Although .38 Spl 148-grain wadcutter ammunition is generally thought of as paper-punching target ammunition, it is not a poor choice for general use and certainly is not last on the list for . Never underestimate shot placement no matter how big, bad and tough you are, and keep in mind that your open carry weapon could be taken and used against you. Reloading your own is a great way to learn about your ammo, and develop loads that work for your practice, and to find out what your upper level of recoil tolerance is. I sent him a photo of my first combo .38 Special wadcutter and 130 gr. As far as a go 2 house/nightstand weapon my 4 inch 7 shot 357 magnum fits the bill. Reliability. jacketed hollow point. As a seal, I carry what Im comfortable with ! Wadcutters can clearly cut the line of a higher scoring ring and in a sport where matches are won or lost by a single point, this matters. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Wednesday, September 03, 2014. Not all SWC are created equal. The same principles apply to all the fast-burning powders with burning rates similar to Bullseye. That's what reloading is all about. It might be just the ticket, depending on your needs. The 148gr wadcutter in the 38 Special falls dead center into my thought process concerning this topic. over the years that do in fact give good to excellent performance in the right situation and will reliably feed. Standard pressure or +P? The taper may be straight or curved. (Same reason I like revolvers). Pasted as rich text. A while back I got asked by a local gun shop guy why I carried wadcutters. Because semi-automatic pistols dont reliably feed full wadcutters without being specifically made or modified to do sothe Smith & Wesson Model 52 comes immediately to mindthese guns require semi-wadcutter (SWC) bullets to get that paper target clean hole effect of full wadcutters. This also makes for feeding problems when used in semi-automatic pistols (with the exception of the Smith & Wesson Model 52). The 2023 ACUI and SCTP National Championship, held on March 20-25 at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas, was a great success. They were so easy to shoot. Your gun may be the opposite or show no preference at all. They offer a full-diameter cutting shoulder, and yet they penetrate as well as anything else out there. May 27, 2005. dougk, Talking pistol cartridges only here; It is generally established that bullets with a meplat, or flat, on the nose will create a larger wound channel, create more tissue damage, dump more energy, and create more "shock" than their round nosed counterparts. The shooter admitted to being uncomfortable with the recoil, and had left the majority of the box of +Ps unfired. It sounds like were on the same page. In the wake of the horrific 1986 Miami Firefightin which two FBI agents were killed, three were grievously wounded, and another two were injuredthe Bureau conducted a series of Ballistic Workshops to enhance our understanding of terminal ballistics and develop improved standards for duty ammunition. Its interesting to note that when Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore designs his non-expanding Dangerous Game heavy pistol bullets, the shape he chooses is a flat-nose with the widest-possible meplat much like the wadcutter. Upload or insert images from URL. Choosing .38 Special Ammo For Self-Defense, Video: The Colt Paterson Revolver And Other Early Repeaters, Choosing Handgun Ammo: The Facts That Matter Most for Self-Defense, 8 On-Target Concealed Carry Insurance Options (2022), 10 Affordable Double-Barrel Shotgun Options (2023), Best AR-15 Options For Any Budget And Buyers Guide (2023), Best Concealed Carry Handguns For Women (2023). I dont think that is much difference personally, so Ill opt for the round with the better street reputation. I like him, instead of arguing with him I made him into a meme .. another story. (I) Giveaway ends March 31, 2023. It shoots well (sized .359) in every .38/.357 I have. So, there is a flatter-shooting option with better terminal performance that costs less and really only has one downside that my daily habits render moot. However, I bet the mid-range swaged wad cutter would fail the meat test. I use it in my snubs, as it would hit hard and is very accurate. BrianEnos.com But I do agree that they are effective self-defense loads for the snubby. If we were sitting together around a campfire, wed probably keep each other entertained into the wee hours with animated discussions about sectional densities, stories of hunting bullets that brought down game, or the best carry loads for our gats. Contest open to U.S. residents only. First mention of Buffalo Bore Ive seen (admittedly been scanning/scrolling) yet NO mention far as I can tell of Buffalo Bores 150-gr hardcast wadcutter loads. Formal bullseye target shooting with revolvers appears to have begun soon after the end of the American Civil War, coincident with the advent and improvement of self-contained metallic cartridges. My recoil tolerance has jumped ship, so that I can flinch even shooting my .22 rifles. Thanks for mentioning that. Accuracy. WC; 158-gr.jacketed round nose; A VERY appropriate writeup for a category of gun that is one of the more difficult to master the snubbie. The cone shaped semi-wadcutter has a flat tip, and then a very sharp shoulder. All their graphs, charts, tables, and slide rules told them that the .357 Magnum was the King of stopping power, so why would anybody choose something less? The only negative I can think of for round nose is that they don't cut as nice a hole in the target so you could lose a point here or there that you might have gotten with a semiwadcutter, but the benefit of the doubt should go to the shooter in almost all of those cases anyway. Lead semi wad cutters, cuz they look cooler :rock: My pistols feed and shoot either style equally well. Save my name and email to use for future comments. 