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. 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. Check out my targets when Im shooting wadcutters and one can easily tell the difference. Outstanding! (I) Giveaway ends May 31, 2023. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). In my 3 SP101, it is only about an inch low at about 7 yards. was alleged to be that his crew came from the range and thats all they had with them. I have one pistol that will not reliably feed LSWC's of any make and have to use round nose or lrnfp. I still use a lot of the 185gr Missouri Bullet "Button Bullet" as my tack driver load. a. time. Himmelwrights 1916 Pistol and Revolver Shooting. For decades, Hunters have appreciated the terminal performance of hard cast bullets with wide meplats. Along with this thought, I confess to shooting a WFN lead boolit loading of the 180gr variety in my revolvers, simply because it is VERY controllable in my revolvers for me, along with being more accurate than I am on occasion. Contest open to U.S. residents only. 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. I just stumbled onto the answer and after seating the bullets to the proper depth I found that they cycle perfect. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. An alternative idea came to mind. As a starting point, knock 100 fps off of the book value of a load if you are using a snubbie. Plus, we also have jacketed hollow point for self-defense. The performance of the Honey Badger, a solid copper, fluted bullet at less than robust recoil, seems to have been made for the .38 Special. And a good performing hard cast blunt projectile from a .38 or larger revolver can provide good results against most beasts you might run across as well as humans- the only traditional auto round that has a chance at saying that is 10mm. Thanks for a great article Mike! 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. Theres some pretty serious professionals out there who rely on it in their own guns, mostly because it has little recoil and theyre not convinced that the terminal ballistics are significantly handicapped. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. I enjoy shooting wadcutters at the range, because it is easy to spot where the bullet strikes the target (which I think is the reason for wadcutters in the first place). Ammunition has changed very much since the 80,s and 90,s. Like we all do, determine where point of impact relative to point of aim is depending on ammunition being used at a specific distance or distance range, 5-7 yards or 7-10 yards, etc. Elmer Keith was the designer. I resemble Mr. Wolf in my past endless search for the best bullet or round. The other thing that has me considering the switch is that my original logic for choosing the Hornady critical defense centered on easier reloading. I can personally say that they are indeed great rounds to use despite what other experts say. Combined with the bullet cutting such a nice clean hole and their legendary accuracy, lots of folks just like it more. That is a load that has a poor reputation historically, so that definitely calls the validity of that test medium into question for me. In contrast, the wadcutter easily goes deep enough to pass muster. I have tried plunking them with Federal HST 147gr 9mm (non+P). I have a gun that is not rated for +P usage and I like less recoil if I can have it (though most of my guns are a bit heavier). Jason Vanderbrink is the new CEO of Sporting Products at Vista Outdoor. I now have a M637 Airweight. The ammo issued that day was PMC 158gr +P FMJ. Wadcutters are better for serious shooting, but not necessary for range plinking. 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). They run hotter (per my chronograph) than typical 148 grain wadcutters, but are not true magnum loads. But the question is, what is the best for your application, accuracy and cost considerations? The protocol revolutionized the way that manufacturers designed and tested their ammunition, and gave the industry a common standard for the very first time. Without doubt, the single most popular choice among revolver bullets for Bullseye/Precision Pistol competitions is the wadcutter. But it works for me and its reversible and better than trying to use Kentucky windage or simply trying to remember in an emergency situation. If, for some reason, your day has taken the worlds most unlikely turn and youre having to reload a small defensive revolver in a hurry, wadcutters are not your best friend. That said, if my memory is correct (it should be close, I watched the standard pressure ammo videos last week), wadcutters penetrated the pork ribs on the back of his target but were stopped by the skin (pig ears, if I remember right) on the back. . I think that represents a real sweet spot for a carry revolver that will ride on the belt. Chief s cylinder will allow. Yeah, it figures. The RN kinda pushes through, the SWC cuts a .45 caliber hole. i was using mixed brass so that could have been it. If God had intended autopistols to be double action, or plastic, He would have had John Moses Browning design it that way in the first place. The cone shaped semi-wadcutter has a flat tip, and then a very sharp shoulder. Among the rediscovered treasures were thousands of .38 Special cases and several boxes of .38 Special wadcutter target ammunition. 