.38 Special wadcutters not cutting wads?

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Tex62

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I have some wadcutters from a local caster that I have reloaded that are not cutting pure holes in paper. I have shot them anywhere from 7 to 25 yards, and what I get is just a huge hole in the paper. Looks like a .75 cal ball has gone through the paper. I can't tell if the bullet is key holing or not. Everything else I have loaded does not seem to key hole and makes nice holes in the paper.

Is there something in the reloading process that I could be doing to cause this?

I am fairly new to this.

Thanks!
 
You need a hard backer-board behind your target.
Hard cardboard, thin plywood, etc.

Free hanging paper tries to get out of the way when the bullet hits it.

Self preservation instinct I suppose.

Low velocity also will not cut as clean if you are shooting very light loads.

rc
 
So I guess it the result of the bullet profile being flat then. The bullets that I have reloaded that have a more rounded profile don't seem to have the issue. One is a flat pointed cowboy action like bullet intended for tubular magazines...

The loads are mid range in the data.

Thanks.
 
Make sure your target paper is on some stiff backing such as cardboard attached to a wooden frame.
 
My wadcutter loads cut clean holes in paper with no backer board, but the paper is pretty stiff. And if I load them too light the holes get more ragged.
 
Sharp shouldered wadcutters and semiwadcutters as well will cut sharp holes in tagboard (target paper) and cardboard. Speed is not a factor. You do need a backer if shooting the cheap paper targets not formulated for sharp cuts.
My wadcutters and semis cut sharp holes and you can often see the little discs of paper and cardboard flying off behind the target after the shot.
The target is the answer unless you are experiencing issues with a bad bore, terribly misbalanced loads or something else like that.
 
Last batch of 25 yd pistol targets I used were very thin material and if not flat against stiff backing tore easily with all bullet types. The 100yd rifle targets were much stiffer material.
 
The load is 3.7 grains of Unique per the Lyman 49th guide for 148g wadcutters. The gun is a 6" S&W M14 that has been barely shot. As mentioned, other bullets with more rounded profiles did just fine on the same paper. The paper targets were cheap though.

I'll try stiffer paper or back it with cardboard next time out.
 
3.7? Wait a minute! What kind of wadcutters? They're not hollow-based are they?
Click to expand...

+1

3.7 gr. of Unique may be too much for a hollow base wad cutter. The info I see at handloads.com and in a general search of the web suggests 3.0 to 3.3 grains of Unique for HBWC in .38 Special. I wonder if you're blowing the hollow base and getting tumbling of the bullet.

I personally prefer 2.8 grains of Bullseye, the smallest Lee powder dipper throws 2.8 gr of Bullseye and it seems to be cleaner shooting than Unique.
 
No, these are not hollow based. this is right out of the Lyman manual. They are a solid cylinder core, with a little nub on the end. Not quite a flat point but close. They have a crimp grove and are about 1.31 OAL.

Yes, Unique is pretty dirty. I am finding it is gumming up that revolver in about 100 rounds. I am thinking about trying something different. I have heard about the Bullseys recipe. The Lyman manual likes Tightgroup for that bullet though. I don't see Tightgroup mentioned much by folks here.
 
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Tite Group & lead would NOT be my first choice.
I've tried it & it smokes worse than black powder!

I like Accurate #5 & lead in 45 Colt, so you might consider Accurate 2 or 5.

Just as a side note - Tite Group has worked wonderfully for me with plated 125 gr bullets (38 spl)
 
None of the recipe "disasters" relate to his issue : the cutting.

Hard target paper ( Hot rolled- short grain paper) or backerboard or targetframe.

Easy test for paper : Write a line on it with a ball point pen, and immediately rub it.

If it sticks, generally its long grain. If it smudges, its generally short grain. The yellowpaper targets wont cut circles without support.
 
The danger in using too heavy of a load is that you will blow the skirt off the wadcutter (the area at the hollow base) and this will cause poor accuracy as well as possibly leaving part of the skirt in the bore. Have you noticed heavy fouling of lead in the barrel, or spitting of particles from the forcing cone?? You may want to back the charge off by .5 grains and see what happens then, and also use a backer.
 
I print my targets and use some heavy 90# or greater paper weight with cardboard backing. This helps in getting a clean hole in the paper if not using a backing. Normally the heavier weight paper I get is brighter, which gives me better contrast between black and white since I use a laser printer.
 
I have used 3.5gr of W231 and the Missouri DEWC 148gr with great success in all of my 2" and 4" smiths.
 
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