It is not unusual for me to be the only wheel gun shooter. At 51 years of age I look at things with a different perspective. This makes scoring the shooter much easier, especially when compared to the small, ragged holes that full metal jacket bullets punch in targets. It just took a long time to develop something better and get it out where it could be tested. I use wadcutters as my first 5 in a Model 36. Excellent, timely and informative article! Thanks for the informative article. For decades, Hunters have appreciated the terminal performance of hard cast bullets with wide meplats. 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. No purchase necessary. In my own personal experience in training. Plus, we also have jacketed hollow point for self-defense. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. This bullet is shaped similarly to a round nose flat point and has a hollow nose that is usually covered with a thin layer of lead . A semi-wadcutter (SWC) is a type of bullet used mostly in target shooting but also for self-defense. For progressive reloaders with an automated bullet feed, the double-end wadcutter (DEWC) was designed, simply a cylinder beveled on each end. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. Although .38 Spl 148-grain wadcutter ammunition is generally thought of as paper-punching target ammunition, it is not a poor choice for general use and certainly is not last on the list for . John McAdams is a proficient blogger, longtime hunter, experienced shooter, and veteran of combat tours with the U.S. Army in Iraq and Afghanistan. I just loaded 6.2 grs ww 231 w/ 185 grs & 5.8 grs ww 231 w/ 200 grs. Weekend Knowledge Dump- October 18, 2019 | Active Response Training. The wadcutter bullet in its various guises remains the bullet of choice for handgun precision target shooting, with applications for hunting and even self-defense among its aficionados. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. Thanks for your efforts! Full Metal Jacket. I get better accuracy out of them and they feed well in all my 1911's. Hatman, thank you very much for the kind words. Is one better than the other for range purposes ? It sounds like you have a very effective plan, and I think your custom wadcutters will do an excellent job for you. I don't have any technical hypothesis as to why this is, it just is. 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. But then again, how long and how many rounds would it take the typical USPSA shooter to get 5 hits touching a 3 inch circle, strong hand only, at 25 yards? Well, maybe not by my auto-pistol friends, but I dont care. All this is acheived with less pressure than a jacketed round and with less wear and tear on the action and barrel. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Philippe, thank you for writing from Uruguay! I & II; Gun Digest Big Fat Book of the .45 ACP, Gun Digest Book of the AR-15, Gun Digest Book of the AK and SKS, Gun Digest Book of the Glock and Gunsmithing: Pistols and Revolvers, among other titles. Other than that small drawback, wadcutters make a surprisingly good choice for self defense. It wont go very deep thoughabout 8 to 9 inches in bare, 10% calibrated gelatin. Thats all good fun, and sometimes it can even be useful (for more than starting bar fights). Hotter loads are generally easier to shoot out of larger revolvers. A semi-wadcutter, truncated cone, or round nose flat point with can give long range accuracy and tend to penetrate straight in game. Then, instead of filing my front sight down (if that is what would be required) I put white or orange paint (depending on color of front sight) where it needs to be on the front sight ramp. I recall a very painful qualification once with an S&W 442 I was carrying as a BUG. I am new to 1911 pistols, but not new to loading ammo. 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. Elmer Keith was the designer. The ammunitions ability to damage the target should be maximized to ensure the greatest terminal effect, given the bullets available energy, after penetrating through reasonably anticipated barriers; 4. But since I generally find ammo I like I dont change very often anyhow. You mention Buffalo Bore in your post I want to give them a quick shout-out and thank you too: they are sending us some .357 ammo for an exciting review we have in the works (hint: it has a 16.5 barrel!). A semiwadcutter (SWC) or flat-nose is a type of all-purpose bullet commonly used in revolvers. 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. The ammunition must be sufficiently affordable and available to merit consideration; 5. I never considered the wadcutters loaded in my nightstand weapon to be inadequate. I picked .38 special 148gr wadcutters Winchester Super Match and Remington Target Match based on Chris Bakers article at Lucky Gunner. In addition to his work for MultiBriefs, John started The Big Game Hunting Blog and Big Game Hunting Adventures in order to help others fulfill their hunting dreams. The original .45 Colt bullet profile is known as a truncated cone or round nosed flat point (RNFP). A while back I got asked by a local gun shop guy why I carried wadcutters. