Snubby revolvers with wadcutters

[JCN]

Was having a discussion a few months ago about wadcutters out of a J frame with @03RN and we were talking about whether they might penetrate too deeply.

I didn’t have any wadcutters to test until recently.

Plus I wanted to remind myself why a light J frame isn’t fun to shoot hot ammo in (trying to talk myself out of 9mm conversion).

So here is the gel test with Underwood wadcutters and semi-wadcutters.

I use 20% gel these days because there is less to transport and all data is extrapolation anyway.

So keep in mind that 16” in 20% gel is roughly equivalent to 32” in “normal” ballistic gel give or take.



I liked the semi. The full wadcutter seemed to go a little far for my liking but it definitely did what it was designed to do.

[03RN]

Was having a discussion a few months ago about wadcutters out of a J frame with @03RN and we were talking about whether they might penetrate too deeply.

I didn’t have any wadcutters to test until recently.

Plus I wanted to remind myself why a light J frame isn’t fun to shoot hot ammo in (trying to talk myself out of 9mm conversion).

So here is the gel test with Underwood wadcutters and semi-wadcutters.

I use 20% gel these days because there is less to transport and all data is extrapolation anyway.

So keep in mind that 16” in 20% gel is roughly equivalent to 32” in “normal” ballistic gel give or take.



I liked the semi. The full wadcutter seemed to go a little far for my liking but it definitely did what it was designed to do.

I'm not sure how accurate comparing any clear gel is to organic gel is.

Did you Chrono those loads?

The gold standard of gel tests with wadcutters that I've seen.
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....ullet-Gel-Test
@Tokarev

[Tokarev]

I'm not sure how accurate comparing any clear gel is to organic gel is.

Did you Chrono those loads?

The gold standard of gel tests with wadcutters that I've seen.
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....ullet-Gel-Test
@Tokarev

I never did much more with 38 and various loads. Decided I needed a 3" K to go with the LCR for additional data. I have the frame from J&G and a donor 4" barrel. Just never got it all sent to Karl for assembly.

Frankly the lack of primers and a steady supply of other components means any additional load testing is not likely to happen.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[JCN]

I'm not sure how accurate comparing any clear gel is to organic gel is.

Did you Chrono those loads?

The gold standard of gel tests with wadcutters that I've seen.
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....ullet-Gel-Test
@Tokarev

It’s approximate give or take an inch or two.

30”+ is a lot.

Those loads will be ~850-900 out of a j frame.

[JCN]

@03RN the test is consistent with what @Tokarev found. Overpenetration in bare gel with the full wadcutter and good performance with the semi.

[WDR]

Curious if the SWC-HP load actually expanded much, and if it is, indeed actually a "gas check" bullet? I cant make it out clearly in the video or stills.

I'm more inclined to load my own SWC-HP loads (Probably with the Rimrock bullets), but I've been curious about that Underwood load for a bit.

[Salamander]

First, the Underwood 38 special wadcutter appears to be a coated DEWC (that is, solid) at an advertised 1,000 fps. Of course it overpenetrates, why would you expect anything else with that combination?.

The Black Hills 148gr HBWC that I carry in my J-frame are advertised at 700 fps, which is typical of hollow-based wadcutters. At that velocity, they're not unpleasant to shoot even in a 13oz M&P340.

If I wanted 1,000 fps recoil in my scandium-framed revolver, I'd just shoot 135gr Gold Dot short barrel (which is actually rated at 860 fps). Which in fact is what's in my reload speed strip in my pocket right now. But those get to be less fun after a few cylinders.

I do load some full power DEWC's and practice with them in heavier (28oz and up) revolvers. There could be some logic to a full power DEWC in a trail gun anyplace without large bears. It's not what I'd recommend on the street though, at least not at Underwood's claimed velocity.

[JCN]

Curious if the SWC-HP load actually expanded much, and if it is, indeed actually a "gas check" bullet? I cant make it out clearly in the video or stills.

I'm more inclined to load my own SWC-HP loads (Probably with the Rimrock bullets), but I've been curious about that Underwood load for a bit.

I can get a picture later but no expansion at all that I could tell.

First, the Underwood 38 special wadcutter appears to be a coated DEWC (that is, solid) at an advertised 1,000 fps. Of course it overpenetrates, why would you expect anything else with that combination?.

It’s exactly what I expected! That’s why I was so perplexed when @03RN said that wadcutters didn’t overpenetrate and that they were preferred for self defense. Maybe he was talking about a soft lead one or maybe it’s that these are too spicy or maybe he was remembering the semis?

Also remember that 1000fps is out of probably a 3-4” barrel.

In the reviews, these are probably 850 or so out of a J frame. Underwood is famous for their consistency.

[Salamander]

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....snubnose-carry

[Ndbbm]

The suggestion is usually something like a federal gold metal match wadcutter. The product description on Federal’s site is like 690 fps out of a 4 inch barrel.

Jason