wadcutter in snubbie

[Jeep]

Yes--I don't use S&B wadcutters for that reason. They are so slow I figure that the penetration will be lacking--though I've never shot them into gelatin so that is simply my assumption. Does anyone here think those velocities are enough for adequate penetration? The reason I ask is because they are the one brand of wadcutter that seems fairly readily available.

[LSP972]

Jeep, I would go with a 'quality brand', as Chuck puts it, of lead SWC (such as the Remington R38S6) before I used those. S&B QC is spotty; particularly their primer pockets. That mainly concerns their reloadability, but if they're cutting corners in one area… well, you know.

.

[jetfire]

Jeep, I would go with a 'quality brand', as Chuck puts it, of lead SWC (such as the Remington R38S6) before I used those. S&B QC is spotty; particularly their primer pockets. That mainly concerns their reloadability, but if they're cutting corners in one area… well, you know.

.

That and I'm pretty sure half their cases are loaded with corn flower.

[Moonshot]

I think at this point, I may just start carrying my old lawn darts (the pre-nanny state version, with the pointy end).

[jetfire]

I am reading the Empire of Man series so I'm all geeked up on assaegi and javelin. I can't EDC a pike, can I?

[Rich]

Concur. I would NEVER use the BB wadcutters in a J-frame.

That's good to know Doctor!

[Rich]

The BlackHills 148gr. HBWC .38spcl are my preferred snubbie load.
My shot to shot splits are easily half what I'm able to get with +P loads and the wadcutters shoot to the fixed sights.

On the 110gr. DPX all copper loads, they keyhole out of many snubbies (including my 360) so try before you buy them in any quantity.

Im at my best using a snub nosed GP100 or M686 loaded with the standard 148 WC load. Its like cheating.

Nice to know about the keyhole/DPX issue . Ive heard it said about the 148gr HBWC that are loaded backwards.

[Rich]

I posted this a couple of months ago:

Today I used a recent manufactured S&W 442 no lock with the biggest Pachmayer grips I could find.
Fed Gold Match 148 wadcutters: 640, 640, 637, 641, 639. Pretty consistent.
Gold Dot +P 135 gr GDHP: 752, 803, 830, 824, 827.
Win +P 158 LSWCHP: 761, 724, 752, 765, 724.
S&B 148 lead wadcutter: 513, 542, 493, 517, 527.

Notice that the velocity from the S&B wad cutters was very low in my sample.

How was the accuracy with the S&B.

[Rich]

I did try them. I thought that they would be a bit stout--but I underestimated the pain and I think I'm lucky they didn't stretch the frame. So I stuck with normal WC's and I'm glad to see from the data that you and Chuck have presented that they tend to penetrate well enough.

I would even use them in a heavy steel frame 357magnum + M686/GP100

[Chuck Haggard]

I didn't think the BB WCs were too bad, but the recoil was up there, and if I am going to deal with that level of recoil I'll just use the 135gr Gold Dots.


I've seen keyholing issues from several jacketed loads in a few 642s, I have to wonder if S&W didn't have a run of guns with the rifling a bit shallow or something. Never seen that with WCs though due to the hollow base obturating into the rifling, and having so much bearing surface.

I have seen the backwards HBWCs yaw badly, and also seen them fail to expand in testing. Great idea in theory, not so much in real life.