Ugly .38 wadcutters from Missouri/Midway

[Buck13]

I recently bought a box of coated .38 full wadcutters from Missouri Bullets via Midway. Opened them yesterday to load a few and was not thrilled. Supposedly "double-ended" so I loaded the first couple without looking really closely, until I realized they were not feeling exactly the same in the case each time. One end is consistently shaped on each bullet, the the other, not so much.

Some of these are visibly not square, and/or have a little flange of lead/coating sticking out over the bevel on one side. I'm really doubting that they're going to fly well. God help you if you loaded them with that funky end down (which I did 2 or 3 times before I spotted the assymetry). Surely the exit from the muzzle with one side venting so much earlier would be chaotic. After the first couple of bullets, when I noticed how weird one end looked, I loaded them with the good base down.

I've never purchased full wadcutters before except in .429 (a SAECO #944 mold, conventionally lubed). No other cast bullets I've bought have this much irregularity. I've seen plenty of photos of full wadcutters on Castboolits, etc, (lubed, not coated) and many of the bullets in the box I got look like someone's rejects. These are the first commercial coated bullets I've purchased. Are they typically this funky?

I picked a few out of the box at random to photograph. I did not cherry-pick the duds. Would *you* consider these to be target-quality bullets? A couple look REALLY irregular on one end, and others look slightly off. I'm planning to call Midway to complain.

 

[thegatman]

If shipping didn’t cost so much, I would send them back. Doesn’t look good. Were they blems?

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I have a bullet order MIA. last tracking info was on the 11th. Contact midway and show them the pic.

 

[1KPerDay]

I'd be interested to know if they ACTUALLY shoot any different. It's likely, as you say, particularly if you load the funky side down. But I'd like to see a test.

 

[Walkalong]

Not pretty, but will likely shoot just fine.

 

[Starter52]

Nope. Don't like 'em at all. I would complain/never reorder.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Nope. Don't like 'em at all. I would complain/never reorder.

I wouldn't go as far as never reorder. MBC makes good bullets. Those look as like shipping thought drop shipped means drop the shipment.
Definitely complain though.

 

[Buck13]

If shipping didn’t cost so much, I would send them back. Doesn’t look good. Were they blems?

I didn't think so. No sign of "blemished" or even "sale price" on the order or item description.

 

[film495]

I'd just load the funky end down and shoot them up and not think about it again. If they pose no problems and work correctly, I'd not think twice about it. If you think you did not get what you paid for, send 'em back though. I don't shoot for super accuracy so, depends what you're trying to do.

 

[Buck13]

I'd be interested to know if they ACTUALLY shoot any different. It's likely, as you say, particularly if you load the funky side down. But I'd like to see a test.

One reason I was happy to get DEWC was that I shouldn't HAVE to squint at every bullet while loading! I'd be better off with SWC (of which I have some, both coated and lubed, with better accuracy from the lubed in the tests I've done so far) in that case.

 

[ballman6711]

Contact the manufacture and let them know that these made it out the door. They would probably appreciate knowing so they could fix the problem.

And as others have said, they'll probably shoot fine.

chris

 

[Buck13]

I'd just load the funky end down and shoot them up and not think about it again. If they pose no problems and work correctly, I'd not think twice about it. If you think you did not get what you paid for, send 'em back though. I don't shoot for super accuracy so, depends what you're trying to do.

I'm pretty sure funky end down is that LAST way you'd do it to get good accuracy. If the barrel uncorks on one side first and a rush of gas starts pouring out assymetrically, that is going to give a big lateral kick to the bullet and make it move sideways and/or corkscrew. Bullet base quality is well-known to be a critical determinant of accuracy.

 

[Buck13]

BTW, there's lead in those funky flanges, not just plastic coating. I found one that had shaved a bit against the die when loading, and another I pared down a tiny bit with a pocket knife. Shiny lead revealed in both instances.

 

[Buck13]

I wouldn't go as far as never reorder. MBC makes good bullets. Those look as like shipping thought drop shipped means drop the shipment.
Definitely complain though.

I doubt these were damaged in shipment. None that I've noticed have dents or dings in the sides or gouges in the coating. It's entirely one bad end. These were f'ed up as cast before coating, I'm pretty certain.

 

[Englishmn]

Looks like bullets ran through a sizing die with no care given.
Done similar with a lee push through die if I was not careful.

 

[TransAmConvert]

Missouri aren't really a double ended wadcutter one end is beveled and you're supposed to load that end into the case. I don't think my batch looks like that though, those are very uneven. I'll take a picture later.

 

[Buck13]

I'd be interested to know if they ACTUALLY shoot any different. It's likely, as you say, particularly if you load the funky side down. But I'd like to see a test.

Ideally, I'd load a couple dozen one way and a couple dozen more the other and try it out. Not sure I'm quite that diligent, though!

 

[mdi]

Load with funky side up. Good accuracy needs a flat, even base...

 

[.38 Special]

No, those are not supposed to look that way. Some machine went wonky and the results should have been melted down instead of being shipped out.

They may shoot tolerably, depending upon the results a fellow is expecting. Do load "bad side up".

I would expect Missouri to be embarrassed and offer to replace them on their own dime, should you decide to go that route. (If you do, and they do, please let us know - it's only fair to the company).

 

[Milt1]

You're right, ugly is the word!

 

[Mike44]

I use MBC coated bullets in 357, 45 ACP and 45 Colt and have never seen any that were shoddy like yours. Out of curiosity I looked at the MBC website to see what the coated 38 special DEWC bullets should look like, and I can't find any 38 special DEWC on their site. I wonder if they were specifically made for Midway.

 

[LiveLife]

coated .38 full wadcutters from Missouri Bullets via Midway.

I looked at the MBC website to see what the coated 38 special DEWC bullets should look like, and I can't find any 38 special DEWC on their site. I wonder if they were specifically made for Midway.

Are you sure they are MBC bullets?

Hi-Tek coating color is not the same.

Here's MBC Hi-Tek .32 H&R WCBB for color and casting quality comparison - https://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=356&category=5&secondary=17&keywords=

 

[LiveLife]

OP needs to contact MidwayUSA as looks like they sent the wrong bullets.

I just checked MidwayUSA site and found the MBC .38 DEWC in different color - https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1021120064?pid=531625

"Missouri Bullet Company Bullets 38 Caliber (358 Diameter) 148 Grain Hi-Tek Coated Double Ended Wadcutter Box of 500"​

 

[1KPerDay]

FWIW the latest batch of hi-tek coated bullets I got from MBC were black. 9mm "parabellum gl"
The pics you posted definitely show that the ones the OP has were either mangled or cast improperly at some point in the process.

 

[bcook4321]

I’ve used those (MBC PPC #2) before and agree they are a little rough, but I think they are designated dewcbb, which I assume means bevels base on one (edit) end for easy loading.
I don’t see them listed on the website anymore.