.38Spl Wadcutters – or FMJs – for Small Game?

[rc135]

I’ve read many times that for small game hunting with a .38/.357 revolver, perhaps the best ammunition to use is a lightly-loaded, lead semi-wadcutter, maybe in the 700-750 fps range. My question is this though: wouldn’t a downloaded FMJ be just as good? I mean, we’re talking about a rabbit or squirrel here. One reason supporting the LSWC argument might be that the FMJ would pass right thru the animal, cleanly, w/o causing enough trauma to immediately put it down, giving it time to scamper away into its hidey-hole. What are the reasons favoring the SWC over the FMJ? The FMJ over the SWC?? Thanx in advance

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[CSA 357]

try the wadcutters, they just cut a clean hole in game i have use the 38 hbwc on small game and it works fine , shoot them it the head or the rib cage, my load is 3.o gr of bullseye with a 148 gr hbwc got this load out of my book, csa

 

[Will5A1]

SWC/WC will cut a cleaner hole, severing arteries, the flat point of the bullet will tramsmit more energy to the game as it passes thru it, lead bullters are generally cheaper than FMJ, the lead bullet is less likey to ricochet and can be loaded very lightly and produce accurate loads, down to the 600 fps range.

The FMJ will not lead the barrel, will not cause as much fur damage if you are saving the pelts and will kill cleanly with good shot placement. Good shot placement is the key with either type bullet.

I have been having very good luck with 3.8 grains of 231 over the 158gr LSW, the bullets are sized to .358 and it seems to be very accurate in all the revolvers I have shot it out of. It isn't the cleanest burning load but its better than many and the 231 meters nicely. This load has worked well for me on raccoons.

Another option would be Speer 146gr half-jacket lead semi-wadcutter, giving you the best of both bullet types, no leading and the SWC shape. It must be loaded hotter than lead though to prevent the half-jacket from separating and lodging in the barrel.

 

[bullfrog99]

any solid point bullet will do.. If furharvesting is on the menu at any point in time though, I would avoid wadcutters.

 

[Jim March]

Right, 148gr target wadcutters will mess up fur but other than that, they're perfect. Any "wilderness survival ammo kit" is well stocked with some, along with snakeshot, some blanks, some basic personal defense ammo and some hardcast SWC for big stuff.

 

[Cosmoline]

In my experience, handgun velocity FMJ's simply don't have the killing power. In .38 Special, .32 ACP and 7.62 Nagant the FMJ RN rounds consistently lacked killing power even for squirrels and grouse. The lead WC/SWC loads seem to knock them down much harder, even when the raw energy is less.

In an extreme case, I shot a squirrel multiple times at point blank range with FMJ's from a Nagant before a .22LR shot from the CZ to the head brought him down. This is the unstretched hide showing the enormous holes from hit after hit of .32 Cal. FMJ's. Sort of defeats the whole "fur saving" purpose.



The same firearm loaded with lead wadcutters at less FPS delivered one shot kills on squirrel.

Granted, that's an extreme example but I think the FN lead rounds do damage more organs at low FPS where there's no serious shockwave. At those speeds RN FMJ's seem to slip right through, destroying merely skin.

 

[HiWayMan]

I've had good success with 148gr full wadcutters. But I have also killed rabbits with a CZ-52 (that was shot placement more than anything).

From experience. Don't use a hot loaded 158gr Gold Dot hollowpoint. I took the front half off a bunny with one of those. All that was left was the front feeat and the ears.........just hanging by strips of hide.

 

[rc135]

.38 SWC vs. FMJs

Thanx for all the replies, gents. Learn something new every day...

 

[Vern Humphrey]

My favorite small game load in a centerfire pistol is the 148-grain hollowbase wadcutter loaded in a .38 Special case and backed by 2.7 grains of Bullseye. It gives gilt edge accuracy in my two .357s and kills like the hammer of Thor.

Solid base wadcutters are pretty close in accuracy, and I have a 6-cavity Lee mould. Since I get wheelweights for free, I shoot a lot of these. For a combination of price and effectiveness, you can't beat them.