Gun/Ammo Compatibilty

[Gator]

How do you know if you can use +p rounds in your gun? I can't find anything that says, definitively, that using a +p round is "ok." I have found reviews that say they used +p in the gun.

Is a .380 round a .380 round regardless of the grain/+p (I mean, of course, that different ammo has different characteristics, but how do you ascertain interchangeability/compatibility)?

This concludes yet another neophyte inquiry. Thank you for your attention.

[Pistolenschutze]

Gator, S&W revolvers state they are rated for +P ammo on the barrel, but that is not necessarily true for other manufacturers. The simplest way to find out for any particular pistol or revolver is to e-mail the manufacturer, give them the model and serial number, and ask if +P is OK in the firearm.

[Bindernut]

Sounds like you're shooting a .380 Gator? If so, like snubby revolvers, it depends on the gun whether or not it'll stand up to a steady diet of +P ammo.

+P ammo has the same physical dimensions, but is loaded to higher pressure. Gives you more energy out of the same package.

I would shy away from shooting +P in any of the "cheapy" (Lorcin, Davis, etc...) or alloy-frame guns.
A heavier gun (like the Sig 230/232 or a PPK) would probably handle +P fine, but why beat it up with a cartridge loaded hotter than it was designed to be?
Some say that small doses of +P ammo might be okay for defense carry, but I've always had a problem with that theory in that I want to practice with the ammo that I carry. That means a lot of shooting with the heavier loads if that's what I'm loading. Just my opinion on it though......

[LurpyGeek]

There is technically no such thing as a true +P round in .380 because SAAMI hasn't defined pressures for this round. There are manufacturers who sell .380 ammo that they call "+P" but they are usually just lighter bullets with higher muzzle velocities.

[Gator]

Bindernut:

That's an excellent point that has been perplexin' me for quite some time now (see: Monty Python).

I have "range" ammo and "defense" ammo. It seems to be a crap shoot (pun intended) about the proper stuff to use. I'd like, for obvious reasons, a quality but inexpensive round for range work but, given the nature of the .380, a manly round (pun again intended) for defense purposes.

Like you, I want to shoot the same stuff I'm going to carry. Is there that much difference in performance/price? Heck, I figure(d) it's more important to hit something than worry about a 5 grain difference in the bullet or 10 fps of muzzle velocity. Frankly, some of this stuff is confusing.

As a friend said often to me when asked if he knew what he was doing, "No. But I read a lot."

Seems like ammo selection is about as clear as gun selection ("x is the best"). I have yet to get the same answer from two people. C'est la guerre, eh?

Thanks again to all for your patience and feedback.

Oh, Pistol, I emailed SIG. Thanks for the suggestion.

[ponycar17]

Originally Posted by LurpyGeek

There is technically no such thing as a true +P round in .380 because SAAMI hasn't defined pressures for this round. There are manufacturers who sell .380 ammo that they call "+P" but they are usually just lighter bullets with higher muzzle velocities.

I noticed this as well... I have some Corbon ammo that the seller said was +P but Corbon doesn't claim it to be +P on the box. It just has more energy than the average round. That stuff HURTS out of a Keltec P3AT, but it's fine in a larger .380...

[Bindernut]

I spose I could've expounded on that shoot-what-I-carry statement a bit more.
My preferred carry ammo isn't necessarily the only one I'll use but I definitely want to shoot enough of it to ensure that it will function 100% in my pistol and hits where I point it.
For just plain old plinking or general practice, I'll use pretty much anything (usually what's on sale or what ever handloads I'm playing around with at the time).

[delta13soultaker]

Shoot it in the dark before ya carry it for self defense.

+P may not help much if the first shot blinds you.

[USMC-03]

Originally Posted by delta13soultaker

Shoot it in the dark before ya carry it for self defense.

+P may not help much if the first shot blinds you.

Does that mean I'm supposed to be shooting with my eyes open?

[AngelDeville]

+P means you need a bigger gun

[Mosin_Nagant_Fan]

No, +P means you need gloves with a rubber palm, +P+ means you need a bigger gun.

[Gator]

I sent an email to Sig and got their reply (really quickly...I was/am impressed).

Me:

How do I determine which types of .380 are “ok” to use in my firearm? Does Sig recommend, or more importantly, contraindicate certain types of ammunition for the P232?

Sig:

We only recommend ammunition loaded to SAAMI / CIP performance standards.

+P is fine to use as a defensive round or for occasional range use. Continual use of this round will make it necessary for more frequent service on the pistol. We do NOT recommend the use of any +P+ round. This may void your warranty.

It is the responsibility of the user to ensure ammunition selection meets the proper criteria.

[Mosin_Nagant_Fan]

The only +P+ ammo I've found are for the 9mm Luger.