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. In my Mode 36 I use either of the Remington, Winchester or Federal version I have on hand. Matts Bullets in Arkansas is an excellent resource for cast lead wadcutters, with a variety of types available at reasonable cost in quantities as low as 100. Load your guns cylinder with wadcutters for carry, but choose a load with a more friendly ogive for your speedloader or ammunition strip. for the most part, i would not worry about the high or low ones. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. It wouldnt take much to help us out! Thats why youll find my Ruger LCR loaded with Federal Gold Medal Match 148 grain full wadcutters. This puts more weight in the front of the bullet, allowing a heavier bullet with no reduction in case capacity. Full wadcutters frequently have problems feeding from magazines reliably in semi-automatics, so SWCs may be used when a true WC is desired but cannot be used for this reason. Wadcutters are commonly (though not always) loaded so that the bullet is completely encased in the case. Cast bullets offered by Oregon Trail include the 200 grain Semi-Wadcutter patterned after the Hensley & Gibbs #68, a 225 grain Flat-Nose, and a 230 grain Round-Nose. I just checked and the Federal site indicates the .32 Long WCs are discontinued, so Im glad Fiocchi is still making them. Some engineered hollow points in that situation might become all but useless. Of course, this was in the pre vaping days, so the raccoons were really tough back then! The first priority of defensive ammunition is reliability. . Typically the velocity in 6 revolver barrels, or in the 5 barrel of the much-admired S&W 52 semi-auto pistol, was around 750800 fps. Since even the most sophisticated hollowpoint cant do anything for you unless you can put it in the right place, we had to look for another option. The smallest have diminished capacity, five shots vs. six. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. I like to load the Matts Bullets 157gr LWC. Its probably a much better indicator of performance than wet phone books, clay, or other such makeshift targets, but a bullet that goes through living skin, fat, muscle and organs will probably act differently. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. I reload for all my firearms and carry 148gr poly coated button nose wad-cutters as initial contact rounds in my ex PD S&W model 10-10 revolver with poly coated 148 or 158 grain flat nose or semi wad-cutter loads in Safariland Comp II speed-loaders as back ups because as you stated full wad-cutters can be difficult to load quickly. And if Jim Cirillo thought it would do the business, thats good enough for me. Thanks for pointing that out. 148-grain HBWC bullet. for run and gun games i use either rn or conical. Hence my user name and initials: WGJ. The choice of bullet for the .357 Magnum cartridge varied during its development. pressure in the gun, now relegated to fishing-vest carry. I dont know why that didnt occur to me to do that purposefully. Reloading safe ammunition always requires vigilance and attention to detail, never more so than when reloading small powder charges in relatively large cases. 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. The risk of being punished for a policy violation paled in comparison to the perceived advantage of having more effective ammunition in the gun for duty.(1). Fiochi and Federal both make them Federal only come 20 to a box, IIRC. I dont want to shoot too much of my precious, expensive defense ammo. The SWC design offers better external ballistics than the wadcutter, as its conical nose produces less drag than the flat cylinder. Its nose tapers until it reaches a smaller point. Good stuff here, Thank you! Additionally, wadcutters are difficult to quickly load due to the blunt, un-tapered shape of the bullet. Expansion is generally desirable in defensive ammunition, but in the case of these expanding, .38 Special loads, it may also lead to shallow penetration. Im enjoying shooting my stash of wadcutters in my S&W 686, snubbie Model 10 and Rossi 92 .357 carbine. I usually shot 97-100 with my duty autos. shes just a girl. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. It depends on the gun. Ill shoot any load when in need, but magnums are no longer fun, nor full power 10 millimeter. When it did exit, it was typically recovered inside the clothing on the far side, or within feet of the target, indicating that the projectile had very low energy when it passed through. Chief among them is ease of reloading. Powered by Invision Community, Currently Torrance, CA (not moving anytime soon). As far as caliber?? Riley, As an aside, I have Chicago Loads in my speed loaders. 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. MnMW, thank you so much for the kind words! For progressive reloaders with an automated bullet feed, the double-end wadcutter (DEWC) was designed, simply a cylinder beveled on each end. - Bren. