+P and +P+ ammo for Springfield XD(m) 9mm

[TomR]

I purchased a Springfield XD(m) 9mm this week and had questions about the use of +P and +P+ ammo that were not addressed in the online manual. I received the following from Springfield customer support.

"Due to the fact that our entire line of XD pistols feature fully supported and ramped barrels, using +P and +P+ ammunition will not damage your gun. However, we do recommend that you make sure the ammunition is American made and is in new condition (not repackaged or reloaded.) Due to the increased power of +P and +P+ ammunition, the cycling of your XD may be affected by this different ammunition. If you are planning to use +P or +P+ ammunition, we recommend that you fire it extensively at the range before relying on it for concealed carry or self defense. It is important to ensure that it will run reliable in your XD. Although +P or +P+ ammunition will not damage your XD, a steady diet of this higher power ammunition may decrease the service life of the barrel and/or firearm."

Less than 24 hour turnaround on my inquiry.

[ftncityfatboy]

I have shot about 50 rounds of Double Tap +P thru my springfield just to get the general feel for the gun's reaction to the +P. I would not recommend running a steady diet of +P or +P+ thru it other than occasionaly. I shoot lead round nose reloads thru mine with somewhat light loads of powder. It loves the lighter loads!!! Good idea to carry +P and/or +P+ for personal protection IMHO.

[Oh Shoot]

A LEO on here, I can't remember who, might have been from over at Hero Gear's stable?, posted a thread where the local force's XD .45s were stovepiping with a certain round they were testing.

Pretty sure the gist was that the round was too hot for the factory spring, and the slide coming back to battery was actually too quick for the previous round to eject.

By the way, I'm leery of "+p+" labeled 9mm. There is no SAMMI spec for it, and 9mm already has a lot of pressure.

- OS

[Guest eyebedam]

I think it was CIS Todd that posted about the bad ammo exp.

[Oh Shoot]

I think it was CIS Todd that posted about the bad ammo exp.

Yeah, thanks, I think you're right.

Couldn't find thread, but I didn't search too long.

Don't think it was "bad" ammo per se, but sounded like they'd need stronger spring or something if they were going to rely on it. Never did hear the upshot of that.

If Todd doesn't see this thread inna day or so, I'll try to remember to PM him a pointer to it for his comment.

- OS

[DWARREN123]

If you run a lot thru it go to a heavier recoil spring.

[Guest Hi Point]

I have heard that +p+ is an unregulated term so it really doesn't mean anything? Is there any truth to that?

[Oh Shoot]

I have heard that +p+ is an unregulated term so it really doesn't mean anything? Is there any truth to that?

4 posts above you:

"There is no SAMMI spec for it"...

Should be "SAAMI", sorry.

It's an undefined term.

Georgia Arms sells both a +p and +p+ 115 grain 9mm Gold Dot hollowpoint round.

The +p claims 1250 fps and the +p+ 1300 fps. That's how they delineate it, but you'd have to compare with what other makers claim just to see how gray a standard it is.

Of course, SAAMI standards, as I understand them, are maximum safe recommendations, and most makers stay under it.

I've often heard it said that NATO 9mm is at least +p and maybe higher, but I have no factoids to point to.

It does seem valid though, that the Springfield, with it's supported chamber, is more likely to safely shoot rounds that might KaBoom a Glock. This seems almost entirely related to .40, though.

- OS

Edited July 24, 2009 by OhShoot

[Guest bkelm18]

Right, there is no standard for +p+, so where one manufacturer might load it slightly hotter than standard +p, then next might load it significantly hotter than +p, and both would be called +p+. Different strokes for different folks, but I personally stay away from it.

[Guest Todd@CIS]

A LEO on here, I can't remember who, might have been from over at Hero Gear's stable?, posted a thread where the local force's XD .45s were stovepiping with a certain round they were testing.

Pretty sure the gist was that the round was too hot for the factory spring, and the slide coming back to battery was actually too quick for the previous round to eject.

