Another area of concern for some shooters is with the .38 Special +P loads and small-framed double-action revolvers. These little snubnose .38s have long been popular due to their light weight and concealability but are necessarily not as strong as beefier models. This is especially true of older handguns that may not have the quality of steel available today. I do not know of any current models in production that are not OK'd by the manufacturer for use with +P ammunition, and frankly, if I did I wouldn't fire the thing with any ammo. As stated earlier, SAAMI-specified +P is simply a modern standard for maximum pressure in these veteran cartridges, so if a newly manufactured handgun will not handle these pressures, I want no part of it.

I would be remiss not to discuss another P rating: +P+. This designates that the cartridge is loaded above SAAMI specs for +P ammo, and most manufacturers restrict sale of these loads to law enforcement, for good reason. These loads are carefully tailored for modern service handguns and may not be safe in all firearms. Thus they are not offered to the general public.

I feel we in the industry should make an effort to demystify +P loads. They are not, as some shooters believe, loaded to borderline pressures. The increase in pressure is moderate. For example, +P .45 ACP ammo is loaded to a maximum pressure of 23,000 psi compared to 21,000 psi for standard loads. Compared to the maximum pressure of other autoloader rounds, these pressures are very mild. The maximum pressure for the .40 S&W, for example, is 35,000 psi.

Any increase in pressure and velocity, however, does put more stress on the firearm. For this reason I use +P .38 Special ammo sparingly in my Chiefs Special, and my 1911s have heavier-than-standard recoil springs. It just makes sense to minimize stress on the firearm as much as possible. I am fond of my handguns and want them to last.

Plus-P ammunition can raise the performance bar for your handgun, but a tradeoff is more recoil and muzzle blast. In some cases it is worth it, such as when a little more velocity is needed to ensure reliable bullet expansion. Velocity increase is modest, however. On average, +P ammo is about 50 to 100 fps faster than standard ammo, sometimes less. In fact, I have encountered some +P loads that were slower than some standard loads available. As always, choose ammo wisely based on your needs.

The shooter considering using +P ammunition should follow the same safety precautions advisable with any ammunition. Make sure the firearm is in excellent condition and is approved by the manufacturer for the ammunition. If it's an autoloader, make sure the recoil spring is properly tensioned for the ammunition. And make sure the ammunition is from a reliable source and loaded to SAAMI specifications.