2018. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. Another disadvantage of the waductter bullet is the horrible aerodynamic shape of the bullet. Also why would someone go w a 380acp when u can buy 9mm cheaper w greater selection in both ammo and firearms? The ammunition must be inherently accurate enough to deliver the required precision, but it also mustas part of a system, which includes the shooter and gunprovide the requisite practical accuracy to allow the shooter to place his rounds, where desired, on the target. This article discusses a relatively uncommon bullet type: the wadcutter. For IPSC major 230 FMJ, LRN, black bullets are the best IMO.. At 50$ per 1000 rounds though, how can you beat shooting lead if your gun runs reliable w/ it? Most factory wadcutter loads shoot at low velocity, typically 700-800fps in full sized handguns and 500-600fps in short barreled pistols. A .32 H&R Magnum round would be excellent alternative, and I think a wadcutter bullet in that chambering would also be an excellent choice. Contest open to U.S. residents only. It's about scoring. Lets spotlight a few wadcutter designs. dominated the Strasbourg Racoon Tests in every tested caliber. And if my supply of .22 Magnum gets too low I know these .38 Special wadcutters would handle farm and garden pests quite handily. Theres a reason that snap caps and other dummy cartridges are distinctly marked. The 41 was 210 grain semi wad cutter and the 45 was 250 round nose. Though this is not usually an issue for most handgun shooters, it is a little bit more of a concern for shooters using a carbine chambered in a pistol cartridge (such as .357 or .44 Magnum). Second Media Inc., 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. Raccoons are tough, but if you hit a switch youll shut em down, if you hit a major vessel youll set a timer, and if you hit the right mechanical structures you might reduce mobility. The wide nose is less prone to deformation than a narrow nose, allowing the bullet to keep its shape and continue to penetrate even if it encounters bone. No purchase necessary. With a 2.7-gr. At this point, I am way more likely to be carrying a second gun than a reload, and even that is pretty rare. Whats not to like? They just waddle-trott on up into the woods, cruising by my propane tank thereby avoiding any further attempts at pest control. (I) Giveaway ends March 20, 2022. Thats exactly what I did with my 442. Deployed military should use stateside address. When we looked at the most likely jacketed hollowpoint options in .38 Special and .357 Magnum, none of them fared well when we measured them against these priorities for our friend. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. I just wanted to remind you that you action types are not the only game in town. I reload for all my firearms and carry 148gr poly coated button nose wad-cutters as initial contact rounds in my ex PD S&W model 10-10 revolver with poly coated 148 or 158 grain flat nose or semi wad-cutter loads in Safariland Comp II speed-loaders as back ups because as you stated full wad-cutters can be difficult to load quickly. The bullet nerds were trying to be helpful, but they didnt do a very good job of reading the situation and tailoring their advice for our friend. Thats why youll find my Ruger LCR loaded with Federal Gold Medal Match 148 grain full wadcutters. The wide square bottom grease groove holds ample lubricant. However, when a situation is not ideal (as most of them are not), they have a better chance of being at least reasonably effective. The sharp corner of the slug also allows the bullet to get a bite and dig in when it hits a rounded or angled surface (like a skull, or other bone), instead of glancing off harmlessly, like a bullet with a rounded profile might. Hence my user name and initials: WGJ. Justin. Deployed military should use stateside address. As always Mike, great article!! How can a solid slug hope to compare to the performance of a modern, jacketed hollowpoint? You get what you pay for, and you pay for what you get. When you go from a 4 barrel to a 2 barrel, its not uncommon to lose around 100 feet per second (fps) in many .38 Special loads. Step up to the line at a Bullseye match and see if the shooters there feel that a round nose bullet is as accurate as a SWC. I think the real reason the bullseye shooters liked the bullet is you could get less recoil( due to less weight) and still get flatter trajectories than the 230 for their 50 yard targets. I have greater accuracy and faster sight acquisition with that 38 than i do the glock. Unless you absolutely need that level of performance (and I cant imagine how to require it, and not move up in gun size), then live with it. Second Media Inc., 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. for my snubbies. With these either end can be started into the case mouth. Everything that needs to be learned by an inexperienced shooter can be learned by shooting wadcutters, and they will be more likely to shoot lots of them than the more unpleasant ones. I just stumbled onto the answer and after seating the bullets to the proper depth I found that they cycle perfect. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. 38 , 9mm 45 acp all work if you are willing to practice with them. The final choice of bullet for the .357 Magnum was thus based on the earlier Keith and Sharpe bullets, while additionally having slight differences from both. I tend to load LSWC because they seem to shoot a little tighter. Normal wadcutter seating depth is with the bullet nose flush with the case mouth. Well, maybe not by my auto-pistol friends, but I dont care. The cone shaped semi-wadcutter has a flat tip, and then a very sharp shoulder. pressure in the gun, now relegated to fishing-vest carry. It's just that most RN (FMJ with open bases, or plated, or lead) are usually the least expensive and therefore usually of lesser consistency. The more I think about this subject, the more I am inclined to switch to wadcutters. I shot my lowest Q-score ever: an 89. Full wadcutters cant expand, and in independent ballistic testing they push through four layer denim and penetrate to the FBIs recommend depth of 12-16 inches. Cast bullets offered by Oregon Trail include the 200 grain Semi-Wadcutter patterned after the Hensley & Gibbs #68, a 225 grain Flat-Nose, and a 230 grain Round-Nose. Its an excellent choice for a snubby, especially for a standard pressure load. Outstanding! One downside is the top part of the sight will block some of your sight picture so this might not work for you. You can also count Daryl Bolke in that group. The 41 magnum (semi wad cutter) groups were a little bit bigger. I made a die (with an included ejector punch) to slighly taper the nose of the as cast wadcutters . A bullet that looks like an overpenetrator in gelatin might turn out to be just fine in the real world, where it has to defeat a non-homogenous, clothed target. This may look like legal advice. lead hollow point: another 148-gr. I do both, LRN in 230gr and LSWC in 200gr no problems, my colt gov likes the 230's and my colt commander likes the 200's very well. This has led some people to discount the 12 standard as arbitrary. Designed for competitive shooting, the flat nose and sharp shoulder of the bullet ensures that it cuts clean, "cookie cutter" holes in the target. This year I switched to Short Colts and run RN or conical, wadcutters won't with with the Short Colts. By this measure, many .38 Special bulletsand particularly the low recoil varietyfail to attain the desired penetration. Gonna make some nice clean circles with the 148gr wadcutters in my ammo locker. That application answers the question are wadcutters good for self defense? The surprising answer to that question is yes. The wadcutter is likely the first bullet conceived exclusively for Bullseye target competition, the impetus being the sharp-edged holes it leaves in paper. The SWC combines features of the traditional round-nosed bullets and the wadcutter bullets used in target shooting, and is used in both revolver and rifle cartridges for hunting, target shooting and plinking. For quick reloads you want something that glides into the chamber a lot easier than a wadcutter. Wheel Gun Judy, Its not what you think, Esalen evolution: A retreat for the next age, A sound plan gives strength to New Years resolutions. Thanks Riley! For defense ammunition I cast Lyman 140 grain WC and Lee 150 grain WC (Bhn 9 -10, air cooled). They at least have the bonus of being usable as an outdoors load against an animal if all you happen to have is a .38 snub. It just doesnt perform well in barrier testing. This makes the rounds more accurate, which is desirable for precision shooting. I say that because shooters are sometimes warned that painting a front sight can alter POI because the shooter will use the top of the paint rather than the top of the sight as the aiming point. But then again, how long and how many rounds would it take the typical USPSA shooter to get 5 hits touching a 3 inch circle, strong hand only, at 25 yards? For example, the Serria 125 gr .355 RN is a standout in the FMJ RN type, giving some outstanding groups at 50 yards, basically equal to the Hornady 115 gr XTP JHP (which is one of the best in the 9mm class). Center into my thought process concerning this topic difference personally, so that I can flinch shooting! 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I use it in my ammo locker a photo of my first combo.38 wadcutters... 150 grain WC ( Bhn 9 -10, air cooled ) is likely the first bullet conceived exclusively for target!.22 magnum gets too low I know these.38 Special wadcutters would handle farm and garden pests handily... Friends, But I dont care you can also count Daryl Bolke in that group,. Easier than a wadcutter then a very sharp shoulder a go 2 house/nightstand weapon my 4 inch 7 shot magnum! Else out there willing to practice with them Special bulletsand particularly the low recoil varietyfail attain! Local gun shop guy why I carried wadcutters target competition, the more I am inclined to switch to....