38spl standard pressure 148 WC

[Rich]

Does anyone have any geltesting with the 38spl 148 target WC out of a 1 7/8 barrel J frame. rem,win,or federal

Thanks

[Chuck Haggard]

Doc Roberts has tested WCs, and I recall seeing it tested several times in the old IWBA journals.


Have you read Doc's bit in the ammo section ref .38s/.380s as BUGs? Lots of good into.


This; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yYYeICHamc is fun to watch, but Brassfetcher's conclusions ref energy tranfer and such are pretty much misinformation.

[LHS]

http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?4336-BUG-s-380-ACP-vs-38-Sp

FWIW, I carry wadcutters in my J-frame, because they're cheap enough to practice with and still viable for carry.

[Al T.]

Rich, Atlanta Arms loads a dandy 148 FMJ wad-cutter. I love the stuff, purchase it from a local indoor range.

[Chuck Haggard]

I know that in some of the testing I have seen the Federal and Remington wadcutters expand more than you would guess, like up to .40-.45 IIRC.

[Rich]

I suck shooting left handed compared to my right.

The 148 WC in my S&W AW is easier for me to control. Plus every single JKL frame I have had will group it tight

But have been told by others the 148WC wont have enough penetration

One would think the 148WC would pass 12inches of gel with ease.

I carry the 5rs of 148WC and pack a speed strip or sometimes HKS loaded with ranger B 130 and of coarse my pistol IWB and a spare mag.

Ill go back and search the older website? I think he last time it was updated was in 2006 with the hornady CD alert.


Thanks guys

[Al T.]

But have been told by others the 148WC wont have enough penetration.

Who ever is saying that is just parroting bad information. Check the Youtube link in post #2.

[NETim]

I don't like to try to "speed load" these wadcutters.

[TGS]

I don't like to try to "speed load" these wadcutters.

I agree, as even round noses have a chance to be fumbled on reloads...I don't imagine wadcutters would be a particularly easy task. I think that's why it's a good decision on his part to have the Rangers as a reload.

[rsa-otc]

I agree, as even round noses have a chance to be fumbled on reloads...I don't imagine wadcutters would be a particularly easy task. I think that's why it's a good decision on his part to have the Rangers as a reload.

You'd be surprised with properly champhered chambers and a well maintained Safariland comp I speed loader, with a little practice it becomes fairly smooth & routine.

Back in the day that's all we shot in PPC. The faster you reloaded the gun the more time you had to pull the trigger, so you worked to keep your reloads as quick as possible.

[TGS]

You'd be surprised with properly champhered chambers and a well maintained Safariland comp I speed loader, with a little practice it becomes fairly smooth & routine.

Back in the day that's all we shot in PPC. The faster you reloaded the gun the more time you had to pull the trigger, so you worked to keep your reloads as quick as possible.

Does your issue revolver have chamfered holes? You'll have to show me when we shoot again. I have a bunch of 148 wadcutters that BaiHu gifted me a while back.

I adore the stepped charge holes on my 19-4 so I don't think I'd want to chamfer it, but I've been itching for a while to get another J-frame. After having owned a bunch of small revolvers, I feel like there's a hole in my soul without one. Maybe I'll get one and chamfer it.

[LHS]

Chamfering the chambers really does help. It's still not ideal with WCs, but it's significantly better than before I had them done.

[DocGKR]

.38 SP WC perform exactly the same in both bare and 4 layer denim covered gel when fired from a 2" J-frame--adequate penetration is NOT an issue; for example, see the Win 148 gr LWC noted below:

VEL = 657 f/s, PEN = 20"+, RD = 0.36", RL = 0.64", RW = 147.4 gr

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j101/Gunpics/38_Sp_BUG_load_sample.jpg

[DocGKR]

When we carried WC's in the J-frames, the reloads were usually a JHP.

[Rich]

.38 SP WC perform exactly the same in both bare and 4 layer denim covered gel when fired from a 2" J-frame--adequate penetration is NOT an issue; for example, see the Win 148 gr LWC noted below:

VEL = 657 f/s, PEN = 20"+, RD = 0.36", RL = 0.64", RW = 147.4 gr

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j101/Gunpics/38_Sp_BUG_load_sample.jpg

Thanks Doctor!

You are the man!

I did find geltesting over at brassfetchers using BB 150gr WC

I dont care for that load myself its loaded hotter and looks to have a rounded edge?

Ill stick with just the standard 148WC from federal,Win or Rem and use JHP for reload.

[David Armstrong]

But have been told by others the 148WC wont have enough penetration
That comes in part from the old days of reloaded ammo. Often the 148 WC was downloaded to ridiculously low levels. I remember having to occassionally pull bullets out of a couple of layers of cardboard because they didn't go all the way through. I don't think any of the standard factory loads have that problem.

[Rich]

That comes in part from the old days of reloaded ammo. Often the 148 WC was downloaded to ridiculously low levels. I remember having to occassionally pull bullets out of a couple of layers of cardboard because they didn't go all the way through. I don't think any of the standard factory loads have that problem.

For my reloads
I use 2.7gr of bullseye and a 148gr HBWC. I dont have a chrony so dont know the velocity of this load .


From what I gather the factory win,fed,rem is around 700FPS out of a 4inch barrel.