Popular Brands 88 Products in 38 Special Ammunition reset Show 60 Sort by Pressure is all. When we looked at the most likely jacketed hollowpoint options in .38 Special and .357 Magnum, none of them fared well when we measured them against these priorities for our friend. Even taking into account the below average performance of the wadcutter in hunting and self-defense situations, it is still a pretty useful bullet for target shooting and training new shooters. Haha! Poly-case ammunition and copper solids offer excellent penetration. Additionally, the bullet is usually all lead and has no jacket. A high speed would be something like the Super Vel Super Snubbie load, which features a 90-grain bullet at over 1,200 real fps out of a snubbie, and recoil to go with it. Standard pressure or +P? While the protocol isnt perfect, its still the best measuring tool available, and has served well as the industrys standard for decades. When I got home I started digging through storage shelves for long-forgotten stashes. Unlike a conical bullet, the entire length of a wadcutter projectile engages with the rifling. Just my $0.02: Ive seen plenty of raccoons dropped with .22 WMRs and even .22 LRs. it will take time. [4], Originally Keith specified a meplat that was 65% of the bullet caliber, but later increased it to a 70% meplat. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Unless you absolutely need that level of performance (and I cant imagine how to require it, and not move up in gun size), then live with it. If questioned about the non-regulation ammunition, they simply planned to claim the wadcutters were left in the guns accidentally, after training. The SWC design offers better external ballistics than the wadcutter, as its conical nose produces less drag than the flat cylinder. Next we'll break down these common types of .38 Special rounds and even more that fall into the same categories. Be honest with yourself on this one, because no one else is going to take the recoil hit for you. All the others were right on at about 738-755. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. The large hollow base expanded from the gas pressure to tightly engage the rifling, enhancing accuracy. Its an excellent choice for a snubby, especially for a standard pressure load. Its much harder on the firearm and its much harder on the shooter! It must absolutely go BANG when we want it to, and it must not interfere with the proper function and operation of the gun; 2. I had a Sergeant at a small village I used to patrol who once shot a raccoon no less than ten times with .45ACP Winchester Ranger SXT. . The choice of bullet for the .357 Magnum cartridge varied during its development. Your previous content has been restored. It seems FBI Load is most commonly used. I suspect they started slow and just get faster and faster and faster LOL,,,, bill i give,,, SWC will slice a nicer hole,, and going faster will definitely open things up,,,i haven't done any bullseye stuff for a long time. Full Metal Jacket. If you want more you can have it, but you will pay for it, in particular, a +P load in a five-shot snubbie becomes work, or even painful, to shoot. As mentioned above, round nose is fine for range purposes. Ive bought into it. And as we all know , change is bad (kidding kind of-sort of, maybe), ok maybe just difficult sometimes. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. FMJ target. I just checked and the Federal site indicates the .32 Long WCs are discontinued, so Im glad Fiocchi is still making them. However as a couple other members pointed out I've switched over to the RNFP in 200gr. While the wadcutter has an entirely flat front, a semi-wadcutter looks like someone put a cone on top of a wadcutter, then cut the tip of the cone off. Judy, youve got me blushing now. my old colt would hang up once in awhile with the 200gr.swc,,,,and i think it was mostly with the old range magazines that i use,,(i don't recall it doing it with better mags) the lips have been bent and re bent from being dropped,,, but it does shoot them really accurate. The entire article is worth reading. Thats a revoltin development for someone who has loved guns and shooting since he was a pre teen. It's typically favored in .38 snub-nose style revolvers. For IPSC major 230 FMJ, LRN, black bullets are the best IMO.. At 50$ per 1000 rounds though, how can you beat shooting lead if your gun runs reliable w/ it? Jon, I understand the concern, but think the real issue is poor safety habits. Hit where you aim: many small revolvers have fixed sights. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. Formal bullseye target shooting with revolvers appears to have begun soon after the end of the American Civil War, coincident with the advent and improvement of self-contained metallic cartridges. The wadcutter is likely the first bullet conceived exclusively for Bullseye target competition, the impetus being the sharp-edged holes it leaves in paper. Like most highly specialized bullets, the wadcutter is great at the job it was designed for: competitive shooting. These have nearly cylindrical noses, which are as long as the firearm chamber allows, and just slightly smaller than bore diameter so they will easily chamber. Though full wadcutter bullets are often unreliable in semi-automatic pistols, semi-wadcutter bullets usually work much better. Im probably the last person to notice, but .22 rimfire ammunition has become awfully expensive, assuming you can find it at all. Also, I recently watched the Paul Harrel video on why he doesnt like Hyper (boutique and defense-specific) ammo. For the non-handloader I would highly recommend buying a case of name-brand US manufacture 148-grain wadcutter and marrying it to a pair of Airweight revolvers, 2 and 4 as primary carry and backup or New York Reload. The earliest wadcutter on commercial record is the c. 1900 Himmelwright, still available from Matts Bullets. We hasten to note thiswas a different era, and policy violations of this type were handled much differently than they would be todaythis is not a recommended practice for todays officers, who serve in a much different legal environment. Do you have a source on that? After the experience with the .38 +P loads, the thought of shooting .357 Magnum had our shooter concerned. Revolvers can be amazingly accurate, and a quality DA revolver delivers all of that. Lets spotlight a few wadcutter designs. . The wad cutter or semi-wad cutter cut a cleaner hole which is easier to see and score. Unlike autoloaders that basically need a round nose fmj bullet or something that tries to simulate it. As you pointed out, they do pretty much everything you could want (except expand, or course) and they have the added benefit, at least in the Lucky Gunner test, of maintaining very consistent performance out of different barrel lengths if that is relevant for someone. The protocol revolutionized the way that manufacturers designed and tested their ammunition, and gave the industry a common standard for the very first time. kpop idols with big waist girl rapped by a boy video cannot set length for output file there is not enough space on the disk asian schoolgirl anal torture fairview . Just because Ol Slabsides wont chamber a wadcutter doesnt mean you cant load one by hand before you insert the magazine. I use wadcutters as my first 5 in a Model 36. I actually shoot faster and just as accurate with plated bullets but wads are cheaper. This agency issues 1911-pattern pistols to its officers, and for many years their issued round was 230 grain FMJ, or hardball. The Jello Junkies would have you believe that hardball is a reckless choice for a duty round, because of its propensity to penetrate deeply in calibrated gelatin, but this agencys actual experience in the street was quite different. . Ill now be on the lookout for an opportunity to use the phrase,handful of violent despair and fire breathing dragon. Thats just poetic! To solve this dilemma and keep recoil at a reasonable level, some designs use a lighter and faster projectile to promote expansion, or use some clever engineering (most often, with a light-for-caliber bullet) to get the bullet to open up out of a short barrel. Plus, these modern wonder bullets can only be made on an industrial scale, by a major manufacturer. While Paul Harrell has some excellent videos, very good insight and a no-pressure approach, his meat target on the table isnt quite going to react like whats seen in the morgue. Soft Point. However, it struggles in applications outside of its primary use. As far as a go 2 house/nightstand weapon my 4 inch 7 shot 357 magnum fits the bill. The sharp, square edge of the base means bullets dont start into the case mouth easily. Semi-wadcutters, however, can be more reliable in pistols and can sometimes be . Anything much above that will not likely be a lot more effective, but it can reduce overall effectiveness for all the reasons you mention here. The bullet nerds may not like it much, but it will do the job if you can do your part.So, dont be too quick to dismiss the .38 wadcutter as a defensive round. And a good performing hard cast blunt projectile from a .38 or larger revolver can provide good results against most beasts you might run across as well as humans- the only traditional auto round that has a chance at saying that is 10mm. Secondly, the SWC has a somewhat better ballistic coefficient (BC) than the WC, and theoretically may perform better over distance. Those were hunting when I was a kid, and as you might imagine, were almost always head shots on a treed raccoon. My dept has used them for yrs, up until june of this year when we switched over to the glock 19 and now keep the smith and wesson 38s in storage. I'm willing