.38 Special Wadcutter

[kBob]

So with the popularity of .38 Specials seeming to be on the come back.......where in the heck is Plain Jane .38 Special Wadcutter factory loaded ammo????????

I am talking your vanilla 148 pit of lead with a little lube either the same flat on both sides DEWC or great big Minnie ball like hole in the base HBWC trotting out of a 4 inch at 710 fps for low recoil, low noise nice hole punching for training folks to actually shoot.

Even bullets for reloading with just enough Bullseye to make one sneeze and to push bullets at 450 or so for quiet indoor or back yard shooting seem hard to find.

Has the world gone so "tactical" that we have lost all the good stuff????

-kBob

 

[bannockburn]

kBob

I occasionally come across some Fiocchi .38 Special Wadcutter ammo at the local gun shows. Stocked up on it some time back when it was priced like $12 to $14 for 50 rounds. Nowadays that same box will run you around $20 to $22, when you can find it in stock. Still have some bullets left over from when I first started reloading to crank out a few of them should the need arise.

 

[LoneGoose]

Yes, I have not been able to find loaded wadcutters in a coon's age. However, I just received in the mail a box of 500 plated 148 gr. DEWCs from Rainier Ballistics. I was shopping for a different bullet, but stumbled onto these. Give them a try - and know that most bullet makers will make a run of whatever you want eventually. Just gotta find it when in stock. Good luck.

 

[BullRunBear]

I haven't bought any 148 grain WC ammo in years so wasn't aware of the commercial offerings. (Can't imagine how many thousands I've reloaded over the last thirty years. And I always have plenty of components.) Now you made me curious so I'll keep an eye open for them. I often see bulk lots of 158 grain 38 special ammo offered on sale at Midway and Cabelas but don't recall seeing 148s listed. Considering how great WCs are to shoot, it seems an odd lack.

Jeff

 

[Vern Humphrey]

So with the popularity of .38 Specials seeming to be on the come back.......where in the heck is Plain Jane .38 Special Wadcutter factory loaded ammo????????

I am talking your vanilla 148 pit of lead with a little lube either the same flat on both sides DEWC or great big Minnie ball like hole in the base HBWC trotting out of a 4 inch at 710 fps for low recoil, low noise nice hole punching for training folks to actually shoot.

Even bullets for reloading with just enough Bullseye to make one sneeze and to push bullets at 450 or so for quiet indoor or back yard shooting seem hard to find.

Has the world gone so "tactical" that we have lost all the good stuff????

-kBob

Handloading is the answer. If ya don't handload, ya ain't right!

 

[BullRunBear]

Whoa! I just looked up WC ammo costs at MidwayUSA and the best price I found was about 20 bucks per box of fifty. Most were much more expensive. Add in more for shipping. I had no idea the prices had gone so high. My reloading gear is looking better all the time.

Jeff

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Whoa! I just looked up WC ammo costs at MidwayUSA and the best price I found was about 20 bucks per box of fifty. Most were much more expensive. Add in more for shipping. I had no idea the prices had gone so high. My reloading gear is looking better all the time.

Jeff

Wadcutter ammo is typically target ammo, and is more expensive than run-of-the mill whitebox.

 

[Jack B.]

I just bought 500 bullets 125gr 38/.357 FP( pulled ,plated) for $35 and free shipping and at times you can do better price wise from Reloading Valley.http://www.reloadingvalley.com/ Loaded them up with 4.0 grs Bullseye that I've had forever and Starline brass that's been reloaded 11 times and WSP primers. They shoot just fine.

 

[Bert W.]

Precision Delta is an ammunition plant here in Mississippi. They sell new and reloaded .38 special 148 grain HBWC. Years ago when I shot PPC matches it was the only ammo I used. I still buy the reloads from time to time. Ive never had any problems with the reloads, they always went bang for me. They cut pretty holes in paper. Just Google Delta Precision.

 

[SeanSw]

In the 13 years since I began shooting I have never once seen a single box of wadcutter ammo on the shelf at any retail store, or any of the local guns stores. I've had to order every single box at ridiculous prices. Gun shows are a waste of time IMO. 130gr fmj and 158gr lrn seem to be the standard now.

 

[Water-Man]

http://www.georgia-arms.com/38-special-148gr-lead-wadcutter/

 

[Steve51]

For several years I have been using 148 grain plated double ended wadcutters from X-Treme. I am very satisfied with their performance.

 

[earplug]

LEE makes a decent six gang mold. Tumble lube or powder coated they work fine.

 

[Sistema1927]

Gone are the days when you could walk into any gun store and buy a box of .38 Special 148 WC for $5.00, or load your own for $3.00.

 

[Cannibul]

Gone are the days when you could walk into any gun store and buy a box of .38 Special 148 WC for $5.00, or load your own for $3.00.

My cost to reload a box of 50 is $0.015 for primer, powder is $0.008, bullet runs $0.02 each for the bullets I cast. So a box of 50 totals out at $2.15 a box.

 

[Slamfire]

When Police Departments were armed with 38 Specials, the round was very popular with recreational shooters, and the Bullseye shooter crowd. I used to pick up coffee cans worth of once fired shells at the range. Those days are gone. Recently I have started shooting Bullseye Pistol, the M52 S&W automatic was developed for that game, but https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_&_Wesson_Model_52 is absent from the firing line. I have not seen one at the range for 20 to 30 years now. That pistol was set up for the 148 lead hollow base wad cutter. Because of the amount of unsupported case head in these things, loads had to be light.





