +p ammo is loaded with a slow burning powder, then they're likely right. It takes a bit of barrel length to use up the powder.

But, you'll seldom if ever use up 100% of the powder in a handgun that has a barrel of easy-carry length. The muzzle flash you get is caused by powder that's still burning, and it's enough to light gasoline on fire from a 6" barrel.

Yep, I've started camp fires that way.

For me, I don't worry about it much. My S&W snub is rated for +p ammo, and that's mostly what I carry in it. As long as the handgun is rated for those pressures, I'd use them. Any doubt about that, and I'd suggest using standard velocity ammo.

In the real world, you won't see that much difference anyway.

Daryl

[vafish]

Make sense to me, No.

Have some truth in it, Yes.

As Daryl already explained you are going to have some unburned powder in just about any handgun.

But +P is still going to give you more velocity than a non +P round so who cares about unburned powder?

As to the recoil, guys buy .500 mag revolvers, they have a lot of recoil. That's not a reason to recommend or not recommend +P.

My guess is they didn't want to tell you the truth on the phone. A prolonged diet of +P in your small alloy framed Charter will result in more wear on the gun and more warranty claims for repairs.

If you can stand to shoot enough +P in your CA to wear it out I say they owe it to you to repair it for free.

Personally I'd do most of my practice with standard pressure loads, fire a few +P's to verify point of impact, then use the +P only for carry. Shoot off my carry loads a couple times a year and be happy.

[Joeywhat]

Personally I'd do most of my practice with standard pressure loads, fire a few +P's to verify point of impact, then use the +P only for carry. Shoot off my carry loads a couple times a year and be happy.

This is what I do with my J-Frame .357 mag. Standard pressure .38's for practice, and a box of .357's once or twice a year to keep up on them. LOTS of flash and recoil when using those with a 2" bbl, that's for sure...

[M. Hall]

Many ammunition companies are making load especially designed for snubbies, and some of them are +p....

[Seamus O'Connor]

Speer Gold Dot HP 135 grain 38SPL +P specifically for short barrels. Here's a link:

http://tinyurl.com/6bnzdl

Good stuff.

[beaner]

I have an old '68 Colt Detective .38 Special with a 2"er on it. The manual says it can handle +p rounds, but that the wear is quicker. Right now I have some kind of Federal +p hp's that are all right...I would like to try some of Doubletap's loadings. The recoil isn't too bad and I don't mind shooting it at all. I mainly carry a G27, but every now and then, I get in the mood for a wheelgun, and I think with some good +p loads it's a good carry!

Beaner