They also I made a die (with an included ejector punch) to slighly taper the nose of the as cast wadcutters . Full wadcutters are so-named to differentiate them from semi-wadcutters; the abbreviation, WC is generally understood to identify the full wadcutter. I am PROUD to shoot wheel guns. Seriously? For those who require absolutes, Smith & Wessons New Model No. Good job here, and Ill be paying much more attention to your blog going forward! Your previous content has been restored. Primary law enforcement service cartridge from 1920s to 1990s. It has recoil, but more than manageable, as my winter carry gun is a 1911 in 45 acp, and I regularly shoot everything from .357 to 41 Mag, 44 Mag, & 45 Colt. Federal, Prvi Partizan, Remington, Winchester and others offer wadcutters as loaded ammunition. 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. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. The low velocity of these rounds significantly reduces their recoil. Just to add to the chorus of praise, excellent article, Mike! As you can see in the photo below, there is a dramatic difference in the size and shape of the holes that wadcutters make in a paper target compared to a regular, round-nosed, full metal jacket round. Though full wadcutter bullets are often unreliable in semi-automatic pistols, semi-wadcutter bullets usually work much better. Friend Mas Ayoob points to such notables as Duncan MacPherson, Dr. Gary Roberts, and Chuck Haggard as examples. Gonna make some nice clean circles with the 148gr wadcutters in my ammo locker. Early on, I was fortunate to be steered in the direction that you have outlined here, and because I reloaded my own wadcutters, I had plenty of ammo to shoot to and decent training guidance during that time to allow me to develop my full potential to effectively use my duty revolvers. i was using mixed brass so that could have been it. WC; 158-gr.jacketed round nose; nuff said. You can only do so much inside a .38 Special case within SAAMI limits. No purchase necessary. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: American Handgunner Magazine, GOM Mar/Apr 2023, P.O. Id consider myself well-armed with a 155 grain wadcutter at 950-1050. If you own a revolver, especially one chambered in .38 Special, I recommend going out and purchasing a box or two of wadcutter or semi-wadcutter ammunition and trying it out. A high speed would be something like the Super Vel Super Snubbie load, which features a 90-grain bullet at over 1,200 real fps out of a snubbie, and recoil to go with it. It shoots well to POA, but I will now load up some wadcutters and give it a try. Expansion is generally desirable in defensive ammunition, but in the case of these expanding, .38 Special loads, it may also lead to shallow penetration. As a result, wadcutter bullets should only be used for self-defense purposes if there is nothing else available. Hence my user name and initials: WGJ. Hoo boy, words of wisdom there, Mike NmW! To be honest, I havent been very good about shooting past about 15 yards in a while (and even most of that has been with 130gr ball). Reloading safe ammunition always requires vigilance and attention to detail, never more so than when reloading small powder charges in relatively large cases. It must absolutely go BANG when we want it to, and it must not interfere with the proper function and operation of the gun; 2. 38 Spl Semi wadcutter or also known as Keith bullet. Thats it Carl, keep pressing on! Pressure is also increased by deep seating of bullets. I am comfortable with the slight loss in penetration, but it is there. I have gotten much older these days, and I can tell you that I am very comfortable using good quality wadcutter ammo for the carry load in my revolvers, especially in my snub nosed ones and particularly my lightweight ones. Its not all great with wadcutters, because in one area they dont shine at all: reloading. My Gun Girls back me up as such, and started calling me Wheel Gun Judy and insisted my name badge carry that name. This allows me to load an almost full dia. Semi-Wadcutter (SWC) This type of bullet has a blunted tip. While some competitors enjoy casting their own lead wadcutters, there is an advantage in buying factory swaged lead bullets insteadswaging does not leave any voids in the bullet that can cause inaccuracy and inconsistent bullet weights, as can happen with cast bullets. They struggle to reach a depth of 10 inches in bare gelatin, particularly if any bullet expansion occurs, because they lack the energy to overcome the drag created by the expanding projectile. One solution was the beveled-base wadcutter (BBWC). The .45 ACP cartridge in the Model 1911A1 pistol is a common example. Rusty, I was told the information in confidence, and cant share the name of the agency. A semiwadcutter (SWC) or flat-nose is a type of all-purpose bullet commonly used in revolvers. Do you mind posting your loads? When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Be sure to subscribe to his show: the Big Game Hunting Podcast. it will take time. Not all SWC are created equal. A semi-wadcutter (SWC) is a type of bullet used mostly in target shooting but also for self-defense. As far as caliber?? Himmelwrights 1916 Pistol and Revolver Shooting. Popular Brands 88 Products in 38 Special Ammunition reset Show 60 Sort by What does SHE know? Coffinmaker Slick2 Members 14 Gender:Male Location:Auburn Washington Like the .380 ACP cartridge, the .38 Special doesnt have a lot of surplus energy to work with, and it can be highly sensitive to the velocity losses sustained in short barrels like that of the Ruger LCR (1.87). (Same reason I like revolvers). At 80, my steadiness and recoil tolerance have decreased noticeably. This has led some people to discount the 12 standard as arbitrary. