Question about 9 mm +P or +P+ brass...

[Xippper]

Perhaps a stupid question...

Is +P or +P+ labelled brass (9 mm luger - once fired) any different from standard 9 mm brass?
Specifically as it pertains to reloading- standard loads (per powder manufacturers load data)...

I'm wondering if the brass is thicker to handle the additional pressure... and if it is, does it matter one way or the other? Can I use it to reload standard loads?


Dave

 

[Grawfr]

Xipper, is the brass head stamped that way by the brass manufacturer or just called that way by someone selling you a bag of "once fired" brass?

Some of Starline's brass is stamped "+P" but on their website they mention that "+P has no difference from the standard other than headstamp designation for load segregation. Due to standard case design, it will handle +P pressures with no problems" That's true of their 9mm Luger and .38 Special brass, not for of their .38 Super or .45 Auto brass.

Other manufacturers may or may not use slightly sturdier cases for their 9mm +P or for the NATO-spec 9mm which is roughly equivalent to +P (NATO ammo should be stamped with the cross-in-circle mark). SAAMI specifications are about peak chamber pressure and cartridges external dimensions, not about internal volumes or brass thickness AFAIK. SAAMI recognizes +P, but not +P+.

So, to answer your question: only way to know is to find who manufactures that brass and ask them, I think.

http://www.saami.org/pubresources/cc_drawings/Pistol/9mm%20Luger%20-%209mm%20Luger%20+P.pdf