Michael Tinker Pearce
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- Joined
- Oct 23, 2016
- Messages
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NOTE: I consulted a variety of sources to develop this load, and while I do not know for certain that it is a +P load prudence dictates that it should be treated as such. It does not exhibit any signs of excessive pressure, recoil etc. but one should always err on the side of caution when approaching third-party load data. This load should only be used in +P rated firearms until or unless pressure levels can be accurately determined.
Wadcutters are often recommended for 2" .38 snubbies, and watching several FBI-style gel tests I noted that sometimes wadcutters were mushrooming slightly. Now I am aware that reverse-hollow-base wadcutters have been around for decades but in my own and others tests these tend to underpenetrate pretty badly. The standard is 12-19" of penetration after passing through four layers of 16 oz. gel and generally reverse HBWCs make 6-1/2 to 8" in tests I have seen and in my own tests. The hollow base is just too deep and they over-expand and underpenetrate.
So standard wadcutters expand barely if at all, and RHBWCs over-expand and under-penetrate. I'm a curious guy, and I wondered if there might not be a happy medium. Yes, I am aware of HST Micro, but that doesn't seem to be made anymore.
I have a mold for a 165gr. LRN flat point, so I cast some soft lead bullets and cobbled up a punch and die to swage them into what I had in mind. The result was a 165gr. Wadcutter with a wide, shallow hollow-point about 1/8" deep. After some research and experiments I arrived at a load of 4.1gr of W-231 with a CCI500 primer loaded to an overall length of 1.27" and proceeded to test them in Clear Ballistics gel with four layers of denim.
Unfortunately my chronograph wasn't cooperating today so I didn't get a good reading, but my guesstimate is 700-725 fps. I fired two shots into the gel through 4 layers of denim, resulting in 12.5" and 14" of penetration with the bullets expanding to an approximate average of .55-.56" from my S&W Model 642. Both bullets lost around 4-5gr. of lead in the gel.
BTW load data was generated based on a 170gr. load that is well within the range of SAAMI standard pressure. My bullet is slightly lighter but is seated deeper. I think it is probably not a +P load, but even if it is the 642 is rated for it.
I'm really happy with this result, and as always a little surprised that one of my ideas actually worked. I'll have to see if I can get chrono readings another time.
Wadcutters are often recommended for 2" .38 snubbies, and watching several FBI-style gel tests I noted that sometimes wadcutters were mushrooming slightly. Now I am aware that reverse-hollow-base wadcutters have been around for decades but in my own and others tests these tend to underpenetrate pretty badly. The standard is 12-19" of penetration after passing through four layers of 16 oz. gel and generally reverse HBWCs make 6-1/2 to 8" in tests I have seen and in my own tests. The hollow base is just too deep and they over-expand and underpenetrate.
So standard wadcutters expand barely if at all, and RHBWCs over-expand and under-penetrate. I'm a curious guy, and I wondered if there might not be a happy medium. Yes, I am aware of HST Micro, but that doesn't seem to be made anymore.
I have a mold for a 165gr. LRN flat point, so I cast some soft lead bullets and cobbled up a punch and die to swage them into what I had in mind. The result was a 165gr. Wadcutter with a wide, shallow hollow-point about 1/8" deep. After some research and experiments I arrived at a load of 4.1gr of W-231 with a CCI500 primer loaded to an overall length of 1.27" and proceeded to test them in Clear Ballistics gel with four layers of denim.
Unfortunately my chronograph wasn't cooperating today so I didn't get a good reading, but my guesstimate is 700-725 fps. I fired two shots into the gel through 4 layers of denim, resulting in 12.5" and 14" of penetration with the bullets expanding to an approximate average of .55-.56" from my S&W Model 642. Both bullets lost around 4-5gr. of lead in the gel.
BTW load data was generated based on a 170gr. load that is well within the range of SAAMI standard pressure. My bullet is slightly lighter but is seated deeper. I think it is probably not a +P load, but even if it is the 642 is rated for it.
I'm really happy with this result, and as always a little surprised that one of my ideas actually worked. I'll have to see if I can get chrono readings another time.
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