wiscoaster
Member
I have a S&W 442 I was thinking of carrying in a shoulder holster. What are you guys' thoughts about using wad-cutters as my ammo for this gun carried for self-defense purposes?
I really don't have strong feelings one way or another. Luckygunner ran a bullet expansion test in ballistic gel of a number of bullets
https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolver-ballistics-test/
and here
https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolver-ballistics-test/
and it was dismaying to see the lack of expansion and penetration depth from expanding bullets in a 38 Special snubbie.
the revolver guy ran his own 148 wadcutter tests
https://revolverguy.com/wadcutters-for-self-defense/
and one more
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2014/01/federal-gold-medal-match-38-special.html
Given that expansion is very uncertain with the bullets used in 38 Special snubbies, I am more of the opinion just run whatever shoots to point of aim. I would not use target loads for a self defense pistol, the classic 148 with 2.7 grains Bullseye went 606 and 611 fps in two of my snubbies. I don't feel comfortable with something that light, and that slow. You can't bump up the classic hollow base wad cutter without blowing the skirt, but you could with the solid base. And I have no problems loading 158 grain LSWC's at 686 fps out of a snubbie.
No, I'm thinking a light-load wad-cutter might produce results more like a hollow point than a FMJ bullet. And ... I have a bunch of it, but I don't have any CD .38 Spec ammo (is it even made?)Wiscoaster,
Are you particularly sensitive to recoil,
especially in a LW revolver? .
Ya, probably, but I don't like carrying stuff in my pants pockets. EG, this little thingy is what I carry in my pocket as the "keys" to my car:Also, a shoulder holster seems like
an awful lot of extra "rigging" for
a small LW gun; might even weigh
as much or more than the gun.
Magtech and Privi Partisan both offer standard velocity 158 LSWCs if you can find them.That my friend was a very well written and intelligent post. There are some rounds that do well out of 1 7/8 barrels, not many however. I have shot many thousands of rounds of the Speer 135 Short Barrel out of my 640. After the first round of qualification 50 it was not a whole lot of fun especially in the cold months. All that aside, in the very light (lite) J frames a standard pressure round is what most can handle. I would love for someone to offer a standard pressure 158 SWC not hollow point because it is the one round that is better than RNL or anything offered with a hollow point that is only posing as a serious round.
Side note: if one could find a commercially loaded 148 Grain Wadcutter at 750 plus it would be better than a 158 RNL. Good luck with that however and I am not a big fan of reloads for carry. I just feel it’s inviting trouble, nothing against those that do.
I have a S&W 442 I was thinking of carrying in a shoulder holster. What are you guys' thoughts about using wad-cutters as my ammo for this gun carried for self-defense purposes?
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Internet accessible gun pundits seem to think well of it. Their reasoning seems sound, but what do I know.
The existence of
"Buffalo Bore Ammunition 44 Special 200 Grain Hard Cast Lead Wadcutter Anti-Personnel Box of 20"
, at $2.65 a round, has got me into looking into handloading .44 Special wadcutters.
don't prefer to carry 32 magnum or 38 special revolvers if they're not loaded with hollowpoints
Just curious why just hollow points?
I ask because I just picked up a CA Undercoverette in .32 Mag.