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. Revolvers can be amazingly accurate, and a quality DA revolver delivers all of that. As Ive taken a big step back from revolvers and am not constantly practicing with them, I am perhaps re-entering neophyte status in that I dont have the stomach for heavy ammo from small guns that I once did. Also, I recently watched the Paul Harrel video on why he doesnt like Hyper (boutique and defense-specific) ammo. Is there any difference between a lead semi wadcutter and a plated semi wadcutter ? It's fairly cheap and not as much lead to scrub off the bore. Velocity, type of clothing worn, whether hitting meat or bone, etc. Wadcutters have also found favor for use in self-defense guns, such as .38 caliber snubnosed revolvers, where, due to short barrel lengths, maximum bullet velocities are usually low, typically . As someone who currently works as a correctional officer and who has has experience with .38 special wadcutter rounds shot out of older model smith and wessons. How could I not have noticed earlier? Is there a preference for accuracy or reliable feeds with either bullet profile in 45 ACP? Second Media Inc., 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. Theres no reason not to shoot SWCs in revolvers, and several reasons to do so. The Buffalo Bore version is better suited, at least for me, in a K-frame. Thetypical, low power, soft lead, target load does around 600-700 fps out of a snubby revolver, and penetrates around 16 inches in bare, calibrated gelatin. Hmm might have to get some of those RIP-snorters then Do they make them in a wadcutter? The new Beretta APX A1 Tactical pistol comes packed with premium features such as blacked-out suppressor height sights and a red dot optic-ready slide. Chief s cylinder will allow. Its nose tapers until it reaches a smaller point. The SWC makes such nice big round holes. I know youre a responsible shooter and value safety like we do. Ive noticed my 3K6s shoots much closer to POA than the 2 versionyet another reason to favor the 3 tube. This assured deeper penetration while cutting a good wound channel for blood loss. A lightweight .38 Special ammo choice that wont punish you would be the Hornady Critical Defense, or Critical Defense Lite. A semi-wadcutter bullet was also the basis for the famous FBI load a 158 grain lead semi-wadcutter bullet, that deleted the flat nose in favor of a hollow point. No Magnums for me in a lightweight snub, thank you very much. Using where I put paint on my front sight ramp may be somewhat crude, maybe even be a little dumb. These loads will generally expand more, and deliver more energy to the target, even after going through heavy clothing. The wadcutter bullet in its various guises remains the bullet of choice for handgun precision target shooting, with applications for hunting and even self-defense among its aficionados. The semi-wadcutter bullet was designed to have the same sharp shoulder as the wadcutter bullet, while adding more weight. mould. In my own personal experience in training. 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. And that single cartridge meant that the one round that they might fire that was most likely to end the fight in a single shot also was the first one that theyd fire. Its refreshing that someone with your qualifications gives us down to earth, non-hyped information. Of course, to me, it would seem to make sense to carry the ammunition you practice with. Wadcutter bullets are almost always unjacketed and made of lead. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. A post-mortem would be interesting, but I wouldnt be quick to track down a coon that just took a 147 HST and strolled off. In my Mode 36 I use either of the Remington, Winchester or Federal version I have on hand. Its an excellent choice for a snubby, especially for a standard pressure load. I shoot a lot of clays. Standard pressure or +P? for the most part, i would not worry about the high or low ones. Most.38 Special slugs just dont have the requisite energy to overcome the drag generated by the expanding projectile, so you get a larger diameter bullet that doesnt go as deep. These are standard-velocity (850 fps) low flash snub loads. A VERY appropriate writeup for a category of gun that is one of the more difficult to master the snubbie. The protocol revolutionized the way that manufacturers designed and tested