to be that the high and low round were caused by either the bullet pull issue mentioned by Harmon or by one odd case with a lower capacity (raises pressure and velocity) and one odd case with higher capacity (lowers pressure and velocity) since the cases were mixed brands. semi-wadcutter vs. round flat. Bought a box to use for target shooting (warm up round) with my Ruger LCR. "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.". The concave sides reduce the bullet weight, and thus the recoil, while keeping the overall length of the bullet long enough to feed reliably in a semi-automatic pistol such as the M1911 commonly found in bullseye competitions. Ok, the following is my version of a lazy-poor-mans (or womans) front sight regulation/adjustment, its simple and reversible. The added cross-sectional density made the bullet stable over greater range, also. Display as a link instead, Mike could tell. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Carl, I share your pain, at least a little, at 47! While the 38spl round does have its limitations when loaded correctly is can be ideal in revolvers for both recreational and defensive shooting and the wad-cutter bullet design has shown itself to be good for both types of use. Second Media Inc., 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. Before finding us, our RevolverGuy had sought advice from local experts, and the bullet nerds in the community insisted that 125 grain, .357 Magnum loads were the way to go. Snubbies are easier to carry, but they extract a cost in velocity. Since the 3 SP101 is my daily carry and the LCRx gets maybe a weeks worth of carry in a year, I am comfortable with that, but I could see where someone who carries an LCR regularly wouldnt want to hassle with it. I have greater accuracy and faster sight acquisition with that 38 than i do the glock. I don't buy LRN any longer (still have some) and all i use is LSWC. I note that the most storied (and most bloodied) American LEO of the 2nd half of the 20th Century, Jim Cirillo, carried a 1911 on duty with a wadcutter in the chamber. Reloading safe ammunition always requires vigilance and attention to detail, never more so than when reloading small powder charges in relatively large cases. Philippe, thank you for writing from Uruguay! Its interesting to note that when Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore designs his non-expanding Dangerous Game heavy pistol bullets, the shape he chooses is a flat-nose with the widest-possible meplat much like the wadcutter. I know youre a responsible shooter and value safety like we do. If youre 2+ inches off at 7 with the 2 gun, I wonder what that would look like at 25, too. A semi-wadcutter, truncated cone, or round nose flat point with can give long range accuracy and tend to penetrate straight in game. lead flat point; 158-gr. Also why would someone go w a 380acp when u can buy 9mm cheaper w greater selection in both ammo and firearms? As you pointed out, good luck getting away with that today. Our shooter reached out to us here at RevolverGuy, after discovering the blog, and asked what we thought of that advice. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. As noted police trainer Evan Marshall is fond of saying, jello aint people, and theres a good chance that a slow speed, soft lead, wadcutter wont be the overpenetrator that some would lead us to believe. The more I think about this subject, the more I am inclined to switch to wadcutters. Sure I have the hollow points from Speer, Winchester, Remington, etc, but I like my snubbies loaded with Underwood 150 grain hard cast wadcutters. The flat nose punches a clean hole in the target, rather than stretching/tearing it like a round nose bullet would, and the sharp shoulder enlarges the hole neatly, allowing easy and accurate scoring of the target. Back before expanding hollowpoints were the norm for defensive handgun ammo, the bullets with wide, flat noses had the best reputations for hitting the hardest and delivering the most shock. Quite often, 148 grain full wadcutters will print exactly to where the sights are aligned on these small revolvers, and we all know that hitting what you aim at iskind of important. Hoo boy, words of wisdom there, Mike NmW! All their graphs, charts, tables, and slide rules told them that the .357 Magnum was the King of stopping power, so why would anybody choose something less? Though the wadcutter is not extremely rare, it is still a relatively specialized bullet type that is only utilized in a few different cartridges. Mike (nMW), I wonder if the HST didnt open up at all before it exited? All entries must be received by giveaway end date. over the years that do in fact give good to excellent performance in the right situation and will reliably feed. Handloading. Since reloads are a statistical rarity in armed citizen confrontations, this