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Thread: .38 Special Snubby Ammo - Findings, Thoughts and Impressions

  1. #171
    Quote Originally Posted by Lost River View Post
    I have been reading through this thread this morning drinking coffee...if you get them with an SWC or wadcutter, its a totally different story, they flop over instantly. .38 Wadcutters are extremely effective on all manner of game...
    Timely thread bump. I have work to do on the front sight of my new 3" Franken-10. Which left me with the decision of what primary load for which I want to regulate. A standard pressure 158 grain SWC or wide flat nose at moderate velocity was my decision. It should make for a dandy field gun during large and small game overlap with sufficient meplat to flop a bunny, pluck down an opportune bushytail, behead a partridge without 'sploding it should the bullet connect low, and have enough grunt for a mean dog, finish a deer, or divert a backwoods belligerent without undue muzzle blast as a bonus.

    Nice to have a two-post reference regarding versatility versus single task optimization for my final brainstorm.

  2. #172
    The Nostomaniac 03RN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SCCY Marshal View Post
    Timely thread bump. I have work to do on the front sight of my new 3" Franken-10. Which left me with the decision of what primary load for which I want to regulate. A standard pressure 158 grain SWC or wide flat nose at moderate velocity was my decision. It should make for a dandy field gun during large and small game overlap with sufficient meplat to flop a bunny, pluck down an opportune bushytail, behead a partridge without 'sploding it should the bullet connect low, and have enough grunt for a mean dog, finish a deer, or divert a backwoods belligerent without undue muzzle blast as a bonus.

    Nice to have a two-post reference regarding versatility versus single task optimization for my final brainstorm.
    158gr swc-wn over 11.5 2400 was 994 from my 2.75" 66 and 1089 from my 4" 64

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  3. #173
    Quote Originally Posted by Lost River View Post
    I have been reading through this thread this morning drinking coffee, and just wanted to comment on this.

    While I don't have any experience shooting gel blocks, I do shoot a fair bit of game with handguns (as some of you who know me already know) due to where I tend to play. Lead wadcutter type bullets are quite effective, and my experience mirrors Chucks.

    I have seen Jacks, both large and small hump up and hop away after being zipped right through with 230 grain FMJ ball ammo (unless you hit something structural). But if you get them with an SWC or wadcutter, its a totally different story, they flop over instantly. .38 Wadcutters are extremely effective on all manner of game. I have used them on lots of critters from skunks to vehicle struck deer, and they work well. Though if given an opportunity, I will usually use a bigger caliber/cartridge on the vehicle struck animals, such as a .45 ACP (but that's not relevant to the conversation).

    Wadcutters work well.
    Are you talking the same wadcutter as Chuck used? 148 @710 fps remington is the round he used in the post I quoted earlier.
    I'll wager you a PF dollar™ 😎
    The lunatics are running the asylum

  4. #174
    Site Supporter DocGKR's Avatar
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    Late response, as I just saw this.

    "I wish he had used the heavy clothing or 4LD instead of bare gel, but it’s better than nothing."

    Actually 4 layer denim is a better test--more predictable and offers a better evaluation of the ability of a handgun projectile to offer robust expansion.
    Facts matter...Feelings Can Lie

  5. #175
    Quote Originally Posted by jws View Post
    I have loaded about 100 of the 157 grain wadcutters. I didn’t take any pictures of the targets but if I remember correctly they were pretty spot on for my 4” M64. I have also loaded about 100 of Matt’s 160 grain RF bullets with similar results.

    Link to 160 grain RF: https://www.mattsbullets.com/index.p...t5k9f5jncq3g46

    Pic of reloads:
    Attachment 64129

    I will add here that the customer service at Matt’s bullets is fantastic. I have ordered multiple times from him and all have been good experiences. One order contained bullets that looked to have been damaged I assume during shipping. I emailed him about it, gave an approximate number of damaged bullets, and sent a picture explaining what was going on and he sent me more than enough new bullets to replace the damaged bullets in short order. It’s probably about time to place another order...
    Can you explain to me the bullet on the right? Ive only bought 38 wadcutters already loaded.
    I'll wager you a PF dollar™ 😎
    The lunatics are running the asylum

  6. #176
    Quote Originally Posted by UNK View Post
    Can you explain to me the bullet on the right? Ive only bought 38 wadcutters already loaded.
    It looks like the infamous upside down loaded bullet. But you have to be real old for that to be infamous.

  7. #177
    Quote Originally Posted by Lost River View Post
    I have been reading through this thread this morning drinking coffee, and just wanted to comment on this.

    While I don't have any experience shooting gel blocks, I do shoot a fair bit of game with handguns (as some of you who know me already know) due to where I tend to play. Lead wadcutter type bullets are quite effective, and my experience mirrors Chucks.

    I have seen Jacks, both large and small hump up and hop away after being zipped right through with 230 grain FMJ ball ammo (unless you hit something structural). But if you get them with an SWC or wadcutter, its a totally different story, they flop over instantly. .38 Wadcutters are extremely effective on all manner of game. I have used them on lots of critters from skunks to vehicle struck deer, and they work well. Though if given an opportunity, I will usually use a bigger caliber/cartridge on the vehicle struck animals, such as a .45 ACP (but that's not relevant to the conversation).

    Wadcutters work well.
    Chuck mentions Remington WC, just wondering if anyone has seen significant difference between Federal and Remington WC on critters?

  8. #178
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    Quote Originally Posted by UNK View Post
    Can you explain to me the bullet on the right? Ive only bought 38 wadcutters already loaded.
    I'm not @jws, but the flush-seated wadcutter rounds were designed to work in autoloaders like the S&W M52 and .38 Super 1911s converted to .38 Special by folks like Jim Clark Sr. Prior to that, wadcutter bullets usually had a small portion of the bullet above the case mouth. The one in the photo just has more of the bullet above the case mouth; you can see that it's roll crimped. That portion helps align the bullet in the chamber throat of a revolver, at least theoretically aiding accuracy.

  9. #179
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    Quote Originally Posted by UNK View Post
    Can you explain to me the bullet on the right? Ive only bought 38 wadcutters already loaded.
    To my knowledge it’s just a different wadcutter design, it’s a little heavier weight than some. Here is a link to where I got them from:

    https://www.mattsbullets.com/index.p...t5k9f5jncq3g46

    I just bought them to try them. They might make reloads slightly easier since they are a little smaller in diameter than the brass and stick out just a little. You could also probably load them to a higher velocity since the bullet takes up less space in the casing compared to factory wadcutters. I didn’t do that though, both if those loads in the picture were standard pressure. Matt’s Bullets has a variety of different wadcutter shapes and sizes available.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bucky View Post
    It looks like the infamous upside down loaded bullet. But you have to be real old for that to be infamous.

    I can assure you that I’m not that old or that infamous!

  10. #180
    Quote Originally Posted by UNK View Post
    Are you talking the same wadcutter as Chuck used? 148 @710 fps remington is the round he used in the post I quoted earlier.
    @UNK

    Sorry for the late reply, been pretty busy lately cranking out ammo, raising kids, traveling, etc.

    I have used some going as slow as 710, but I tend to push them faster.

    That said, even the slower ones on smaller game tend to do exactly as described above.

    I have two different .38 wadcutter loads.

    A standard pressure, and a +P load.

    The standard pressure velocity for a 4" K is 775 FPS

    I cannot recall the other velocities off the top of my head at the moment.

    The +P wadcutter load velocities are:

    1 &7/8ths" BBL= 820 FPS
    4" BBL= 885 FPS
    6" BBL= 950 FPS


    They do quite well, especially the +P load in penetrating straight through most things I have used them on.



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