I now have a M637 Airweight. This design feeds much more reliably in a semi-automatic pistol, is much more aerodynamic, and cuts holes in paper that are almost as clean as a traditional wadcutter does. I should probably give 25 yards a try with the Hornady. However, these are by necessity relatively highly engineered and thus rely on system parameters to be within certain design criteria. Additionally, wadcutters are difficult to quickly load due to the blunt, un-tapered shape of the bullet. Im confident the information is accurate, however. Ill now be on the lookout for an opportunity to use the phrase,handful of violent despair and fire breathing dragon. Thats just poetic! Soft Point. I didnt know that Id strike such a chord on this topic, but Im glad to see so many knowledgeable RevolverGuys chiming in and sharing their experience. Like Wheel Gun Judy, I can hit what Im aiming at relatively quickly. With these either end can be started into the case mouth. Trying to learn about all my option with my first revolver. It might be just the ticket, depending on your needs. Plus, we also have jacketed hollow point for self-defense. True, the bullet casting competition shooter will ensure uniformity by weighing his bullets to identify those with voids, but the knowledge and skill required for casting bullets for precision shooting takes time and dedication to develop, and probably most handloading competitors buy swaged lead bullets. But for the .45, you really can't beat the Nosler 185 JHP for accuracy, although I get the same size groups with Oregon Trail 200 gr. Some loads (like Federals 9BPLEa 115 grain, 9mm+P+ jacketed hollowpoint) regularly fail to meet the 12 gelatin penetration standard, yet have excellent track records in actual police shootings. Slow and steady wins the race, although Im not actually competing against anyone. In my Mode 36 I use either of the Remington, Winchester or Federal version I have on hand. I mean, nobody ever loaded up their family in a buggy, and traveled half a day to watch the amazing displays of fantastic misses by Annie Oakley. All aspect of ballistics aside, this wonderful article is composed in a clear, well-versed English which is a joy to read. Its interesting to note that when American police were carrying lots of .38 Special revolvers loaded with solid projectiles, there was a belief in some circles that the square-shouldered wadcutters and (to a lesser extent) semi-wadcutters did a better job than round nose lead bullets. The problem with that logic is that I havent been carrying reloads very much. If youre not a patron, please consider supporting us we cant do this work, at this level, without your continued support. Yep, raccoons are tough critters. Thanks Riley! As you pointed out, they do pretty much everything you could want (except expand, or course) and they have the added benefit, at least in the Lucky Gunner test, of maintaining very consistent performance out of different barrel lengths if that is relevant for someone. Folks that start from a point of no experience and who have been directed to use the loudest, fastest, and least pleasant to fire ammo, expecially with a short barrel, will not likely stick around long enough or shoot enough to ever become comfortable and proficient with that firearm. 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. The .38 Special wadcutter has an enviable record of accuracy in the most demanding revolver shooting disciplines (such as bullseye and PPC), and its mild manners allow a shooter to juice the greatest level of practical accuracy out of their gun, since the modest recoil doesnt interfere with getting hits. For the non-handloader I would highly recommend buying a case of name-brand US manufacture 148-grain wadcutter and marrying it to a pair of Airweight revolvers, 2 and 4 as primary carry and backup or New York Reload. Right. The wad cutter or semi-wad cutter cut a cleaner hole which is easier to see and score. And then there was this fella once, I believe his name was Goliath who underestimated the value of shot placement. I use either the 140 or 150 grain wadcutter to insure POA =POI at 10 meters. Your gun may be the opposite or show no preference at all. Thanks LB! Semi-wadcutters are a cross between traditional lead round nose and the full wadcutter. Additionally, the bullet is usually all lead and has no jacket. Medium-sized revolvers, the six-shot wheelguns and those with 3- or 4-inch barrels, are a lot easier to shoot and deliver the ballistics you want. I really appreciate your comments and Im glad youre enjoying the site. It's been my experience that the 200gr LSWC is slightly more accurate than the 200gr LRN. The low velocity of these rounds significantly reduces their recoil. Heres hoping it doesnt get too much worse. And, obviously it only works in one direction: bringing the POI up. As we know, misses are a liability as well as ineffective! No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. SIG Elite .38 Special Ammo $17.99 cabelas.com. at. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if needed) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. How can a solid slug hope to compare to the performance of a modern, jacketed hollowpoint? Thanks for the great article. If you do not anticipate barriers, then you will be happy. A semi-wadcutter (SWC) is a type of bullet used mostly in target shooting but also for self-defense. thanks. Lead full wadcutters are essentially lead cylinders ringed with lubrication grooves. Is that to expect? Velocity, type of clothing worn, whether hitting meat or bone, etc. So, am I saying that target grade wadcutters are always the best choice in defensive ammunition for .38 Special revolvers? My personal choice is a round nose flat point, as they are easy to cast. OK, it seems as if the SWC shooters like the holes. For decades, Hunters have appreciated the terminal performance of hard cast bullets with wide meplats. For example, a .38 Special wadcutter, abbreviated WC will have the flat nose of the projectile flush with the case mouth. These are flat instead of hollow-based, with the edges beveled to start into case mouths easily. Theres no free lunch in ballisticsespecially in .38 Special snubby ballistics. i was using mixed brass so that could have been it. For run and gun games I use either RN or conical. Re: 38 Special Factory 158gr Lead Semi-Wadcutter or Lead Round Nose For Distinguished Revolver. I also have a Model 37 Airweight Chief which is fed only wadcutter. As a bonus, the light-kicking wadcutter allows you to get back on target faster for a follow up shot, and even hits where most fixed sights are regulated tosomething that cant be said for many other popular loads. Most factory wadcutter loads shoot at low velocity, typically 700-800fps in full sized handguns and 500-600fps in short barreled pistols. Do you have a source on that? Purchase A PDF Download Of The March/April 2017 Issue Now! But since I generally find ammo I like I dont change very often anyhow. Judy, youve got me blushing now. Wadcutters are an anomaly. But that's what it's called in the rule book. 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. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. Snubbies knock off around 100 fps of muzzle velocity. This was not idle chatter or war stories. This restricts the use of wadcutters to relatively close range (<50 yards). There are some loads that feature weights less than full but not all the way to light. Second Media Inc., 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. And on YouTube the MAC channel (Military Arms Channel) did a comparison between a .357 magnum in a snubbie and 9mm in a snubbie. Whew!! I shoot a lot of clays. The original load, a lead round-nose 158-grain bullet, was marginal as a stopper. The cone shaped semi-wadcutter has a flat tip, and then a very sharp shoulder. My 640 is a .38 Special, but even if I had one of the newer, Magnum-frame guns, I wouldnt be shooting .357s in it. I knew what you were talking about. The smallest have diminished capacity, five shots vs. six. This improved stopping power because of it's flat front also called metplate. lead round nose; 158-gr. FMJ target. Theres been more than one accident from a novice shooter or unauthorized user firing a flush-seated 38 wadcutter that they thought was an empty case. Then, instead of filing my front sight down (if that is what would be required) I put white or orange paint (depending on color of front sight) where it needs to be on the front sight ramp. Correspondingly, the semi-wadcutter design is more common and is used in a number of cartridges for revolvers, semi-automatic pistols, and even a few rifles for both target shooting and big game hunting. This is a new approach, and we see it working in the .38 Special. for the most part, i would not worry about the high or low ones. The ragged holes typically left in paper targets by standard profile bullets can be difficult to score when they land close to a targets scoring rings, and can cost bullseye shooters some points. And if Jim Cirillo thought it would do the business, thats good enough for me. Ive heard good things about Buffalo Bore and Underwood, and think a hard cast bullet makes a lot of sense in this role, even if the gunshop commandos sneer at it. A person who is so careless that they would hurt themselves in the manner you described, probably isnt safe with any gun/ammo combination, and shouldnt have access to them without proper supervision. If you want both penetration and expansion, youll have to accept greater recoil. No purchase necessary. Millions of factory and handloaded wadcutters were used. lead bullets also take less powder to get to a specified velocity. Now, around our property I carry either Buffalo Bore or Underwood .38 special 150gr hard cast wadcutters. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. Learn how your comment data is processed. easily changed ramp.) No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. But, if you want the benefits of extra pressure you need extra barrel length. 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. a. time. Try some TC - truncated cone - best of both worlds. A few .38 Special cartridges, from left: 148-gr. The entire article is worth reading. More if it is lightweight bullet. Revenge travel: Making up for lost time, but at what cost? (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. I use wadcutters as my first 5 in a Model 36. The full wadcutter (WC) and the semi-wadcutter (SWC) are the two basic types that branch into a number of derivatives, such as the hollow base (HBWC) wadcutter, double-ended wadcutter (DEWC), hollow point semi-wadcutter (HPSWC) and bevel base wadcutter (BBWC). The 45 Colt just grouped tighter and seemed to be more accurate. & They make a real good cookie cutter hole all the way through the attacker regardless of the coat or cloths they wear. After the experience with the .38 +P loads, the thought of shooting .357 Magnum had our shooter concerned. Very helpful. For that matter so are wadcutters and semi-wadcutters. John McAdams is a proficient blogger, longtime hunter, experienced shooter, and veteran of combat tours with the U.S. Army in Iraq and Afghanistan. Do you mind posting your loads? For carry, the GP-100 and 686 usually get magnum loads, but I load the 640 with the wadcutters. Wadcutters are designed to cut clean holes through paper making it easier to see your hits. In an era of hi-tech hollowpoints, why in the world would I recommend a low speed, solid lead, soup can of a target round for defense? Although I can shoot Speers 135 gr Short barrel loads in .38 Special and 357 Magnum relatively well, and even the 357 Magnum loads seem to recoil just a bit more than my ancient IPSC load, which I still reload and shoot as my everything load, It just isnt as much fun as it was years ago. The flat profile of the bullet cuts neat, easy to score holes in paper targets. This, combined with the fact that many semi-wadcutter designs have a grease filled groove cut into the side, means that factory loads using semi-wadcutters are typically loaded to obtain much higher velocities than traditional wadcutters. Im humbled, and pleased youre getting so much out of our efforts. Some handloaders complained the HBWC design slowed down the loading process. For quick reloads you want something that glides into the chamber a lot easier than a wadcutter. I get better accuracy out of them and they feed well in all my 1911's. Since Keith was a prime motivating force in the development of the first magnum handgun cartridge, the .357 Magnum, he was very interested in maximizing the amount of case volume for the slower burning powders needed to push heavy bullets at high velocities. I am PROUD to shoot wheel guns. Some of you are probably bullet nerds too. While the wadcutter has an entirely flat front, a semi-wadcutter looks like someone put a cone on top of a wadcutter, then cut the tip of the cone off. I also use .38 special wadcutters from Choice Ammunition, which they claim are hard cast but low velocity (experience with them tells me this is true, maybe +/- 700 fps?). With the edges beveled to start into case mouths easily or semi-wad cutter cut a cleaner hole which fed... Lead full wadcutters are designed to cut clean holes through paper Making it easier to see your.... 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All the way through the attacker regardless of the projectile flush with the mouth! Experience that the 200gr LSWC is slightly more accurate probably give 25 a... I carry either Buffalo Bore or Underwood.38 Special revolvers end date some TC - truncated -! ) Winners must undergo a background check ( if semi wadcutter vs round nose ) and comply with other... Our shooter concerned with all other Federal, state and local laws there are some that... Of wadcutters to relatively close range ( < 50 yards ) want something glides. We know, misses are a cross between traditional lead round nose for Distinguished revolver around property...
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