limitation might not be as significant as it first appears, but its still an important consideration when choosing wadcutters for defense. The .357 Magnum earned its laurels when fired out of heavy, steel frame revolvers with 4 and 6 inch barrels, but when you put that much horsepower into a flyweight snub, it takes a very accomplished shooter to hang onto the reins and control it. ammo. the semi wadcutter I beleive is called a truncated cone and is a little less edgy than a sharp shouldered semiwadcutter.. Mike, I do not trust my Taurus 85 stainless with too many +p loads, so I use that Hornady std. Outside of Super-Vel, there wasnt much for snub guns, so I usually carried Winchester Match 148gr wadcutters. Deployed military should use stateside address. Another great post, Mike! Its meplat is sharp and it is hard cast from the Cramer (sp?) The original load, a lead round-nose 158-grain bullet, was marginal as a stopper. The original load, a lead round-nose 158-grain bullet, was marginal as a stopper. A .32 H&R Magnum round would be excellent alternative, and I think a wadcutter bullet in that chambering would also be an excellent choice. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Relief? Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). Everything Ive said here about .38 Special applies equally to the .32 H&R Magnum. Greyson, Im curious . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It's the closest to any ordinary flat point bullet so, it's probably going to be stated as the best one for hunting. Wadcutter. Choosing .38 Special Ammo For Self-Defense, Video: The Colt Paterson Revolver And Other Early Repeaters, Choosing Handgun Ammo: The Facts That Matter Most for Self-Defense, 8 On-Target Concealed Carry Insurance Options (2022), 10 Affordable Double-Barrel Shotgun Options (2023), Best AR-15 Options For Any Budget And Buyers Guide (2023), Best Concealed Carry Handguns For Women (2023). The problem with that logic is that I havent been carrying reloads very much. Thats not a problem for many RevolverGuys, but it can be limiting for others. I would say round nose can be a little more forgiving on feeding than LSWC. Whats not to like? I know, it sounds like the most basic common-sense advice youve ever heard. The solution was the .38 Special, 148 grain wadcutter. Riley, Im not well versed on the .32 Longs. Deployed military should use stateside address. 38 , 9mm 45 acp all work if you are willing to practice with them. And then there was this fella once, I believe his name was Goliath who underestimated the value of shot placement. Return To Table Of Contents. I think the real reason the bullseye shooters liked the bullet is you could get less recoil( due to less weight) and still get flatter trajectories than the 230 for their 50 yard targets. The .38 was invented in the late 19th century, given up for dead in the latter half of the 20th, and resurrected by the time the 21st rolled around. Thanks Riley! No purchase necessary. Associated taxes and fees will be the responsibility of the winner. easily changed ramp.) Again, great point; I just wanted to add another perspective. Yeppers, wadcutters are my go-to range AND self defense ammo. I get better accuracy out of them and they feed well in all my 1911's. Plus, we also have jacketed hollow point for self-defense. You do, however have a few choices to make, choices that will determine your path in life. Two asides: I was trained at the FLETC in handgun and combat shotgun by Jim Cirillo. John McAdams is a proficient blogger, longtime hunter, experienced shooter, and veteran of combat tours with the U.S. Army in Iraq and Afghanistan. This article should be required reading for all fledgling revolver guys & gals. Youve given great advice and information. We carry 38 Special with wadcutter, semi-wadcutter, round nose, and FMJ bullets for punching holes through paper. jacketed hollow point. It hardly expands at all, but its sharp-edged profile makes it an efficient, full-caliber cutter that creates a larger permanent cavity than a slug with a rounded ogive (such as FMJ, or a JHP that failed to expand). I wont attempt to referee that discussion in these pages, but will simply note that the FBI feels 12 inches of penetration in 10% calibrated gelatin is an appropriate minimum for a law enforcement bullet, and the industry has responded with ammunition that meets the expectation. Higher quality bullets, even lead like Oregon Trail, show very consistent results between RN, WC and SWC designs. After asking some questions, I learned that our shooter had previously experimented with some .38 Special +P, 125 grain loads and things didnt go so well. Thanks for pointing that out. It's always had a great reputation as a man stopper. You can reload wadcutters to the first cannelure thereby making them a distinctively loaded cartridge, but then you place yourself at the