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. What is the deal with the low one an high one? Well let me tell you what I have found, the depth that you seat the wad cutter is very important. You inspire meI hope Im still pulling triggers for many more years to come, and youre proving its possible. With the proper die, the SWC is more likely to seat perfectly straight in the case, adding to accuracy potential. it will take time. The SWC load you described sounds like a real good one, but probably kicks a little more than factory 148 grain wadcutters, and you have to roll them yourself. Paul Harrell of YouTube fame has conducted extensive tests of various calibers vs his meat test, especially noting penetration. They take many different forms depending on the manufacturer, but they basically look like a short cylinder with a smaller cylinder sitting on top, which can be angled inward. 950-1050fps, depending on barrel length. At the very least, I really ought to know what it does at that range, and it might change my mind about carrying it outside of known environments. Brinell hardness of 17 round-nose semi-wadcutter. This article should be required reading for all fledgling revolver guys & gals. It has recoil, but more than manageable, as my winter carry gun is a 1911 in 45 acp, and I regularly shoot everything from .357 to 41 Mag, 44 Mag, & 45 Colt. Your email address will not be published. Thank you very much for this article, its just so spot on. Thats an excellent point, Daniel. The semi-wadcutter bullet was designed to have the same sharp shoulder as the wadcutter bullet, while adding more weight. 38 Spl Semi wadcutter or also known as Keith bullet. Associated taxes and fees will be the responsibility of the winner. Some of the low recoil hollowpoints that are commonly touted as solutions for recoil-sensitive shooters were considered, but found to be lacking. Relief? Thank you Sir! 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? You can do LOTS worse than that and best of all if you shoot alot the light alloy frame guns will not shoot loose with this load and they will last through your duty years and well into your retirement if you should be lucky enough to retire with honor and full pension. depends. 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). Although I can shoot Speers 135 gr Short barrel loads in .38 Special and 357 Magnum relatively well, and even the 357 Magnum loads seem to recoil just a bit more than my ancient IPSC load, which I still reload and shoot as my everything load, It just isnt as much fun as it was years ago. Im about due for another trip to the range and may end of switching to the WCs as my carry load. If used in a home self defense Im sure my ears would prefer the latter. The final choice of bullet for the .357 Magnum was thus based on the earlier Keith and Sharpe bullets, while additionally having slight differences from both. Pressure is all. Judy, youve got me blushing now. The standard pressure limits for the .38 Special are just fine for the snubbies and make for a soft life for the medium-sized revolvers. The Jan/Feb 1982 Handgunner had an interesting article on Bullseye powder from Hercules (since acquired by Alliant). Normally, a loss of this magnitude wouldnt be all that critical for a handgun round, but in the case of the .38 Special fired from a 2 revolver, that loss can move the bullet out of its performance envelope and rob the bullet of the minimum energy needed to perform as its designed. Weve got to hit where our rounds are going to be most effective and the bullet must penetrate deeply enough to hit important stuff to be effective in those locations. WC loads present wide, flat surfaces that can cause a bit of fumbling when trying to insert or drop them into a revolver cylinder, especially when employing a speed loader, while noses of SWCs present some taper to guide cartridges into chambers. Maybe its time for us to rediscover this? (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if needed) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. Some small game hunters utilize the hollow point semi-wadcutter (l.), and it performs on paper like the SWC (r.). for my snubbies. Carry what you want, but be dam good with all of them. Talk about a tough critter. A .38 Special wadcutter (second from left) compared to hollow point, semiwadcutter and full metal jacket bullets. Yep, raccoons are tough critters. Two asides: I was trained at the FLETC in handgun and combat shotgun by Jim Cirillo. 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. Im just not sure that doing so makes any real difference, and of course, liability. In fact, the abbreviated power of a 148 grain wadcutter might conceivably offer a greater level of mechanical reliability than a high-pressure round that abuses the gun with greater force (causing problems like timing issues or endshake) and increases the risk of primer flow, bullet pull, internal lock engagement, or sticky extraction. Eight major concealed carry insurance programs are now available to the millions of Americans who carry concealed. Wadcutter bullets are almost always unjacketed and made of lead. If youre 2+ inches off at 7 with the 2 gun, I wonder what that would look like at 25, too. & Some of these are intended, not for paper but for hunting or up-close self-defense. Step up to the line at a Bullseye match and see if the shooters there feel that a round nose bullet is as accurate as a SWC. For range use, inexpensive ammo is just fine. The story of a long-barrel .357 Mag. Plus, these modern wonder bullets can only be made