I talked with a 10 times PPC champ, a man who is one out of two shooters to score a perfect 1500. Before he was given free factory ammunition to shoot, he was loading his 38 Special cases with a 148 lead bullet and 2.7 grains of Bullseye. This is a classic target shooting load, going between 690 and 710 fps out of a four inch barrel. I asked the gentleman about barrel wear, and he said his Shilen 38 Special barrel (on a K frame revolver) still shot one inch groups (I assume 50 yards), and it had over 750,000 rounds through it!

The barrel has not worn out but he has seen worn out, or replaced, extractor stars, cylinder hands, and had a firing pin break.

I have shot the classic load but with cast LSWC's in a number of 38 Specials. The fixed sight revolvers, the point of impact is different because the sights were set up for different bullet weights. The M638 was set up for 125 grain bullets, and it is my recollection that 148's shot high at 25 yards. The M10 was regulated for a 158 grain bullet at 760 fps, and the 148 bullets shot low. The Python has adjustable sights and therefore can be adjusted so that point of aim and point of impact coincide.


S&W M638-3 Airweight Bodyguard


148 LWC Lead 2.7 grs Bullseye thrown Mixed Brass WSP

18-Mar-07 T = 52 °F

Ave Vel = 611.6
Std Dev = 22.04
ES 75.92
High 648.1
Low 572.2
N = 25

little high



4" S&W M10-5

148 LWC 2.7grs Bullseye W/W cases WSP

19-Apr-09 T ≈ 60-65 ° F

Ave Vel = 696.2
Std Dev = 12.04
ES = 48
High = 721.3
Low = 673.3
N = 32

v accurate, about 2" low, no leading, mild recoil



158 LRN 3.5grs Bullseye Mixed cases WSP

19-Apr-09 T ≈ 60-65 ° F

Ave Vel = 758
Std Dev = 22.86
ES = 100.9
High = 810.5
Low = 709.5
N = 32




Colt Python Stainless Steel, 6" Barrel

148 gr LBBWC 2.7 grs Bullseye 38 SPL cases CCI500 24 Sept 1999 T = 78 F

Ave Vel = 710
Std Dev = 18
ES 72.02
High 746.1
Low 674
N = 33

shot fine at 25 yards, no leading, light recoil

158 gr LRN 3.5 grs Bullseye 38 SPL cases CCI500 24-Sep-99 T = 78 F

Ave Vel = 771
Std Dev = 12
ES 35.9
High 792.6
Low 756.7
N = 6

 

[Schwing]

This spring, I cast around 5,000 148 grain DEWCs. My total cost with lead and lube was around $120. They are a real pleasure to shoot and make some very pretty round holes

 

[ArchAngelCD]

It does seem strange there are no target loads available in the stores. My only guess is there are too many shooters not willing to buy them because they are of the mistaken belief they will lead the barrel. I can't tell you how many shooters at the range ask me why I'm shooting lead bullets. They say, "I would never shoot lead because they lead the barrel!" When I ask them if they ever shot lead bullets most say no.

 

[Airman Basic]

Haven't bought any in years, but Hornady's still making the bullets.
https://www.hornady.com/bullets/handgun/38-cal-358-148-gr-hbwc#!/

 

[USSR]

Pretty slim pickings when it comes to wadcutter bullets. And, the ones that are available are sized to .357". The best was the Remington HBWC which was soft and .360" in diameter, but it is no longer available. Not to be deterred, I bought a MP mould that casts hollowbase wadcutters at a suitable size.

Don

 

[cfullgraf]

I bought several boxes of factory HBWC several years ago but have not shopped for them recently. Sorry to hear they are no longer available
these days.

This spring, I cast around 5,000 148 grain DEWCs. My total cost with lead and lube was around $120. They are a real pleasure to shoot and make some very pretty round holes

Same here.

Last winter, I cast a 30 caliber ammo can full of DEWC to be ready for my next mega 38 Special loading session. I've been dabbling with powder coat though. Great for plinking but not very time efficient when coating.

Not to be deterred, I bought a MP mould that casts hollowbase wadcutters at a suitable size.

The MP moulds are great. I have a couple his HP moulds but not the HBWC mould. They use the same method of creating the cavity as the 38 HBWC bullets which I feel is a good system.

 

[USSR]

The MP moulds are great. I have a couple his HP moulds but not the HBWC mould. They use the same method of creating the cavity as the 38 HBWC bullets which I feel is a good system.

Yeah, the Cramer method for hollowpoints or hollowbases works quite well.

Don

 

[PapaG]

Fortunately,, I was given several boxes of Zero 148 grain hbwc bullets in exchange for some light gunsmithing. Brought back memories of the Monday night leagues at Gil Hebard's. Back in the sixties we, our commercial loading shop, loaded from five to ten thousand of these monthly for police departments along the west side of central IL. I loaded a bunch backwards at the request of a few LEOs for their 36s and CA backups.
I shot a woodchuck with one but hit it in the hip and he ran into the cornfield. Killed him with a swchp that same week. I have the wadcutter, expanded nicely.
I have two Lyman wc moulds, one the 358432, a 160 which is very accurate, and a 125 grain that is just ok but slow to cast in single cavity form.
I still shoot a few hundred every year for cheap double action practice and for checking inherent accuracy in "New" acquisitions. Low doses of Bullseye are all you need. I guess I need to try the dewc bullets.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Zero, Delta Precision, and Georgia Arms (and numerous others) all still produce reloaded ammo with 148gr wadcutters. Buy 500rds and skip the middle man. Delivered to your door.

 

[brewer12345]

I buy all my components and it still doesn't cost me more than 5 or 6 dollars a box to roll up HBWC or DEWC-based wadcuttter rounds. Easy load to produce and they shoot very accurately.