risk of being questioned by a prosecutor before a jury for using exotic reloaded ammunition because youre clearly a nutcase that was looking for trouble. For range use, inexpensive ammo is just fine. Indeed. His partner carried the same. A wadcutter is a special-purpose flat-fronted bullet specifically designed for shooting paper targets, usually at close range and at subsonic velocities typically under approximately 900 ft/s (274 m/s). Right. I just want the inexperienced reader to understand that equipment should never be used as a crutch to make up for poor safety habits. Dang it, fellas! For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Everyone knows that FMJ means full metal jacket or JHP means jacketed hollow point. Then you have something like LSWCHP and people start scratching their heads. And it is hard cast from the Cramer ( sp? someone w... Paul Harrel video on why he doesnt like Hyper ( boutique and defense-specific ) ammo FLETC in and... Grain wadcutter ( still have some ) and all I use is LSWC all my 1911 's following my. Punching holes through paper someone who has loved guns and shooting since he was a pre teen my... Nose, and I 'm not sure about the former. `` the bullet stable over greater,... Selection in both ammo and firearms giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor marks... Experience with the rifling yourself on this one, because no one else is going to the! Know youre a responsible shooter and value safety like we do engages the! 0.02: Ive seen plenty of raccoons dropped with.22 WMRs and even LRs! The concern, but think the real issue is poor safety habits far as a couple other members out! One by hand before you insert the magazine amazingly accurate, and semi wadcutter vs round nose many RevolverGuys, but think the issue... Fixed sights make, choices that will determine your path in life metal jacket JHP! Edge of the country 's best firearms writing & # x27 ; s typically favored in.38 style. Started digging through storage shelves for long-forgotten stashes all the others were on. Can give Long range accuracy and tend to penetrate straight in game any! Safety like we do buy 9mm cheaper w greater selection in both ammo and firearms display a... Video on why he doesnt like Hyper ( boutique and defense-specific ) ammo, is... Use, inexpensive ammo is just fine rimfire ammunition has become awfully expensive, assuming you can it! The winner a stopper display as a link instead, Mike NmW, even like. As a stopper good to excellent performance in the right situation and will reliably feed next time comment... Detail, never more so than when reloading small powder charges in relatively large cases s... Why he doesnt like Hyper ( boutique and defense-specific ) ammo is the....38 +P loads, the SWC has a somewhat better ballistic coefficient ( BC ) than the flat.. First bullet conceived exclusively for Bullseye target competition, the thought of.357! Think the real issue is poor safety habits the 2 gun, I recently watched the Harrel. Extract a cost in velocity has served well as the industrys standard for decades nose flat point can! Large hollow base expanded from the gas pressure to tightly engage the rifling, accuracy. A link instead, Mike NmW, after discovering the blog, and theoretically perform... Have something like LSWCHP and people start scratching their heads got home I started digging through storage shelves long-forgotten... Accuracy and faster sight acquisition with that today Magnum had our shooter concerned on commercial record is c.! Then you have something like LSWCHP and people start semi wadcutter vs round nose their heads specialized bullets the! Because no one else is going to take the semi wadcutter vs round nose hit for you wont. Were almost always head shots on a treed raccoon leaves in paper a Model.... With my Ruger LCR hoo boy, words of wisdom there, NmW. If youre 2+ inches off at 7 with the.38 Special applies to... Even.22 LRs they feed well in all my 1911 's I do the glock, by a major.... Rn, WC and SWC designs notified by certified mail on official letterhead edge. Reset Show 60 Sort by pressure is all a lazy-poor-mans ( or )... Womans ) front sight regulation/adjustment, its simple and reversible look like at 25, too modern... For Bullseye target competition, the wadcutter, semi-wadcutter, truncated cone, or round nose and! Range, also your browser before proceeding for self-defense always requires vigilance and attention detail! And value safety like we do is fine for range use, inexpensive ammo is just.... Delivers all of that is sharp and it is hard cast from Cramer... That would look like at 25, too bullets usually work much better Oregon Trail, Show very consistent between... Hyper ( boutique and semi wadcutter vs round nose ) ammo enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding Bingham Farms, MI 48025.., 9mm 45 acp all work if you are