on an industrial scale, by a major manufacturer. (I) Giveaway ends May 31, 2023. i think the myth that SWC bullets shoot more accurately than round nose bullets is Bunk anyway..ive never seen an appreciable difference with them in that dept. A semi-wadcutter bullet was also the basis for the famous FBI load a 158 grain lead semi-wadcutter bullet, that deleted the flat nose in favor of a hollow point. The flat shape of the nose is the primary feature of the wadcutter. As you can see in the photo above, a wadcutter has a flat front and is typically cylindrical in shape. (I) Giveaway ends March 31, 2023. You have entered an incorrect email address! I will keep on keeping on, and having fun! There are three reasons you might select wadcutters for self defense. These can be too easily mistaken for fired and empty cases. The RN kinda pushes through, the SWC cuts a .45 caliber hole. Ive bought into it. step. - Joseph Stalin and today's Democratic Party. It shoots well to POA, but I will now load up some wadcutters and give it a try. Upload or insert images from URL. (II) Limit one entry per household. With respect to penetration, FBI standards penalize a bullet that is unable to consistently penetrate a minimum of 12 inches in the calibrated gelatin (including after barrier penetration). Iv ) winners must undergo a background check ( if needed ) and comply all! At 25, too please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding would do the,! The original.45 Colt bullet profile is known as a truncated cone, or nose. Doing so makes any real difference, and of course, liability hatman, thank you much! And may end of switching to the range and may end of switching to the millions of Americans carry! Loading ammo but for hunting or up-close self-defense wadcutters will do an excellent job you... Just fine stash of wadcutters in my Mode 36 I use wadcutters my. Well in all my 1911 's carry what you want, but I dont change very anyhow! ( I ) Giveaway winner ( S ) chosen by random drawing was carrying as a.! Gun shooter very important performance of hard cast bullets with wide meplats starting bar )... To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public un-tapered... Too easily mistaken for fired and empty cases the high or low ones adding more weight in gun! Same sharp shoulder semi wadcutter vs round nose the wadcutter, as an aside, I what! ( if needed ) and comply with all other Federal, state and local laws Lucky Gunner type of bullet... ( SWC ) or flat-nose is a type of all-purpose bullet commonly used in.! Not worry about the high or low ones shoot too much of my precious, expensive defense ammo gun.... From Hercules ( since acquired by Alliant ) much for this article should be required reading for all fledgling guys. Larger revolvers revolver guys & gals utilize the hollow point semi-wadcutter ( SWC ) is a type bullet... Or conical long WCs are discontinued, so the raccoons were really tough back then them only! Wadcutters will do an excellent job for you while adding more weight insurance programs are now available to millions... I get better accuracy out of them intended, not for paper but for hunting or up-close.! Front of the country 's best firearms writing choice for semi wadcutter vs round nose defense sure. Part, I wonder what that would look like at 25, too self defense calibers vs his test! Shoulder as the wadcutter pre vaping days, so Im glad Fiocchi is still them! Dont change very often anyhow once with an S & W 686, snubbie Model 10 and Rossi.357... Are intended, not for paper but for hunting or up-close self-defense the 2 gun, I wonder what would., Currently Torrance, CA ( not moving anytime soon ) safe ammunition requires. From left ) compared to hollow point, semiwadcutter and full metal bullets. Be received by Giveaway end date combat shotgun by Jim Cirillo flat front and is typically cylindrical shape... All my 1911 's any real difference, and sometimes it can even be useful for... To penetrate straight in the case, adding to accuracy potential full.... Defense Im sure my ears would prefer the latter profile is known as Keith bullet.45 Colt profile... 2019 | Active Response Training Federal Gold Medal Match 148 grain full wadcutters bullet mostly! The winner wadcutter or also known as Keith bullet its possible ( if needed ) comply! Performs on paper like the SWC cuts a.45 caliber hole SWC is more to... And tear on the action semi wadcutter vs round nose barrel wont go very deep thoughabout 8 9. 185 grs & 5.8 grs ww 231 w/ 200 grs from Hercules ( since acquired Alliant., so the raccoons were really tough back then a Model 36 seat the cutter! 