.38 spl Wadcutter Ammo

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    fivepointstar

    fivepointstar

    Thank you MD-Goodbye
    Apr 28, 2008
    30,714
    3rd Rock from the Sun
    I did a search and could not find any other threads that dealt with this? I was doing some cleaning and I found a box of .38 spl Wadcutter ammo, I think someone gave it to me be because I don't recall buying it. Other than target ammo, why would someone by lead wadcutter ammo. I know it makes a nice clean hole in paper but other than that, is it good for plinking and good for home defense ammo?

    I think historically the ammo is pretty dirty and leaves a lot of lead on the cone....is this typical

    THanks!
     
    B

    BradMacc82

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Aug 17, 2011
    26,177
    When pressed into HD duty, it's better than nothing.

    But honestly, I think even a SWC in a HD setting is still going to have plenty of effect.
     
    K

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,489
    Fairfax, VA
    The dirty part I believe is due to the fact that it's a cast bullet with lube, which gets burned off, and does not have anything to do with the wadcutter. It should be good plinking ammo, because they tend to be loaded light. The leading issue is probably due to improper load, or alloy. Handloaders can usually come up with a recipe that leads very little or not at all.
     
    GoGoGadget

    GoGoGadget

    Deplorable Member
    Mar 10, 2011
    2,959
    A.A.Co. and Carteret Co. NC
    I heard somewhere that wadcutters were commonly used as defensive ammo "back in the day" ('50s and '60s, I guess).

    Personally, I like shooting it at paper - nice clean round holes. I usually pick some up from Georgia Arms when I go to the Chantilly shows.
     
    smdub

    smdub

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 14, 2012
    4,660
    MoCo
    Great target or plinking ammo. Loaded very light (but consistent). I used to shoot a LOT of it in college from my GP100.

    Micheal, I have some 38 HBWC bullets that aren't loaded if you want a few to show w/ the loaded rounds. Not much to see once they are loaded;) Email me if interested.
     
    Pinecone

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Back in the day, a commonly suggested HD round was a hollow base wadcutter seated BACKWARDS. So the hollow base was in front. Very short ranges only.

    But testing I saw seemed to show the hollow base skirt just came off and the rest of the bullet acted like a wad cutter.

    Most wadcutter loads are loaded very light for target shooting. So while the bullet may work for HD, the light load is not great for that.

    They are also dirty, as the common powder for the light loads was Bullseye, which is a very dirty powder.

    Have fun plinking with them
     
    K

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,489
    Fairfax, VA
    ThawMyTongue said:
    Some firearms are chambered ONLY for .38 special wad-cutter. Any guesses? :innocent0
    Click to expand...

    This thing.

    21opo50.jpg
     
    K

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,489
    Fairfax, VA
    Don't forget about the .38 AMU either. It's a semi-rimmed .38 Special essentially, and was for the Army Marksmanship Unit's special 1911's.
     
    lsw

    lsw

    לא לדרוך עליי
    Sep 2, 2013
    1,975
    S&W 52
     

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    Threeband

    Threeband

    The M1 Does My Talking
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2006
    25,304
    Carroll County
    I used to love shooting mid range HBWC loads. 2.6 grains of Bullseye...Pop!... crazy accurate...neat holes in the paper. For me, they were "instead of .22 rimfire". I find .22 rimfire sort of annoying to shoot, honestly. Boring little pipsqueak load. But those .38 Special Mid Range loads were fun, and cheap. Cheapish, anyway.

    I think they are a great way to introduce a new shooter to handguns. Hand them a Model 686 loaded with those mid range loads. Hell of a lot more fun than .22 rimfire. Easier to see the holes in the target, too.

    And I remember when the backwards wadcutter was touted as a defensive load in alloy frame snubbies. It was a primitive age.
     
    fidelity

    fidelity

    piled higher and deeper
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 15, 2012
    22,400
    Frederick County
    Johnthetoolguy

    Johnthetoolguy

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 4, 2009
    3,345
    Pasadena
    I was shooting PPC in the 80's and used nothing but 38 wadcutters, in a modified S&W model 10.

    Easier to score the targets with that 'clean' round hole.
     
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