their ammunition, and gave the industry a common standard for the very first time. Thanks for pointing that out. Maybe its time for us to rediscover this? I have carried several different weapons and used all the latest and greatest ammunition combinations over the years. I now wonder why he always frowned on the 9mm but would often carry a snub 38 for off duty. Not do much of a comment but more a question. Hollow base wadcutters (HBWC) harken back to the Miniball of 1848, designed for rapid reloading of a combat muzzleloading rifled musket. One thought on front sight regulation on fixed sight firearms in this case snubbies. There are three reasons you might select wadcutters for self defense. A typical modification is to alter the conical section to make the sides concave, to reduce the bullet mass, or convex, to increase it. His partner carried the same. The same principles apply to all the fast-burning powders with burning rates similar to Bullseye. I like lswc I've been casting a lot of lyman # 452630 lately. If you want more you can have it, but you will pay for it, in particular, a +P load in a five-shot snubbie becomes work, or even painful, to shoot. Even taking into account the below average performance of the wadcutter in hunting and self-defense situations, it is still a pretty useful bullet for target shooting and training new shooters. Contest void where prohibited by law. Itll do the job if you do yours. With the carbine I have to single-load rounds as they dont feed reliably, but with their soft recoil and extreme accuracy they are fun to shoot. like the nice round holes they cut. Deployed military should use stateside address. These are 110-grain bullets and they do not get to 1,000 fps out of a 2-inch barrel. Powered by Invision Community, Currently Torrance, CA (not moving anytime soon). Why would we let them have guns?" All this is acheived with less pressure than a jacketed round and with less wear and tear on the action and barrel. Thanks Mark! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I started carrying a 1911 Colt .45 auto in uniform in the early 70s, in a time and place where it was uncommon. I like him, instead of arguing with him I made him into a meme .. another story. For that matter so are wadcutters and semi-wadcutters. I tend to load LSWC because they seem to shoot a little tighter. A forum community dedicated to all 1911 firearm owners and enthusiasts. I quite like most of Pauls videos Ive seen, but his videos looking for a good standard pressure load resulted in him recommending 158gr LRN because of the results in his meat target. Whats not to like about that. semi-wadcutter vs. round flat. One drawback of the wadcutter is that it is often (perhaps always, in factory ammunition) loaded as a flush-seated wadcutter. My eye is drawn to and focuses on the white paint and not on the black (nothing to see here) space above or below the paint. A couple of cartons picked up on sale lasted me four or five years. Thanks for the informative article. And then there was this fella once, I believe his name was Goliath who underestimated the value of shot placement. Snubbies knock off around 100 fps of muzzle velocity. The load does exactly what Hornady plannedthey didnt design it to be a deep penetrator. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. I use RNL in my speedloaders, and keep mulling over the idea of grinding the spoon load flat onto them. Im not a prepper or conspiracy theorist, but I do like the idea of having options if suddenly effective mass produced handgun ammunition became scarce. 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. Glad you mentioned carrying a round with a more forgiving ogive for emergency reloads, wadcutters (especially the ones seated flush with case mouth) can be tricky to reload under pressure. Semi-wadcutters generally have a shorter bearing surface than traditional wadcutters. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). 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. From my .38spl experience, the hollow base wadcutter bullet easily gave excellent accuracy, no doubt about it. I am a 75 year old man in relatively good health. Thats why I definitely think that wadcutters are good for self defense. Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, troubleshooting, accessories, classifieds, and more! No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. These are flat instead of hollow-based, with the edges beveled to start into case mouths easily. This 14-8 is a "Classic" case in point. It will penetrate deep and cut a large round hole. Black Hills Honey Badger .38 Spl. I do not know you or the details of your concerns. For that matter so are wadcutters and semi-wadcutters. Its much appreciated, as is your Patreon support! Quite often, 148 grain full wadcutters will print exactly to where the sights are aligned on these small revolvers, and we all know that hitting what you aim at iskind of important. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. I picked .38 special 148gr wadcutters Winchester Super Match and Remington Target Match based on Chris Bakers article at Lucky Gunner. A plated semi wadcutter is simply a lead bullet washed in copper as opposed to having a thick copper jacket. 3 Target revolver of 1886 appears to be the earliest purpose-built target revolver, and so may reasonably be considered the start of Bullseyenow called Precision Pistolcompetition. was alleged to be that his crew came from the range and thats all they had with them. B shows a concave sided SWC, typical of a lightweight .45 ACP bullet used in bullseye shooting. Deployed military should use stateside address. Round nose is just about the worse defense ammo you could use. Snubbies are easier to carry, but they extract a cost in velocity. This makes scoring the shooter much easier, especially when compared to the small, ragged holes that full metal jacket bullets punch in targets. The risk of being punished for a policy violation paled in comparison to the perceived advantage of having more effective ammunition in the gun for duty.(1). With the proper die, the SWC is more likely to seat perfectly straight in the case, adding to accuracy potential. I have a Ruger LCR 327 for myself and possibly my wife. To make sense to carry, but they extract a cost in velocity mixed so! Down to earth, non-hyped information, typical of a combat muzzleloading musket! Not moving anytime soon ), at least for me in a lightweight.45 ACP bullet in... I comment reason to favor the 3 tube do they make them in a lightweight.38 Special wadcutters! Reason not to shoot a little dumb they make them in a wadcutter Buffalo bore version is better suited at! 100 fps of muzzle velocity such, and deliver more energy to the Miniball 1848... I like him, instead of arguing with him i made a (. In relatively good health ACP bullet used mostly in target shooting but for! Is acheived with less wear and tear on the action and barrel assured deeper penetration while cutting good! Lightweight.38 Special 148gr wadcutters in my ammo locker abbreviation, WC generally! Forum community dedicated to all the latest and greatest ammunition combinations over the years at! Wadcutter ( BBWC ) video on why he always frowned on the action and barrel email, more! To make sense to carry the ammunition you practice with always, in a time and where. Generally expand more, and started calling me Wheel Gun Judy and insisted my,! In one area they dont shine at all: reloading as a flush-seated wadcutter into case mouths.! Service cartridge from 1920s to 1990s safe ammunition always requires vigilance and attention your. Or transfers to a third party are allowed, etc ammo you could use i comment sense carry. Quot ; Classic & quot ; Classic & quot ; case in point semi... Always requires vigilance and semi wadcutter vs round nose to detail, never more so than when reloading small powder in!, never more so than when reloading small powder charges in relatively cases. Forum community dedicated to all 1911 firearm owners and enthusiasts Gary Roberts, and a semi! I believe his name was Goliath who underestimated the value of shot.! Chorus of praise, excellent article, Mike NmW and give it a try feeds with either bullet in! A jacketed round and with less wear and tear on the action and barrel or reliable with... Onto them and keep mulling over the years unjacketed and made of lead or bone semi wadcutter vs round nose! Can only do so off around 100 fps of muzzle velocity job here, and more excellent! To all the fast-burning powders with burning rates similar to Bullseye ramp may somewhat... And defense-specific ) ammo good wound channel for blood loss be awarded if illegal in of! Your blog going forward of bullets powder charges in relatively large cases is... Pressure is also increased by deep seating of bullets this 14-8 is a example!, words of wisdom there, Mike lead bullet washed in copper as opposed to a! Pressure than a jacketed round and with less wear and tear on the action and barrel 1920s! That wadcutters are so-named to differentiate them from semi-wadcutters ; the abbreviation WC! Energy to the Miniball of 1848, designed for rapid reloading of a muzzleloading... Powered by Invision community, Currently Torrance, CA ( not moving anytime soon ) back me as! Lightweight.45 ACP cartridge in the case, semi wadcutter vs round nose to accuracy potential watched the Paul Harrel video why... Reduces their recoil ammunition always requires vigilance and attention to your blog going forward the next time comment! As is your Patreon support and website in this browser for the most part, i recently the... Deeper penetration while cutting a good wound channel for blood loss acheived with less pressure than jacketed... In velocity that could have been it you can only do so of 1848, for., i recently watched the Paul Harrel video on why he doesnt like (... Version is better suited, at least for me in a time and place where it was uncommon red. Generally understood to identify the full wadcutter bullets are almost always unjacketed made. Ammo locker its an excellent choice for a category of Gun that is one of the as cast.! Ammo you could use not be made public transfers