Wad Cutter ammo QC question

[Moonshot]

I currently load my snub revolvers with Federal 148gr WCs. I have a small stash of Remington WCs left over from some testing that I am using as my range ammo, but I am running low on these and I will need to replace them. I am hoping to take a snuby class this summer, and I try and hit the range weekly (two boxes + or - every month). Not a lot, but all I can afford.

As I shop around, I find the lowest priced WCs are Fiocchi and CCI/Blazer. I have not shot these brands much in the past, and never in .38 Special. Is their QC close enough to the same standards as Federal, Remington, Winchester and Black Hills so as to make the savings worth it, or would you recommend sticking with the big 4?

I have enough invested in my Denny Reichard worked-on 640 and 642s to want to avoid unnecessary risk (I know any round can malfunction, but I also know you generally get what you pay for).

Any advise will be appreciated.

[Chuck Haggard]

CCI makes pretty good ammo. I'd happily use the Blazer for practice

[jh9]

I currently load my snub revolvers with Federal 148gr WCs. I have a small stash of Remington WCs left over from some testing that I am using as my range ammo, but I am running low on these and I will need to replace them. I am hoping to take a snuby class this summer, and I try and hit the range weekly (two boxes + or - every month). Not a lot, but all I can afford.

As I shop around, I find the lowest priced WCs are Fiocchi and CCI/Blazer. I have not shot these brands much in the past, and never in .38 Special. Is their QC close enough to the same standards as Federal, Remington, Winchester and Black Hills so as to make the savings worth it, or would you recommend sticking with the big 4?

I have enough invested in my Denny Reichard worked-on 640 and 642s to want to avoid unnecessary risk (I know any round can malfunction, but I also know you generally get what you pay for).

Any advise will be appreciated.

Regardless of who did the work, if it doesn't have an OEM mainspring I would stick to something with Federal or Winchester primers. Blazer is advertised as using CCI primers, and Fiocchi has eurocaps which are also (by reputation) pretty hard.

To make matters less clear, ATK owns CCI and Federal, so you aren't guaranteed to get Federal primers in Federal ammunition AFAIK. From a distant, vague memory I bought a box of reclassified 135gr Gold Dots and when I emailed ATK they said they had Federal primers in them.

Domestic primers at a minimum, so no Fiocchi. If the gun has set off a hundred or so CCI caps I wouldn't worry about it, but I would make sure to test with those primers before making the assumption everything's good.

If it still has the stock spring I'd pop off 50 to verify and then use whatever.

edit: I don't do much with Js in general, but I've seen numerous S&W revolvers with lightened mainsprings in various configurations have ignition issues. After having a few "factory equivalent" springs fail to light off even Winchester primers I don't assume anything will work until I've tested it. YMMV.

[LSP972]

Regardless of who did the work, if it doesn't have an OEM mainspring I would stick to something with Federal or Winchester primers. Blazer is advertised as using CCI primers, and Fiocchi has eurocaps which are also (by reputation) pretty hard.

To make matters less clear, ATK owns CCI and Federal, so you aren't guaranteed to get Federal primers in Federal ammunition AFAIK. From a distant, vague memory I bought a box of reclassified 135gr Gold Dots and when I emailed ATK they said they had Federal primers in them.

Domestic primers at a minimum, so no Fiocchi. If the gun has set off a hundred or so CCI caps I wouldn't worry about it, but I would make sure to test with those primers before making the assumption everything's good.

If it still has the stock spring I'd pop off 50 to verify and then use whatever.

edit: I don't do much with Js in general, but I've seen numerous S&W revolvers with lightened mainsprings in various configurations have ignition issues. After having a few "factory equivalent" springs fail to light off even Winchester primers I don't assume anything will work until I've tested it. YMMV.

Spot-on advice here. A stock J frame coil mainspring will bust any domestic cap I've ever seen; when Cletus starts playing gunsmith, or Euro-trash ammo is used, is when issues appear.