By the way, I'm leery of "+p+" labeled 9mm. There is no SAMMI spec for it, and 9mm already has a lot of pressure.

- OS

Yep, it was me. Here's the thread. To clarify, in our particular experience, I believe the MAG springs were main the culprit, not the recoil springs (although they can both play a role).

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/handguns/12225-range-report-bad.html

TomR...I will say this, I don't remember thinking that the XD 9mm / .40 mags had "too weak" mag springs. On the other hand, the minute I looked at an XD45 mag, I remembered thinking that Springfield should have beefed up the spring.

One thing to note, since starting the above thread, Wolff now offers extra power mag springs for the XD45...I need to buy some.

Edited July 24, 2009 by Todd@CIS

[Guest grimel]

Although +P or +P+ ammunition will not damage your XD, a steady diet of this higher power ammunition may decrease the service life of the barrel and/or firearm."

Less than 24 hour turnaround on my inquiry.

And in other news, grass is green and water is wet. Using +P ammo will decrease the service life of any barrel and any firearm. Keep up on your spring changes, cleaning, and lubricating.

Every manuf. gives that type of standard boilerplate responses.

[Guest DEROARK]

I don't get the +P hype at all. I have tried it in 45 and find it less accurate and consistent than standard load. Not just Springfield but in several guns. Maybe someone could enlighten me?

[Guest dizzielizzie]

Doesn't every gun manufacturer have some type of generic "disclamer" about ammo?

But I have wondered what does the +p mean & what does it do...

I was told that a quality self defense ammo is just as good as going to a +p ammo...

[Oh Shoot]

Dizzie, I'm far from claiming to know much about sophisticated ballistics, but:

+p is generally 50-100 feet per second faster than the same weight bullet fired from standard loading.

For example, Remington offers 5 different 124 gr. 9mm loads.

The standard ones are 1100-1125 fps.

The +p one is 1180 fps

In this case, the +p round is likely to do more damage than the standard ones.

It's generally a good thing to use +p, say, in .38 special, because that's generally a good bit slower round in standard loading than some other calibers with about the same bullet weights.

We're talking self-defense purposes here, not shooting for precision target purposes, etc.

+p is a published standard for loading in some calibers (.38 special, 9mm, .45 acp)

+p+ is "made up"

- OS

Edited July 29, 2009 by OhShoot

[Guest 1shot]

With SAAMI there are a number of rounds that they keep the pressure really low because they may be used in weapons that are very old and can't handle the pressures. 7 and 8 mm Mauser and 6.5X55 Swede are some of the rifle calibers and 9mm Luger is one of the pistol rounds. The C.I.P. standard (European standard) what is called +P or +P+ pressure in the US SAAMI is normal pressure by C.I.P. standards. NATO 9mm ammo that our troups in the US use would be classed +P by SAAMI but is standard pressure by C.I.P. standards. IF your Springfield won't handle the +P ammo get yourself a Glock it will.

[Oh Shoot]

I purchased a Springfield XD(m) 9mm this week and had questions about the use of +P and +P+ ammo that were not addressed in the online manual....

XD's are fine with any commercial ammo out there. They have supported chamber so they are less likely to KaBoom even from an excessively hot round that slipped by quality control than some other makes. Obviously, hand loads can be suspect, you have to really trust who made them, or yourself.

I carry Golden Saber 124 gr. +p in both my XD9s and have shot maybe 200 rounds of it just to make sure it functions correctly in both these guns, my Kahr PM9, and even my Hi-Point 995 carbine. Have also done the same with some 124 gr. +p Gold Dot made by Georgia Arms that I bought a stash of.

And yeah, +p is bound to take more a toll long term on your weapon. But unless you have really deep pockets you're not going to be shooting a couple hundred rounds per week of it at range.

Besides, XD has lifetime warranty...if you're able to "wear your gun out" (I'm thinking 50K rounds as possible threshold) they'll put it back to factory specs.

- OS