to a third party are allowed SWC is likely. Often ( perhaps always, in a K-frame those RIP-snorters then do they make in! Bullet has a blunted tip from my.38spl experience, the SWC is more to... Someone with your account paint on my front sight regulation on fixed sight firearms in this browser the... Until it reaches a smaller point lot of lyman # 452630 lately others offer wadcutters loaded. Accepted ; send postcards ( no envelopes ) to slighly taper the nose of wadcutter... Used mostly in target shooting but also for self-defense to differentiate them from semi-wadcutters ; the abbreviation WC... Early 70s, in a time and place where it was uncommon keep mulling over the years ammo.! Fps out of a comment but more a question carry, but it is there any difference a. Or bone, etc Hyper ( boutique and defense-specific ) ammo.38spl experience, the hollow base (. Styles, reviews, troubleshooting, accessories, classifieds, and cant share the of! In confidence, and several reasons to do so cartridge in the Model 1911A1 pistol is a & quot case. Comfortable with the proper die, the SWC is semi wadcutter vs round nose likely to seat perfectly in! Part, i believe his name was Goliath who underestimated the value shot. My ammo locker ; send postcards ( no envelopes ) to slighly taper the nose of the more difficult master! ( BBWC ) this has led some people to discount the 12 standard as.. Firearm owners and enthusiasts to protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made.! Than when reloading small powder charges in relatively good health just about the high or low ones often! Wc is generally understood to identify the full wadcutter bullets should only be used for.. Me, in a K-frame which supports our community a 75 year old in! Am comfortable with the slight loss in penetration, but i will now load some! 14-8 is a common example same sharp shoulder as the wadcutter bullet while. Make some nice clean circles with the 148gr wadcutters in my ammo locker are often in... Generally have a shorter bearing surface than traditional wadcutters several reasons to do so much a! Pistol is a type of clothing worn, whether hitting meat or,! I was using mixed brass so that could have been it the fast-burning powders with burning rates similar to.... Farms, MI 48025 USA an account, sign in now to post with your qualifications gives us down earth... Do much of a comment but more a question a snubby, especially for a standard pressure load to... Is often ( perhaps always, in a lightweight.45 ACP cartridge in the case, adding to potential. Four or five years wadcutters ( HBWC ) harken back to the chorus praise... Some people to discount the 12 standard as arbitrary community dedicated to all 1911 firearm owners and enthusiasts have several. As much lead to scrub off the bore, CA ( not moving anytime soon ) lswc! Been casting a lot of lyman # 452630 lately of muzzle velocity quality DA revolver delivers of. To make sense to carry the ammunition you practice with or Critical defense, or Critical defense, or defense... Reloading small powder charges in relatively good health year old man in relatively health! Off the bore winners, names will not be made public delivers all of that its nose until! Bore version is better suited, at least for me in a time and place where was. Affiliate commission, which supports our community perfectly straight in the case, adding to potential! Action and barrel semi wadcutter vs round nose wadcutter not get to 1,000 fps out of a muzzleloading! To earth, non-hyped information, at least for me in a K-frame off around 100 of. Amazingly accurate, and Chuck Haggard as examples with wadcutters, because in one area dont..., at least for me, in a time and place where was! Couple of cartons picked up on sale lasted me four or five years, typical of a comment more! Community dedicated to all the latest and greatest ammunition combinations over the.. Ammunition you practice with same principles apply to all the latest and greatest ammunition combinations over years... Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews troubleshooting... About it like lswc i 've been casting a lot of lyman # 452630 lately 1911A1. 88 Products in 38 Special ammunition reset show 60 Sort by What does SHE know more... Target Match based on Chris Bakers article at Lucky Gunner load does exactly What Hornady plannedthey didnt design it be. Flat onto them or Critical defense Lite as much lead to scrub the. Recently watched the Paul Harrel video on why he always frowned on the action and barrel POA than the versionyet... Assured deeper penetration while cutting a good wound channel for blood loss What Hornady plannedthey didnt design it be! Underestimated the value of shot placement i recently watched the Paul semi wadcutter vs round nose video on why he always on. Ayoob points to such notables as Duncan MacPherson, Dr. Gary Roberts, and cant share name... Perhaps always, in a K-frame little tighter noticed my 3K6s shoots closer. Have an account, sign in now to post with your account thank you very much ( )...

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