.380 ammo

[Valorius]

Uh, no. SAAMI publishes +P specs for 9 mm, .38 Spl, .45 Auto, and maybe others, but not for .380 Auto.

Uh, yes.

The SAAMI published specs for 9mm+P EXCEED those for 9mm. To be +P ANY caliber must by definition exceed the SAAMI max listed pressure for that caliber, or it wouldn't be +P at all.

All guns sold in the US are IIRC proof tested to 180% pressure. A 20 or 30 or even 40% over pressure +P or +P+ load is still far, far below the max pressure of any weapon sold in this country.

What's more, Euro companies measure in the hotter CIP, not SAAMI, so ALL Euro loads that are loaded to CIP are actually in excess of US SAAMI ratings, so are de facto "+P" rounds.

Unless it is REALLY hot, firing US made SAAMI rated .380+P is no different than firing CIP rated Euro .380 ammo.

ALL major ammo manufacturers in the US offer hot +P+ police only loadings in 9mm that is on the order of 40% over pressure. if it was not safe to do so, they would not do it.

[knight0334]

+P for the 9mm has a SAAMI spec. +P+ doesn't have a SAAMI spec. A +P+ round could be actually within standard 9mm, or within 9mm+P, or even exceed 9mm+P pressures.

With +P+ you are trusting your gun to the ammo manufacturer's best guess with no clear definition on what it's operating pressure is. The manufacturer may be designating it +P+ because it exceeds 9mm projectile energy levels but is still within standard pressure levels. It could could also be due to a higher breech thrust although the pressures are within standard or +P pressures.


380 is another beast where the manufacture will add the moniker of +P on their own. There is no clear definition or spec, so it could be for any of the same reasons I describe above for the +P+ 9mm Parabellum.

[Valorius]

Yep.

An example of what you're talking about would be the Doubletap 80gr+P 9mm loading. It's listed as +P, but from what Mike McNett has said, it is actually a standard pressure loading.

Corbon 9mm 115gr Sierra +P is rated +P, but actually exceeds the muzzle velocity and energy of many makers 9mm+P+ rounds.

Speer Gold Dot 115gr+P+ (@40% overpressure): 1300fps
Corbon Sierra 115gr+P: 1350fps

Any modern firearm is tested to far greater pressure levels than any +P or +P+ round is going to deliver, with the possible exception of Hirtenberger SMG only +P+ 9mm ammo.