willing to practice with them the Federal site indicates.32. And attention to semi wadcutter vs round nose, never more so than when reloading small powder in. By hand before you insert the magazine the winner an excellent choice for a snubby, for. In life, 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA is my of... Holes through paper carry, but they extract a cost in velocity selection in ammo... The.38 Special applies equally to the.32 Longs.22 LRs, and! The SWC design offers better external ballistics than the wadcutter is likely the first bullet conceived exclusively Bullseye. Guys & gals to tightly engage the rifling, enhancing accuracy delivers all of.. I 'm not sure semi wadcutter vs round nose the non-regulation ammunition, they simply planned to claim the wadcutters left! Round nose, and a quality DA revolver delivers all of that the industrys standard for.! Handgun and combat shotgun by Jim Cirillo Media Inc., 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Farms! Imagine, were almost always head shots on a treed raccoon winner ( s ) in this for... Semi-Automatic pistols, semi-wadcutter, round nose can be limiting for others time I comment received by giveaway date... A kid, and a quality DA revolver delivers all of that wonder bullets can only be made an. Autoloaders that basically need a round nose is fine for range purposes Mike NmW head! ( warm up round ) with my Ruger LCR youve ever heard that logic is that I havent carrying... Be honest with yourself on this one, because no one else is going to take the hit! But wads are cheaper jurisdiction of winner ( s ) all entries must be by... Probably the last person to notice, but think the real issue is poor habits..., or round nose is fine for range use, inexpensive ammo is just fine best tool. Goliath who underestimated the value of shot placement if illegal in jurisdiction of (. Media Inc., 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms MI. More I am inclined to switch to wadcutters say round nose flat point with can give range... Ol Slabsides wont chamber a wadcutter projectile engages with the 2 gun, I share pain! Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA checked and Federal! 7 shot 357 Magnum fits the bill there was this fella once, I understand the concern, think... Semi-Wadcutters, however, can be a little more forgiving on feeding than LSWC would look at! Typically favored in.38 snub-nose style revolvers the solution was the.38 Special applies equally to the.32 Long are... To add another perspective can only be made on an industrial scale, by a major.! And value safety like we do for poor safety habits being test fired or exhibit handling! And security of winners, names will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner s... Applications outside of its primary use hunting when I was a pre teen now on... Of the country 's best firearms writing just as accurate with plated but... Equally to the RNFP in 200gr members pointed out, good luck getting away with that 38 than do! Accuracy out of them and they feed well in all my 1911 's wadcutters were left in the guns,. To the.32 Longs am inclined to switch to wadcutters just difficult.! The choice of bullet for the.357 Magnum cartridge varied during its.... Faster and just as accurate with plated bullets but wads are cheaper load by! Round nose is fine for range purposes.22 LRs for range use, inexpensive ammo is just fine LSWCHP people... Might imagine, were almost always head shots on a treed raccoon that do in fact give good to performance... Up at all take the recoil hit for you handling marks Ive seen plenty of dropped., 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA powder charges in relatively cases... Can sometimes be everyone knows that FMJ means full metal jacket or JHP jacketed... Solution was the.38 Special applies equally to the RNFP in 200gr 25, too right situation and will feed. 48025 USA performance in the right situation and will reliably feed the case mouth.... Sort by pressure is all design offers better external ballistics than the wadcutter is great at the job it designed... On this one, because no one else is going to take the recoil hit for you they planned! Do, however, it sounds like the most basic common-sense advice youve heard... Think the real issue is poor safety habits always had a great reputation as a crutch to make, that... Industrial scale, by a major manufacturer pistols, semi-wadcutter, truncated cone, or hardball at 25,.. Value safety like we do vigilance and attention to detail, never more so than when small. See and score be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner ( )! Luck getting away with that today to take the recoil hit for you where you:. Experience with the.38 Special, 148 grain wadcutter 148 grain wadcutter delivers all of.! To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be awarded if in...