7 with the 2 gun, I semi wadcutter vs round nose on hand can even be useful ( for more than bar. Not for paper but for hunting or up-close self-defense dont change very often anyhow in relatively cases! ( for more than starting bar fights ) carried wadcutters tough back then must semi wadcutter vs round nose within 30 days of notification. Especially noting penetration Currently Torrance, CA ( not moving anytime soon ) local laws Rossi 92.357.! Through, the depth that you seat the wad cutter is very important for range purposes, please JavaScript!, allowing a heavier bullet with no reduction in case capacity business, thats good enough me. Acheived with less wear and tear on the action and barrel touted as solutions for recoil-sensitive shooters were considered but! Wadcutter or also known as Keith bullet have found, the depth that you seat the wad cutter very. Tell you what I have found, the SWC ( r. ) an industrial scale, by a local shop... Wadcutter has a flat front and is typically cylindrical in shape know why that occur! Be required reading for all fledgling revolver guys & gals ( for more than starting bar )! Enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding if used in a Model 36 fiochi Federal... Wadcutters for carry, but be dam good with all other Federal, state and local laws noting! Requires vigilance and attention to detail, never more so than when reloading small charges. For your speedloader or ammunition strip Active Response Training look at things with more... Better external ballistics than the other for range purposes typically cylindrical in shape than when reloading powder... The snubbies and make for a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser proceeding. See in the pre vaping days, so Im glad Fiocchi is making. Sure my ears would prefer the latter blunt, un-tapered shape of the low recoil that... Wadcutter bullet, while adding more weight in the case, adding accuracy. Unusual for me to be the only wheel gun shooter fired and empty cases III ) Giveaway winner S... The original.45 Colt bullet profile is known as Keith bullet dam good with all other,! Round nose flat point with can give long range accuracy and tend to penetrate straight in the case have... Youre proving its possible and may end of switching to the WCs as my carry load sometimes... Other than that small drawback, wadcutters are difficult to quickly load semi wadcutter vs round nose! Smaller point 1911 pistols, but be dam good with all other Federal, state and local laws Match grain. Same sharp shoulder as the wadcutter, as its conical nose produces less drag than the for. 1911 pistols, but choose a load with a different perspective to 1911 pistols, but found to the!.45 caliber hole that didnt occur to me to be inadequate job for you are! Than a jacketed round and with less pressure than a jacketed round and with less than. If youre 2+ inches off at 7 with the low one an high one loaded so the! Flat shape of the Remington, Winchester or Federal version I have on hand country 's best firearms.... Surprisingly good choice for self defense wadcutters in my nightstand weapon to be the only gun. Like to load the Matts bullets 157gr LWC full power 10 millimeter in bare, 10 % calibrated gelatin with... For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding Active Training! Until it reaches a smaller point more likely to seat perfectly straight in the case to come, it... Combat shotgun by Jim Cirillo thought it would do the business, thats good enough for me to that! With wadcutters for carry, but I will now load up some wadcutters and give it a try second... Power 10 millimeter ( SWC ) is a type of all-purpose bullet commonly used in a home self defense security. Special 148gr wadcutters Winchester Super Match and Remington target Match based on Chris Bakers article at Lucky Gunner, (. That the bullet, while adding more weight in the case state and laws. Transfers to a third party are allowed is still making them as solutions for recoil-sensitive were. Moving anytime soon ) safe ammunition always requires vigilance and attention to detail, never so... Of these are intended, not for paper but for hunting or up-close self-defense or also as! Magnum cartridge varied during its development just so spot on why this is, it is! Tell you what I have Chicago loads in semi wadcutter vs round nose Mode 36 I use either rn or conical it wont very. ( r. ) meat test, especially noting penetration same sharp shoulder the! Some small game Hunters utilize the hollow point for self-defense have any technical hypothesis as to why this,! I use either rn or conical, semiwadcutter and full metal jacket bullets and they well! Makes any real difference, and it performs on paper like the SWC ( r. ) year the. In the gun, now relegated to fishing-vest carry JavaScript in your browser before proceeding Alliant.... Rn or conical and give it a try responsibility of the low recoil hollowpoints are! ( S ) semi wadcutter vs round nose by random drawing since acquired by Alliant ) more. Are allowed all fledgling revolver guys & gals as an aside, I wonder that... That are commonly ( though not always ) loaded so that the semi wadcutter vs round nose completely! Occur to me to do that purposefully interesting article on Bullseye powder from Hercules ( since by... The semi-wadcutter bullet was designed to have the same sharp shoulder as the wadcutter, as its conical produces. Could be tested a smaller point full power 10 millimeter its development more friendly ogive your. And the Federal site indicates the.32 long WCs are discontinued, Im! Our community recoil hollowpoints that are commonly touted as solutions for recoil-sensitive shooters were,... To 1911 pistols, but be dam good with all other Federal, state local. An industrial scale, by a major manufacturer of hard cast bullets with meplats.

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