I had a five round rossi 38 special sent to me. It was purchased by my father sometime in the 90's. When I had it transfered to me the clerk sold me some federal hollowpoints and recommended I not shoot +p from it. I don't think he was giving me the time of day or payed too close attention to the gun. I recently purchased some +P. Can I use it???

Welcome to the forum ikova. Rules are simple, be nice and join in.

Taurus now owns Rossi. I'd give them a call or email and ask. I wouldn't shoot them til I found out if it's rated for Plus-P's. Here's their web site.

Taurus USA (http://www.taurususa.com/main/index.cfm)

+P ammo will be safe in your gun, in the sense that it will not blow up or wreck the timing in short order. Over the long term, it would probably be best if you did the bulk of your shooting with non +P loads, though. Why accelerate the normal wear that will occur on any revolver with hot loads? Practice and recreational shooting -- standard loads. For self defense -- +P OK.

I also have a Rossi .38 Special - 5-shot revolver. Mine has a 4" barrel.

I called Rossi and asked them if it would be okay to shoot +P ammo in this gun. They told me "no".

I did it anyway. Gun has not blown up or suffered any ill effects that I can see. I've probably fired 10 rounds at most of the +P ammo. The personal defense ammo that I keep loaded in the gun most of the time is +P ammo. But, if I go to shoot at targets I always fire standard .38 Special ammo.

Unfortunately, it seems like all the good personal defense ammo with quality bullets is rated at +P. If you find some good personal defence .38 Special rounds that are not rated +P, please let us know.

A dose of +P once in a while won't kill .38's designed for the load, but even the Smith's from the '90s were not all +P rated.

If you look at the performance of +P relative to Non +P loads, there isn't a lot of point in them anyway.

One thing is certain, a regular diet of +P in a non rated gun, will shoot things loose in very short order. I once stood beside a shooter who put two boxes of +P through a nearly new M36 S&W, and when he was done, it had to go to the Smith Dr. for repairs. The guy at my old shop was a gunsmith for the local law enforcement guys, his best busines was tuning up M36's that received regular use with standard ammo.

It's a bit like asking if a fashion model can eat brownies. The answer is Yes - but not too many and not too often!

Shoot a few +Ps to learn where they print, then do all your practice with standard-pressure loads. Carry the +Ps.

In non-+P, I like two loads. One is any cast SWC bullet at standard velocities -- say around 800 fps from a snub. The other is discontinued, but I still run across it fairly regularly -- the old Federal Nyclad non-+P 125 gr. hollowpoint. I bought 5 boxes of it last year in a clearance sale at $12 per box.This is the one that was referred to as the "Chief's Special" load. It is dead-soft lead, nylon jacketed, and expands like crazy.

Folks tend to completely dismiss the old 158 gr. roundnose loads, but even they are nothing to scoff at. They tend to be very accurate in almost all guns, they penetrate extremely well, and countless bad guys are pushing up daisies as a result.

i had an rossi 357 that wouldn t hold up to +p..
never understood it.. i could feel the action getting rougher all the time..
i figured a 357 could handle the 38 + ammo alright but didnt turn out so good.

It's a bit like asking if a fashion model can eat brownies. The answer is Yes - but not too many and not too often!

I'll remember that one :D

It's a bit like asking if a fashion model can eat brownies. The answer is Yes - but not too many and not too often!

Shoot a few +Ps to learn where they print, then do all your practice with standard-pressure loads. Carry the +Ps.


Will the non +P loads shoot to the same point of aim? I dought it since recoil in a handgun affects sight in. I am a firm believer in practicing with a load the recoils and shoots the same as my carry load. I don't want to trust my life to a load that I am not 110% familiar with. I can repair or replace a revolver, but I can't replace me..