What is plus P ammo?
Sophia Edwards
Updated on June 02, 2026
Overpressure ammunition, commonly designated as +P or +P+, is small arms ammunition that has been loaded to produce a higher internal pressure when fired than is standard for ammunition of its caliber (see internal ballistics), but less than the pressures generated by a proof round.
Is plus P ammo better?
The +P designation for ammunition has absolutely nothing to do with the potential for the ammunition to be more effective at stopping bad guys. The +P designation only means that the ammunition is loaded to a higher pressure.Is 9mm and 9mm +P the same?
9mm vs 9mm +PSAAMI specifications stipulate that the maximum pressure for standard 9mm ammo is 35,000 psi, whereas 9mm +P ammo is rated for a maximum chamber pressure of 38,5000 psi (10% higher).
Does +P ammo have more recoil?
The wound cavity created by the +P load was bigger because the bullet's expanded diameter was larger—not because of the increase in velocity. Granted, the bullet expanded more because it impacted at a faster speed, but it slowed down quicker, too. One thing +P ammo almost always causes is more recoil.Is +P 9mm worth it?
In past decades, +P loads actually WERE necessary because standard pressure hollow points were found to not expand reliably when used by police. In particular, 9mm was notorious for it, but some hot loads - such as SuperVel's and CorBon's 115-grain +P and 115-grain +P+ JHP rounds - were found to work very reliably.What does +P mean for your bullets?
Is +P bad for your gun?
So Is +P Ammo Safe To Shootyes, with some caveats. It is well within the tolerances of modern firearms and certainly within the pressure level created by proof loads which modern guns are tested with. Therefore, it's "safe."