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Consider the comments on this thread from TFL: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214476
Specifically the comments by Person of Interest and DFariswheel. Since this is a Colt forum, I thought it might make a better discussion over here. You see the old Colt Advertisement saying that their Pre War Detective Specials (and PPS and OP) can handle just about any .38 Special round of that day, including the S&W .38/44 round. This is a fact that is supported by countless on this and other forums.
The main question for today is, can these old guns handle +P?
We have the Colt factory today saying, as Dfaris noted, NO. Perhaps the factory knows something we don't.
But then we have PoI saying that the current +P are the equivolent of what the standard .38 Special was 60 years ago. Perhaps the factory is being extra cautious nowdays with ambulance chasing lawyers lurking behind every corner.
From my experience, Colt told me the same thing about my PreWar Colt Official Police (a larger sturdier gun than the Detective Special). "No" they said. I've put between 1-200 rounds (probably more than that) of +P through that one. My hand is still there and the gun still intact. PHH and Cylinder & Slide told me it would be safe. One experienced gunsmith even told me that before these guns left the factory, each chamber was test fired for safety using 10 times (perhaps an exaggeration from my memory but make a point)stronger a load than anything I will ever put through them at any one time.
Everyone on the "yes" side agrees that giving these PreWar guns a steady diet of +P is not a good idea. It will ultimately wear the gun out loosening it up faster than with modern standard rounds. But that is not really the issue here, but rather whether the D frame gun is safe for the modern .38+P round (or even hand loads equivolent to the .38-44)
Specifically the comments by Person of Interest and DFariswheel. Since this is a Colt forum, I thought it might make a better discussion over here. You see the old Colt Advertisement saying that their Pre War Detective Specials (and PPS and OP) can handle just about any .38 Special round of that day, including the S&W .38/44 round. This is a fact that is supported by countless on this and other forums.
The main question for today is, can these old guns handle +P?
We have the Colt factory today saying, as Dfaris noted, NO. Perhaps the factory knows something we don't.
But then we have PoI saying that the current +P are the equivolent of what the standard .38 Special was 60 years ago. Perhaps the factory is being extra cautious nowdays with ambulance chasing lawyers lurking behind every corner.
From my experience, Colt told me the same thing about my PreWar Colt Official Police (a larger sturdier gun than the Detective Special). "No" they said. I've put between 1-200 rounds (probably more than that) of +P through that one. My hand is still there and the gun still intact. PHH and Cylinder & Slide told me it would be safe. One experienced gunsmith even told me that before these guns left the factory, each chamber was test fired for safety using 10 times (perhaps an exaggeration from my memory but make a point)stronger a load than anything I will ever put through them at any one time.
Everyone on the "yes" side agrees that giving these PreWar guns a steady diet of +P is not a good idea. It will ultimately wear the gun out loosening it up faster than with modern standard rounds. But that is not really the issue here, but rather whether the D frame gun is safe for the modern .38+P round (or even hand loads equivolent to the .38-44)