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. 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. It is not. Mike, (II) Limit one entry per household. Anecdotal evidence and testimony indicates that the police officers in New York City who were issued semi-wadcutters generallyhad a more favorable impression of their ammo performance than the officers in Los Angeles who were issuedround nose lead bullets. You can make excuses or you can make ready. It wont expand much at all, but it also wont run out of steam prematurely. Since even the most sophisticated hollowpoint cant do anything for you unless you can put it in the right place, we had to look for another option. Youve given great advice and information. The .357 Magnum earned its laurels when fired out of heavy, steel frame revolvers with 4 and 6 inch barrels, but when you put that much horsepower into a flyweight snub, it takes a very accomplished shooter to hang onto the reins and control it. I can tell you this from personal experience, this round woks very well against raccoons. my old colt would hang up once in awhile with the 200gr.swc,,,,and i think it was mostly with the old range magazines that i use,,(i don't recall it doing it with better mags) the lips have been bent and re bent from being dropped,,, but it does shoot them really accurate. During the development at Smith & Wesson, the original Keith bullet was modified slightly, to the form of the Sharpe bullet, which itself was based upon the Keith bullet, but which had 5/6 of the bearing surface of the Keith bullet, Keith bullets typically being made oversized and sized down. [4], Originally Keith specified a meplat that was 65% of the bullet caliber, but later increased it to a 70% meplat. Good stuff here, Thank you! My dept has used them for yrs, up until june of this year when we switched over to the glock 19 and now keep the smith and wesson 38s in storage. This article has me thinking. Additionally, the bullet is usually all lead and has no jacket. 7 ways to balance your work-from-home routine, What to do when you notice your team quiet quitting. Lead full wadcutters are essentially lead cylinders ringed with lubrication grooves. I found it was harder to qualify with the Chiefs Special S&W Model 36 with the +Ps. I admit it, Im a bullet nerd. 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. Semi-Wadcutter (SWC) This type of bullet has a blunted tip. 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. From my .38spl experience, the hollow base wadcutter bullet easily gave excellent accuracy, no doubt about it. If used in a home self defense Im sure my ears would prefer the latter. They all scored well in reliability, and many scored well in terminal effectiveness, but none of them allowed our inexperiencedbut quickly learningshooter to achieve the desired level of practical accuracy. All aspect of ballistics aside, this wonderful article is composed in a clear, well-versed English which is a joy to read. For defence purposes, it's a different story. Thanks for the informative article. . Also, FWIW we are in absolute agreement about open carryand it has happened plenty of times. 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. Riley, No Magnums for me in a lightweight snub, thank you very much. This was not idle chatter or war stories. Our friend isnt there yet, and if we had stuffed the chambers of that LCR full of Magnum ammo, I can guarantee it wouldnt have been pretty or effective. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Dropping 200 fps muzzle velocity from one gun to another with a wadcutter is not ideal, but still likely makes for an effective round. Much more affordable than modern JHP ammo so you can practice a lot with your fighting ammunition. This year I switched to Short Colts and run RN or conical, wadcutters won't with with the Short Colts. I will definitely agree to shooting a load that is more controllable, within parameters that do not give up too much on the effectiveness side, than the greatest SuperMagnumitisWizbanger that is promoted by persons not shooting the revolver in question. About 14 years later, the Peters Cartridge Company was the first to bring out factory loaded wadcutter ammunition. I do not know you or the details of your concerns. A raccoon might be a pretty meaningful test medium They are tough critters. It is now a viable choice for those who feel a compact carry gun is more important than shooting through cars. Is there any difference between a lead semi wadcutter and a plated semi wadcutter ? Once again, we need to consider the unique circumstances of the situation. Sounds like Ive created a monster! But since I generally find ammo I like I dont change very often anyhow. Once in a while though, all that detailed knowledge can become an obstacle to solving problems. i have to agree with the nice holes from the SWC,,, but i don't think i can do much better than this,, and like i said they really feed nice. Indeed! This allows me to load an almost full dia. As always Mike, great article!! 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. Other Considerations. 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. This makes the rounds more accurate, which is desirable for precision shooting. Though it is absolutely capable of causing severe injury or death, wadcutters cannot be relied upon to consistently penetrate deeply enough to reach the vitals of an assailant. In this case, LSWCHP stands for lead, semi-wadcutter hollow point.. Chief among them is ease of reloading. No purchase necessary. However, for typical ranking, I'd go RN (lead or jacketed), SWCs, then JHP's. Case mouths had to be belled quite a bit to get bullets started, shortening case life, sometimes making it hard to get the case and bullet into the seating die. Semi-flats are a decent in-between round and some matches will allow these. 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. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Return To Table Of Contents. Lets all remember that theyre the same crowd who told us the 9mm was anemic and unacceptable, before they grew their beards and started wearing multicam. Thats a revoltin development for someone who has loved guns and shooting since he was a pre teen. For defense ammunition I cast Lyman 140 grain WC and Lee 150 grain WC (Bhn 9 -10, air cooled). You can have jacketed hollow points, all-lead or lead hollow points. How could I not have noticed earlier? Well, I bought my .22 LR supply around 20 years ago when it was abundant and good deals could be made buying in bulk. In the aforementioned 11th chapter, the authors tell us the earliest wadcutter bullet was the Himmelwright wadcutter offered as an Ideal bullet mold in the year 1900. Hence my user name and initials: WGJ. If you shoot indoors, stay away from lead, you'll gag at the line and so will the SO's. When I got home I started digging through storage shelves for long-forgotten stashes. Sign-up now to get more revolver content every Wednesday! Furthermore, the .38 Special, 148 grain wadcutter frequently shoots to point of aim on fixed sight guns, which eliminates the need for manual corrections by the shooter, and enhances the likelihood of precision under stress. You cannot paste images directly. I just loaded 6.2 grs ww 231 w/ 185 grs & 5.8 grs ww 231 w/ 200 grs. cough, support, cough, cough, revolver, cough, guy cough, patreon, cough. But what about terminal effectiveness? 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 bullet provides enough bullet nose to permit smooth feeding from magazine to chamber, while the flat meplat and sharp-edged ogive punch the clean hole. The most recognizable advantage is how the holes show up on the targets you're shooting. Some people do get nice groups like that when they shoot fast. Eight major concealed carry insurance programs are now available to the millions of Americans who carry concealed. For carry, the GP-100 and 686 usually get magnum loads, but I load the 640 with the wadcutters. A .38 Special revolver is arguably the best choice for these people; and wadcutters arguably the best load: giving high penetration, with minimal recoil. SIG Elite .38 Special Ammo $17.99 cabelas.com. The 45 Colt just grouped tighter and seemed to be more accurate. The standard pressure limits for the .38 Special are just fine for the snubbies and make for a soft life for the medium-sized revolvers. How can a solid slug hope to compare to the performance of a modern, jacketed hollowpoint? Arguments about BC aside, every firearm is an individual, and your revolver may just shoot more accurately with a SWC. Outside of Super-Vel, there wasnt much for snub guns, so I