When it comes to ammunition
what does "+P" really mean?
Example
SAAMI sets the MAP (max avg pressure)… for 9mm that is about 35,000psi. +P is about 38,500.
SAAMI doesn’t really address the +P+ stuff to my knowledge
The +P for me always did a little better for short barrels under 4” but I reload most of it anyway. Just an observation after shooting snubbed guns with +P. I don’t have pressure equipment to say what my reloads really do honestly.
Most +P ammunition is aimed at carry gun
applications. In my very limited testing it only adds to the cost of the ammunition. Real world benefits did not seem worth the added expense. Unless it is a psychological bonus to the user. Some folks are geared that way and it's valid, nothing wrong with that. A very large portion of CCW is simply psychological. "Feeling" confident and secure that you are more safe since you have a possibility of defending yourself. That's 99.9% of it until the fateful day you are actually forced into the next dimension of the concept, actually called to duty.
If it makes you feel fuzzed up to pack +P or +P+, party on, no one here is gonna give you grief. The only exception I truly did see was .45 ACP ammunition garner a REAL 15% increase in velocity from a 5" Govt. model. That was much more salty than in my .38 Revolvers.
I would recommend staying away from +P+ ammo
in most cases that may well be too hot for your particular gun. The labeling +P+ is more a gimmick to make the gun's owner think he has something hotter than someone else. If it is actually a +P+ load it just might be too hot, especially with the lighter weight carry guns these days.
9mm +P and +P+
I own a all steel Star compact 9mm. This gun was made from the mid 70's to early 90's. It was very popular with European police dept. I was advised +P was ok and +P+ was a no no. So I load 124gr. to +P levels.
I can't think of a gun that would be beefy enough
or strong enough for a diet of +P+ ammo. For sure not today's guns. That Star BM that Alcorn has is one of the strongest all steel 9mm pistols on the market but I wouldn't run +P+ ammo thru it either.
There was some "machine gun" 9mm ammo out there that was probably a bit hotter than regular 9mm but I would bet it was maybe +P level and for sure not +P+ level. I have read in some magazine articles that there was never any "Machine gun" ammo made but I beg to differ.
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