+P+ in 226?

W

Willie Lowman

New member
I am a die hard Glock man but there is room in my heart for others.

I just got a Sig 226. I have a bit of +P+ 9mm JHP sitting around. I know Sig's have "to hell and back reliability" but how well do they stand up to over powered ammo? It is not my intention to use this as paper punching ammo but I also don't want my slide to go whizzing past my head when I am trying to defend myself...
 
C

Chui

New member
No pistol holds up well to +P+ ammo (i.e., if it's a steady diet of the stuff). Whatever the inherent weaknesses in the design is where it will prematurely fail.
 
G

goodspeed(TPF)

New member
I have shot quite a bit of +P+ ammo out of my SIG 226s. I even have a P226 chambered in 356TSW. :) I have never had any problems with my SIGs. All of mine are the earlier "West Germany" Sigs. The newer Sigs have milled slides as opposed to the older stamped sheet metal slides like mine. I wouldn't think you would have any problems with +P+ in your SIG but I also can't recommend it as I do NOT work for SIG and can not comment on what they authorize in their Sigs. Keep in mind the higher pressures and slide velocities will accelerate wear, but to what extent and weather or not you will notice it in your limited amount of shooting I can not say. I do have an older Sig 226 with over 10,000 rounds of ammo through it, mostly +P or +P+ and it is in fact a little looser than my newer Sigs, but it still functions fine and I still trust my life to it. Drop them an email and see what they have to say. Then come back and tell us too. :)
 
G

guypowell

New member
It will run through the SIG just as well as the Block. That said, I wouldn't make it a regular thing in any pistol, even the plastic one. The specs of +P+ are somewhat sketchy.
 
A

armsmaster270

New member
SAAMI specifications for common +P cartridges are as follows:

Cartridge Standard pressure +P pressure Notes
9 x 19 mm 35,000 38,500 10% increase
.38 Special 17,000 18,500 9% increase
.45 ACP 21,000 23,500 9.5% increase
.38 Auto 26,500 36,500 38% increase to make .38 Super
.45 Colt 14,000 25,000 79% increase, Ruger only load

The +P+ designation is not currently used by the SAAMI, but is used by some manufacturers to designate loads that exceed the +P SAAMI specification. One source lists the 9 x 19 mm +P+ loading as having a pressure of 42,000 psi, an 18% increase over the standard pressure of 35,000 psi, and the .38 Special +P+ as 22,000, a 29% increase over the standard pressure.[5]

Small ammunition makers and reloading guides will often include special loads for specific purposes, such as the above listed .45 Colt load for Ruger revolvers. These loads are generally designed to provide maximum performance from older cartridges, when used in newer, stronger firearms. The 14,000 psi limit for .45 Colt, for example, reflects the black powder performance of the round, and is safe even in firearms built in 1873, when the cartridge was introduced. Using modern, solid head brass in a Ruger Blackhawk revolver, a similar design originally chambered in the high pressure .44 Magnum, the pressure can be pushed far higher with no ill effects. However, since these loads, with nearly double the pressure, could destroy a firearm intended for black powder level loads, they are less commonly encountered.
 
W

Willie Lowman

New member
Well, I just got it straight from the Sig-horse's mouth... In a word. Don't.

"Any mil-spec or SAAMI spec ammo is fine. +P+ is to much pressure."

(But wouldn't IMI SMG ammo be mil-spec? That stuff is +P+) >: )
 
G

goodspeed(TPF)

New member
Well, I just got it straight from the Sig-horse's mouth... In a word. Don't.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing with the rest of the class. :)

So now that you have your "official" answer, what have YOU decided you're going to do? Inquiring minds want to know. :D
 
A

amd6547

New member
"Mil-Spec" presumably includes NATO spec loads...which are equivalent to +P+.
You should check out Sigforum and see what they say.
 
W

Willie Lowman

New member
Well, I guess I will stick to weak 115 grain FMJ loads from now on.

I won't load any of that +P+ in my "to hell and back reliable" handgun {speaking directly into hidden microphone} because that would be wrong. ;)
 
G

goodspeed(TPF)

New member
Well, I guess I will stick to weak 115 grain FMJ loads from now on.

I won't load any of that +P+ in my "to hell and back reliable" handgun {speaking directly into hidden microphone} because that would be wrong.
__________________
Click to expand...

Glad to her it. Me too. ;)
 
W

Webleymkv

New member
I'd shoot +P+ in a Sig, but it depends on what kind of +P+. I wouldn't worry too much about something like Winchester Ranger or Federal LE +P+ but I definately would not shoot something like subgun ammo in it.
 
4

45_Shooter

New member
No pistol holds up well to +P+ ammo (i.e., if it's a steady diet of the stuff). Whatever the inherent weaknesses in the design is where it will prematurely fail.
Click to expand...

That's not true in the case of 9mm. Service 9x19 chambered pistols are designed to accomodate 9mm NATO, which is nearly equivalent to 9mm Luger +P+.

At least a couple local LE agencies issue 9mm +P+ in their service pistols and in speaking with the armorer for one that uses the 9mm Glock family, they've used the load for years with no negative side effects to the pistols at all. He mentioned the +P+ and 9mm NATO equivalence saying that the pistol was actually designed for ammo on the order of +P+; I'd agree with him.

If you're talking other calibers then the story can be different; I won't use .38 +P+ in anything but a .357 gun for instance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top