Wadcutters vs. Hollowpoints for snubnose carry

[Glenn E. Meyer]

There's a Buffalo Bore 100 gr. JHP - https://www.buffalobore.com/index.ph...t_detail&p=284. It has a touch of a kick. There's some hard cast from Buffalo Bore and JSP ammo around also.

[Totem Polar]

You guys know that the Federal 100 gr JSP load was tested by ballistics by the inch, and it went over 1600 FPS out of 4" and 1400 out of 3"... that's pretty fierce ballistics. Even the JSP will expand in gel at that velocity.

Amateur testing shows that the 2 Fed JSPs and the 115 GDHP will all expand and penetrate within FBI specs from short wheelie barrels; as noted above, there is some serious pressure in those loads. Loud.

I'd be curious what Doc GKR's educated take is on the .327 Federal.

[Tokarev]

Here's some terminal info from Brass Fetcher:

http://www.brassfetcher.com/Handguns...20Federal.html

[xcop]

I know sticking with the Big 3 is best but there is a hard cast 38 wadcutter at a claimed 740 from a 2in loaded by DoubleTap. I received 60 rounds but have not fired any yet. The bullet is seated flush unlike Buffalo Bore or Underwood.
http://www.doubletapammo.net/index.p...product_id=629

[Drang]

I'd be curious what @DocGKR's educated take is on the .327 Federal.

Me, too.

ETA: Hmm, the "tag" function does not seem to work in a quote, so... @DocGKR

Well, that's weird, now it does.

[willie]

For conversational purposes, I'll point out that Jeff Cooper recommended a .38 spl load giving 1000 fps with a 160 gr cast bullet from a 2 inch barrel J frame. I'll refrain from sharing the data but will say that pressures were .357 mag level. It was for steel frames only. I drank Cooper's Kool Aid but drew the line here. My own load J frame road was hot but nothing like this one.

But back to wadcutters. The flat broad edge or shoulder of the wadcutter bullet supposedly is the key to causing tissue damage. But semi wadcutter bullets also have this shoulder, and I don't understand why the wadcutter works better than a semi wadcutter having a distinct shoulder. I'm not refuting Doc's claim but stating that I don't understand it.

[Sal Picante]

Just carry hollow dickwads. Oh wait... wrong thread...

[Wayne Dobbs]

For conversational purposes, I'll point out that Jeff Cooper recommended a .38 spl load giving 1000 fps with a 160 gr cast bullet from a 2 inch barrel J frame. I'll refrain from sharing the data but will say that pressures were .357 mag level. It was for steel frames only. I drank Cooper's Kool Aid but drew the line here. My own load J frame road was hot but nothing like this one.

But back to wadcutters. The flat broad edge or shoulder of the wadcutter bullet supposedly is the key to causing tissue damage. But semi wadcutter bullets also have this shoulder, and I don't understand why the wadcutter works better than a semi wadcutter having a distinct shoulder. I'm not refuting Doc's claim but stating that I don't understand it.

The shoulder on an SWC doesn't touch tissue during the bullet's transit through. This is because the temporary cavity (usually small, but still larger in diameter than the bullet) forms at the flat nose of the SWC and therefore, the shoulder is inside that cavity and not touching tissue. It cuts a nice hole in a paper target though.

[nalesq]

The shoulder on an SWC doesn't touch tissue during the bullet's transit through. This is because the temporary cavity (usually small, but still larger in diameter than the bullet) forms at the flat nose of the SWC and therefore, the shoulder is inside that cavity and not touching tissue. It cuts a nice hole in a paper target though.

Seems then that the only reason to use a SWC over a WC is that the SWC is easier to load into the cylinder.


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[Wayne Dobbs]

Seems then that the only reason to use a SWC over a WC is that the SWC is easier to load into the cylinder.


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Much better long range stability than a WC is a main reason to prefer them.