Wadcutters vs everything else

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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.

Whats the advantage over commonly available loads running 690-710 fps? The chart from Lucky Gunner had the Winchester at 15.8” and 15.9” from a 2” and 4” revolver.

Were you the person who posted pics of a deer they had killed then tried a head shot and rib shot to see what the wadcutter would do?

[PNWTO]

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.

I really like the Precision One FMJ 148s but I can’t help but wonder if the jacket affects cutting ability to a notable degree? I could probably care less, and assume it does, but I don’t know if there’s some comparison out there?

The BB 150s are definitely the BB definition of standard pressure… not the normal WC experience but they shoot to the sights at 25 on two of my LCRs.

Underwood has some coated WCs that I need to try, probably very similar to the BB loading.

[BN]

Just passing this along. It's pricey though.


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

Thanks. Ordered some. I was about out. Yes, it's pretty pricey.

[358156hp]

Thanks. Ordered some. I was about out. Yes, it's pretty pricey.

You could buy a decent two cavity bullet mould for that.

Just yanking your chain a bit

[the Schwartz]

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.

Quite some time ago, John Ervin ((Mech Eng) of Brassfetcher tested the Buffalo Bore .38 Special 150-grain hard cast WC in shear-validated 10% ordnance gelatin and obtained the same velocity of 905 fps you did. Of the three (of five) shots that remained within the test blocks, maximum penetration averaged 23 inches.


Here's the (archived) link if you're interested in looking at the test block and data-

https://web.archive.org/web/20071216...%20Cutter.html

[5pins]

I really like the Precision One FMJ 148s but I can’t help but wonder if the jacket affects cutting ability to a notable degree? I could probably care less, and assume it does, but I don’t know if there’s some comparison out there?

The BB 150s are definitely the BB definition of standard pressure… not the normal WC experience but they shoot to the sights at 25 on two of my LCRs.

Underwood has some coated WCs that I need to try, probably very similar to the BB loading.

I have a box of the Underwood to test, along with about a half dozen other things. So many rounds, so little time, lol.

[Navin Johnson]

BB 150 WC defeats the purpose of using a wad cutter in a lightweight revolver.

Lucky gunner tests are clear gel…… but pretend all you want. It has been covered so much I’m sure you all know that though.

[the Schwartz]

....

[PNWTO]

BB 150 WC defeats the purpose of using a wad cutter in a lightweight revolver.

Agreed but I’ve found the supply chain to be more frequent than FGMM or the Fiocchi WCs. The BB stuff is my field load across anything that chambers it.

[Dov]

The hardcast Wadcutter or other big meplat loads for 38 special would be similar to what Ross Seyfried wrote about years ago in "Rifle or "Handloader" when he developed some handloads for finishing shots on Elk his clients had shot.

Lot of people he guided used Muzzle loaders, Bows, or where trying out really big calibers (field practice before African Safari), so it wasn't totally rare for him or his son to finish off Elk client had hit.

The Scandium J frames were part of their very light kit in steep terrain.

He had some bad failures with Speer TMJ IIRC, so loaded up some 125 & 158 grain hardcast loads and tested them on Elk Spine and skull and they worked fine in test.

And before he wrote the article his son used one of those hardcast loads to finish Elk with solid performance.