And he's right re the CCI/Federal conundrum. ATK has been mixing components from the Idaho and Minnesota plants for some time now. The bunter tooling (which creates headstamp markings) used at CCI is quite different from that used at the Federal plant in Anoka. When I began seeing CCI-type headstamps on ammunition in Federal cartridge boxes, I knew. Its only natural that they mix primers as well, depending upon who has sufficient quantity for a lot of ammunition at any given time.

Moonshot, much of the Big Three (Winchester, Remington, Federal) wadcutters use premium bullets and are loaded to target-grade specs; therefore, quite a bit more expensive. I've shot enough Blazer Aluminum wadcutters to hold the opinion that they are plenty accurate enough for any short-line (25 yards and in) work from a service revolver. Using a target grade gun at the long line (50 yards), yeah, you need the "good stuff" to achieve the best accuracy.

The Euro stuff… dunno, man. Across-the-pond manufacturers have never been revolver-centric, and for that matter their bottom-feeder ammo is hit or miss. For instance, Sellier & Belliot ammunition shoots okay, but the primer pockets are nowhere near uniform and are a colossal PITA to reload as a result.

Regarding squibs; generally, even a primer-only WC will make it out of a two-inch tube… most of the time. For most folks, a revolver is easier to detect a squib with because they generally shoot one more slowly. I'd take JH9's advice; choose the least expensive alternative if you want, but vet it thoroughly before using it for anything serious.

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[Buckshot]

Precision Delta loads both new & reman wadcutters for a very reasonable $$ with great QC. Federal primers are an option on their website for a minimal upcharge. https://www.precisiondelta.com/produ...er/38-spl.html

[Moonshot]

Thanks to all for the advise.

My j-frames should all have OEM components. Denny smooths and polishes, but to my knowledge everything remains stock (which is what I want).

As long as I have a reasonable assurance that the less expensive CCI/Blazer or Fiocchi won't have a double charge and damage one of my guns I am OK with non-target specs. I generally keep my ranges to under 25 yards (typically 3 to 15 yards with the j-frames), but I will occasionally reach out to 25 yards or farther. I've actually shot one of my 642s out to 100 yards (and hit my target), but that is the exception.

I've had several 130gr RNL reloads squib in my 642 and not exit the barrel, but as you said, it wasn't rapid fire and was spotted. Actually, the 2nd time it happened, my youngest daughter (I think she was 16 or 17 at the time) was shooting one of my 642s for the first time, and after hitting the bullseye twice in a row at 7 yards had a round go off and not sound right - her words, not mine. We looked and found the squib.

For serious use I have my Federals.

I'll pick up a few boxes of each (Blazer and Fiocchi) and see how they work out. My biggest concern was an over-charge. A squib I can handle.

[LSP972]

Precision Delta loads both new & reman wadcutters for a very reasonable $$ with great QC.

True; but you know what the difference is between "new" and "remanufactured"? The brass.

However, Joe is indeed serious about his QC, and is one of the VERY few commercial reloaders whose ammunition I would trust in my firearms.

That said, this another one of those things that grinds my gears; commercial reloaders who say they are making "New" ammunition... because the components are all new. Pardon me, but the bullet, primer, and powder in reloads is "new" too. Just because you're using virgin brass on your Dillon 1050, AmmoLoad, Camdex, whatever, doesn't mean your stuff is up to the same standards as the big boys. Because THEY are using arsenal-grade machines that check QC every step of the way... and they STILL let a bad round out every now and then.

Joe may have one of those bad boys by now; I haven't spoken with him or his main gal that runs the business side in a long time. But he's a Winchester Master Dealer, has been at this for a very long time, and knows the trade inside and out.

Okay, rant off. One of my pet peeves, sorry.

,.

[Chuck Haggard]

Another reason I wouldn't worry about using the Blazer is that companies like Speer stand behind their products. Anyone's ammo can blow up your gun in theory, how they handle the aftermath is important.

[LSP972]

Another reason I wouldn't worry about using the Blazer is that companies like Speer stand behind their products. Anyone's ammo can blow up your gun in theory, how they handle the aftermath is important.

Yup.

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[Jeep]

For what it's worth, once LSP972 mentioned Precision Delta I tried some of their "new" ammo and it was high quality--every bet as accurate as the Remington wadcutters I have, and perhaps a touch more so.