Wadcutters vs everything else

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Spending a bit of free time today looking over Lucky Gunners 38 and 357 clear gel test.
It seems to me the wadcutter is actually an amazing round for personal defense.
Sure you dont get expansion but you do get deep penetration and the ability to drill through bones and either not exit the body or be found in close vicinity.
You get low recoil making even scandium titanium weight guns tolerable.
If you are not shooting through intermediate barriers, I could be wrong but Id say for the civilian thats probably even more unlikely than getting in a gunfight.
Its actually got better penetration than some .357 rounds particularly the vaunted short barrels rounds. Actually the performance of those rounds wasnt particularly great with the exception of the 135gn 357 gold dot.
I think I saw it mentioned in a conversation recently that the .38 would be a preferable round to the .357 because of ammo advancements in that caliber.
Im not advocating for or against anything just opening a discussion.

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/rev...llistics-test/

[Paul Blackburn]

The problem is the availability of the Federal Gold Metal Match Wad Cutters.

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The problem is the availability of the Federal Gold Metal Match Wad Cutters.

Looking up ammo off that list availability of everything except a few loads is a problem. None that I would be interested in.

I cant remember the last time precision Delta had wadcutters.

[Hambo]

If you are not shooting through intermediate barriers, I could be wrong but Id say for the civilian thats probably even more unlikely than getting in a gunfight.

I wouldn't rule that out. Carjacking is the preferred method of car theft everywhere.

Really, I don't care what's in my 442. I have HST, RA38B, maybe some GD, LSWCHP, WC, and LSWC. Any of it will get the job done.

[revchuck38]

There's no question that wadcutters work. But I already have two separate handloads for .38 Special practice ammo based on POA/POI, 158- and 125-grain at near-+P velocity. I really don't want to have a third, and 158-grain LSWC-HP works well enough from a snubby.

[fatdog]

Back in the days of the IWBA I think Fackler even wrote about the round's virtues as a defensive round in .38 special. I am sure some day Federal will make the GMM rounds again. Fiocchi, Winchester, and Black Hills have been making them, I have had good experiences with the Precision One brand.

[JAH 3rd]

Just passing this along. It's pricey though.


https://www.federalpremium.com/handg.../11-GM38A.html

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The problem is the availability of the Federal Gold Metal Match Wad Cutters.

Just passing this along. It's pricey though.


https://www.federalpremium.com/handg.../11-GM38A.html

Thats close enough to winchester and black hills to be negligble. Winchester is running a bit faster I think 710fps.

[Outpost75]

Buffalo Bore offers a 150- grain, hard cast, "full charge" wadcutter which gives 850 fps from a 2-inch snub.

[Wayne Dobbs]

Buffalo Bore offers a 150- grain, hard cast, "full charge" wadcutter which gives 850 fps from a 2-inch snub.

It gives at least that much velocity, @Outpost75. I chronographed some this past May that ran 905 fps for five rounds from my S&W M&P 340. It's vigorous! Awaiting pressure testing results from our common friend.