"Extreme Shock" question?
I recently acquired a Colt 1903 "Hammerless" in .32acp.
I picked up some ammo today, "Extreme Shock" frangible rounds. The box says "..intended for use in modern firearms designed and chambered by the manufacturer for +P and +P+ ammunition ..."
Is my Colt 1903 capable of +P+ pressures?
I appreciate the help.
I picked up some ammo today, "Extreme Shock" frangible rounds. The box says "..intended for use in modern firearms designed and chambered by the manufacturer for +P and +P+ ammunition ..."
Is my Colt 1903 capable of +P+ pressures?
I appreciate the help.
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Is this Modern don't try to make a 380 into a 44 MAG . Will it blow up on the first shot [?]Most likely no will it make the parts wear faster Yes. 0 -
the gun was not designed with that ammo in mind 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Mgderf
Is my Colt 1903 capable of +P+ pressures?
I appreciate the help.
You mean will the gun blow up in your hand with one shot of +P+ ammo?
Probably not. . .though its hard to say for absolute sure.
Is it a good idea to use modern overpressure ammunition in a 100+ year old antique gun design?
Of course not. Even if the gun doesn't blow up immediately, the high pressure rounds are going to cause slide/frame battering and significantly increase wear and tear on the gun.
If you want to shoot the hot stuff, get an appropriate gun for it!
(Hint, the WEAKEST 9mm luger is more powerful than the MOST powerful .32 ACP, not to mention cheaper and far more readily available).
Edit:
A few more points.
Which gun *IS* this ammo appropriate for? Its probably intended for the Seecamps and/or North American Arms .32s, which are pretty strong. It might be worth asking the company that question. (ie which guns is it for). If I were to actually speak to a rep, I'd also ask them what ballistics do they claim for the round, so that I could at least guesstimate its pressure and effectiveness compared to other competing products on the market. If this info is printed on the package, I'd appreciate it posting it here for comparison.
Now, all that said, as mentioned, there is no standard pressure spec for +P+ ammo. Given the utterly shameless marketing hype (and ridiculous product prices) coming from this outfit, it wouldn't surprise me to find out that the so-called "Extreme Shock +P+" ammo actually isn't much (or even ANY) more powerful than ordinary .32ACP.
I couldn't find any "+P+" .32 ACP on its website (maybe they've discontinued it), but these are the company claimed ballistics for its current-offer 60 grain .32ACP:
quote:http://www.extremeshockusa.com/cgistore/store.cgi?page=/new/product.html&setup=1&ida=16&idp=63&his=0|63
Fragmentable Explosive Entry Enhanced Penetration Round(EPR).
Specifications:
* Caliber: .32ACP
* Grain: 60
* Velocity: 830 fps
* Energy: 92 ft. lbs.
"Fragmentable explosive entry"? Can anyone say "eXtreMe mArKeting hYpe"? I suspect, the only thing this round will cause to explode is your credit card bill!
From a ballistic standpoint, a 60 grain round doing 830fps and yielding only 90 ft-lbs is pretty anemic, barely suitable for shooting anything bigger than a jackrabbit. I doubt the round carries enough energy to "explode" (let alone fragment, explode and penetrate).
Note also that fragmentation and penetration work exactly against one another. Rounds that fragment tend to penetrate poorly, and rounds that penetrate well tend not to fragment. With a round as intrinsically weak as a .32ACP, I'd argue that fragmentation is the LAST thing you want, since you want every bit of penetration possible to hit a vital organ using the low-energy rounds.
In short, I'm saying that I don't believe the round can achieve what the manufacture implies it does, and even if it did, "explosive fragmentation" is the LAST thing you'd want it to do!
Continuing, even stipulating that the 32ACP caliber is pretty weak, is this particular brand of ammo even remarkable ballistically in its caliber compared to other competing brands? Suprisingly. . .no.
Lets compare it to the 60 grain Winchester silvertips, which for years have been the industry gold standard for defensive 32ACP loads:
Winchester Super-X Centerfire Pistol Ammunition X32ASHP, 32 ACP, Silvertip HP, 60 GR, 970 fps, 50 Rd/bx
So the cheaper, readily available Winchester rounds seem to be a good bit more powerful. Unless you think trick "fragmentable explosive entry" rounds are going to do something for you (and I don't; see above), I don't see the point of this ammo at all.
Bottom line is, in my opinion no matter WHAT load you're using, the 32ACP is an obsolete round. Nothing wrong with owning one, collecting them, or shooting them for fun, but given the choice there are any number of teensy light pocket autos in 380 available now that will be more effective than a .32. (Heck, you could even get the exact same Colt pocket auto in 380 if you liked). Even the most powerful +P+ .32ACP rounds are still likely to be less effective than ordinary .380ACP or 9mm Makarov rounds.
Now, hypothetically if it were an emergency, and all I had was this gun and the +P+ ammo, would I use it? Sure. Even stipulating that the +P+ rounds are running at fully 30% more pressure than ordinary .32ACP rounds making them equivalent to "proof" rounds, (and they probably aren't), I doubt a few rounds would cause the all-steel gun to blow up or instantly fail.
To save my life or that of a family member, I think damaging the gun or even having it completely ruined would be a small price to pay.0 -
As above,,,take care of that fine pistol.[:)] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by mm8nambu
As above,,,take care of that fine pistol.[:)]
This is EXACTLY why I asked. I thought it may not be a good idea. I didn't notice the +P+ disclaimer 'till I got home with the ammo.
I really like that little Colt, and I'll take care of it.
Are the newer Kel-Tec's rated for +P+?0 -
BTW, there is NO industry standard for +P+, and there is a standard for +P for only a few handgun cartridges. 32ACP is not one with an industry (SAAMI) standard for a +P. or a +P+ loading. So.... just how hot IS a .32 ACP +P+? Good question- because there is no standard answer- except it IS too hot for a nice old Colt 1903. 0 -
great reply Beantown, that should be archived as standard +P ammo reply. 0
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