Full wad cutter auto rounds

[henrifirstman]

Hi all!

I'm just a bit curious if it is possible to get something like this for target practice.
The 40 s&w round is not really found in a full wadcutter for obvious reasons but they do have a revolver or two in this caliber and I've heard that a 3rd gen s&w auto might be capable of feeding a full wadcutter. I'll be getting an s&w 4006 by thanksgiving and wanted to try this.
Has anyone seen or heard of a .40 full wadcutter?

 

[rcmodel]

No.
It very likely would not feed them if you could find them.
(Unless it will also feed empty cases, and very few guns will do that without modifications.)

The only full wadcutter auto pistol rounds I know of are .38 Special and .38 AMU used back in the day in NRA Bullseye target competition.

S&W made the Model 52 in .38 Spl.
Others such as Jim Clark made 1911 Colt conversions in .38 Spl.

US Army AMU at Ft. Benning made 1911's in .38 AMU for the 1964 National match, which was simply a rimless .38 Spl. that in theory fed better then the rimmed cartridge.

rc

 

[henrifirstman]

Wow that was quick. Thanks RC.

 

[ku4hx]

The only full wad cutter semi auto I've ever heard of was the Smith & Wesson model 52. That's not to say others don't exist of can't be made.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_&_Wesson_Model_52

But I'd think the lack of semi autos designed especially for full wad cutters points to some reason, or reasons, for them not being widely available. Of course many worthy guns fall into obscurity so who knows.

I own a 4006 and I never tried to chamber a full wad cutter, but I can tell you it won't reliably chamber a resized empty case. At one time I was trying to use spent cases as snap caps but gave up on the idea. One gun in a row though doesn't establish a trend.

 

[Wil Terry]

PERHAPS, this is why they invented SWC bullets for semi-automatic pistols, 40S&W included.

 

[481]

Hi all!

I'm just a bit curious if it is possible to get something like this for target practice.
The 40 s&w round is not really found in a full wadcutter for obvious reasons but they do have a revolver or two in this caliber and I've heard that a 3rd gen s&w auto might be capable of feeding a full wadcutter. I'll be getting an s&w 4006 by thanksgiving and wanted to try this.
Has anyone seen or heard of a .40 full wadcutter?

Have you considered a hardcast SWC with a sharp shoulder?

It should cut a full-caliber hole in the target (paper) for better scoring if that is what you are looking for.

 

[9mmepiphany]

The most common semi-auto pistols you'll find today that are designed to feed wadcutters are chambered in .32 S&W. They are Olympic style target pistols designed to compete in centerfire matches.

If you just want to find some bullets to try out in your gun, just get some cast SWC bullets and cut off the noses...it should give you a slug in the 160gr area

 

[Walkalong]

The most common semi-auto pistols you'll find today that are designed to feed wadcutters are chambered in .32 S&W

Like the Benelli MP3-S .32 Wadcutter.

 

[henrifirstman]

Okay, thanks for all the info guys.
I really like the idea of a sharp shouldered LSWC in the 160 gr range.

 

[Jim K]

FWIW, Colt did make .38 WC versions of their NM and Gold Cup. These were factory, not conversions of .45 or .38 Super pistols.

Also, several European makers turned out pistols chambered for .32 S&W WC; it was/is a popular competition cartridge in Europe.

Jim