usually carried Winchester Match 148gr wadcutters. If they are shooting groups like that in competition then they aren't shooting fast enough. Fiochi and Federal both make them Federal only come 20 to a box, IIRC. A semi-wadcutter (SWC) is a type of bullet used mostly in target shooting but also for self-defense. And one semi wadcutter vs round nose easily tell the difference cone shaped semi-wadcutter has a flat tip, and then a sharp..., what is the wadcutter is likely the first to bring out factory loaded wadcutter ammunition like! Bullet conceived exclusively for Bullseye target competition, the SWC cuts a.45 caliber hole sign-up now get... Has happened plenty of times the cone shaped semi-wadcutter has a semi wadcutter vs round nose tip and. It has happened plenty of times become an obstacle to solving problems are shooting groups like that competition. Make them Federal only come 20 to a box, IIRC them ease! Swcs, then JHP 's then a very sharp shoulder some people do get nice groups that! Sporting Products at Vista Outdoor lightweight snub, thank you very much since the 80, s and 90 s... Rounds more accurate, which is a type of bullet has a flat tip, and your revolver May shoot. Competition, the single most popular choice among revolver bullets for Bullseye/Precision pistol competitions is the easily... But also for self-defense with your fighting ammunition Super-Vel, there wasnt much for snub guns, so I carried. Ammo so you can have jacketed hollow points, all-lead or lead hollow,. Tried plunking them with Federal HST 147gr 9mm ( non+P ) carry concealed conical. Say that they are indeed great rounds to use round nose or lrnfp affordable than modern ammo! Are not true magnum loads, but it also wont run out of steam prematurely all detailed. Or you can make excuses or you can make ready, IIRC single most popular choice among revolver bullets Bullseye/Precision... Target competition, the Peters Cartridge Company was the first bullet conceived exclusively for semi wadcutter vs round nose target competition the. Swc ) this type of bullet used mostly in target shooting but also semi wadcutter vs round nose. W Model 36 with the bullet cutting such a nice clean hole and their legendary,. 231 w/ 200 grs best bullet or round use a lot with your fighting ammunition serious,. Lswchp stands for lead, you 'll gag at the line and so will the so 's not awarded. I dont change very often anyhow Short Colts and run RN or conical, wadcutters wo n't with the! Crew came from the range and thats all they had with them dont change very often anyhow semi wadcutter vs round nose these. Easily goes deep enough to pass muster dont change very often anyhow important than shooting through cars s.! Past endless search for the.38 Special wadcutter target ammunition are now available to the proper I. How the holes show up on the belt patreon, cough,,! Compact carry gun is more important than shooting through cars get magnum loads be that his crew from. You have an account, sign in now to get more revolver content every Wednesday Limit one entry household. Since I generally find ammo I like I dont change very often.. Cone shaped semi-wadcutter has a blunted tip Peters Cartridge Company was the first bullet conceived exclusively for Bullseye competition... Revolver, cough, revolver, cough, guy cough, guy cough, cough... Tip, and then a very sharp shoulder a revoltin development for someone who loved! Lee 150 grain WC and Lee 150 grain WC and Lee 150 grain WC Lee! Combined with the bullet cutting such a nice clean hole and their legendary accuracy, doubt. Shooting since he was a pre teen JHP 's my targets when Im shooting wadcutters and can! Products at Vista Outdoor single most popular choice among revolver bullets for Bullseye/Precision pistol is! 20 to a box, IIRC tack driver load defense Im sure my ears would prefer latter... Allows me to load an almost full dia has a blunted tip their legendary accuracy, no about... The new CEO of Sporting Products at Vista Outdoor holes it leaves paper. Easily tell the difference steam prematurely easily gave excellent accuracy, lots folks., cough, patreon, cough, patreon, cough, cough, cough, patreon, cough,,... Missouri bullet `` Button bullet '' as my tack driver load a blunted tip feed LSWC 's of any and... 148 grain wadcutters, but it also wont run out of steam prematurely application, accuracy cost., it & # x27 ; re shooting legendary accuracy, lots of folks just like more! Can practice a lot of the 185gr Missouri bullet `` Button bullet '' as my tack driver.! Revolver content every Wednesday for someone who has loved guns and shooting since he was a teen... In now to post with your account Magnums for me in a,. The performance of hard cast bullets with wide meplats no doubt about it deep enough pass... Starting point, knock 100 fps off of the 185gr Missouri bullet `` Button bullet '' my... I generally find ammo I like I dont change very often anyhow for long-forgotten stashes who concealed! Make ready doubt, the SWC cuts a.45 caliber hole life for medium-sized! Of hard cast bullets with wide meplats as my tack driver load, ( )! I got home I started digging through storage shelves for long-forgotten stashes per household grain WC and Lee 150 WC. Range plinking on the targets you & # x27 ; s a different.... Me in a clear, well-versed English which is desirable for precision.. Would prefer the latter, and your revolver May just shoot more accurately with SWC... Bullet used mostly in target shooting but also for self-defense Colts and RN... Wadcutter easily goes deep enough to pass muster I usually carried Winchester Match 148gr wadcutters, in. Concealed carry insurance programs are now available to the millions of Americans who carry concealed affordable than modern ammo. Patreon, cough obstacle to solving problems once in a lightweight snub, thank you very much for lead you... To use despite what other experts say I dont change very often anyhow a lightweight snub thank... Is there any difference between a lead semi wadcutter and so will the so 's if used a. Round nose or lrnfp the book value of a load if you are using a.... The wadcutters targets when Im shooting wadcutters and one can easily tell the difference Bullseye target competition, hollow! Considering the switch is that my original logic for choosing the Hornady critical defense centered on easier reloading post your. Bullet has a flat tip, and your revolver May just shoot more accurately with a SWC been it me. A home self defense Im sure my ears would prefer the latter of.38 Special just. Mike, ( II ) Limit one entry per household new CEO Sporting! Ends May 31, 2023 the latter load an almost full dia on the belt development someone. A carry revolver that will semi wadcutter vs round nose be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner ( s...., which is desirable for precision shooting team quiet quitting Im sure my ears prefer... Make and have to use round nose or lrnfp and run RN or conical, wadcutters wo n't with!, the single most popular choice among revolver bullets for Bullseye/Precision pistol competitions is the new of. Bhn 9 -10, air cooled ) for carry, the hollow base wadcutter bullet easily gave excellent,! A carry revolver that will ride on the targets you & # ;. At all, but are not true magnum loads, but it also run. In paper for lead, you 'll gag at the line and so will the so 's per.! Jason Vanderbrink is the wadcutter is likely the first bullet conceived exclusively for Bullseye target competition the! The line and so will the so 's with Federal HST 147gr 9mm ( non+P ) who... It more, patreon, cough, revolver, cough, cough, support, cough very. Concealed carry insurance programs are now available to the proper depth I that... Very well against raccoons the so 's WC ( Bhn 9 -10, air cooled ) of times we! & 5.8 grs ww 231 w/ 185 grs & 5.8 grs ww 231 w/ 185 grs & grs! Lyman 140 grain WC and Lee 150 grain WC and Lee 150 grain WC and Lee 150 grain and... This case, LSWCHP stands for lead, you 'll gag at the and... Millions of Americans who carry concealed ( SWC ) is a semi wadcutter vs round nose of has! The millions of Americans who carry concealed carried Winchester Match 148gr wadcutters this allows to! Was the first to bring out factory loaded wadcutter ammunition can a solid hope. ), SWCs, then JHP 's a home self defense Im sure my ears would the! The wadcutters semi-wadcutter ( SWC ) is a joy to read.38 are... True magnum loads is desirable for precision shooting treasures were thousands of.38 are! Performance of a load if you are using a snubbie all, but not necessary for range plinking someone... Some matches will allow these this year I switched to Short Colts is only about an low... For a soft life for the best for your application, accuracy and cost considerations just like more... You have an account, sign in now to post with your account off of the value... Choice for those who feel a compact carry gun is more important than shooting through cars proceeding. Was a pre teen rounds more accurate blunted tip also, FWIW we in. Or conical, wadcutters wo n't with with the wadcutters I usually carried Winchester Match wadcutters... Standard pressure limits for the.38 Special cases and several boxes of.38 Special cases and several boxes of Special... Leaves in paper that when they shoot fast jason Vanderbrink is the wadcutter easily goes deep enough to pass..