What's your favorite 38 special target shooter

[amazon shooter]

Hi guys,

I've read that the most accurate 38 Special load is the 148 grain wadcutter at 25 yards.

What's your favorite revolver to do this job? Please give the make, model and barrel length.

Than ks

 

[zxcvbob]

S&W model 15-4 with 4" barrel. A little longer barrel might be better, but don't get ridiculous with it.

Also, I get better accuracy with 125 grain copper-plated HP's than with 148 wadcutters, but maybe that's just me.

Bob

 

[Deanimator]

Also, I get better accuracy with 125 grain copper-plated HP's than with 148 wadcutters, but maybe that's just me.

How are you loading the 148s?

What kind of bullets are you using? Are they HBWCs? Are you pushing them too hard and blowing out the skirts? Are they plated? I've never had good accuracy with plated bullets of ANY kind. I would never use a plated 148gr. wadcutter. I use nothing but lead hollow base wadcutters or double ended wadcutters, the latter for casual shooting.

Are you trying to seat and crimp in one step? Seat and crimp separately.

Are you using enough crimp? Insufficient crimp will lead to inconsistent powder combustion and velocity fluctuations.

What powder are you using? For 148s, I use nothing but Bullseye.

 

[def4pos8]

Six-inch S&W Model 14. --but I sent that to son/daughter-in-law (It's now HER gun!) so I use 'em in a nice, four-inch, Model 67 from 1973. ----a bit more practice and there's not much difference! Just fun!!

 

[JohnBT]

6-inch Python and almost any wadcutter, but it really likes - Federal Premium Gold Medal Match Ammunition 38 Special 148 Grain Lead Wadcutter. Midway is selling them for about $28 a box.

The Winchester match wadcutters work well too.

They shoot well in my Police Service Six too, 4-inch barrel and all.

John

 

[Zeke/PA]

A K-38 that is at least 40 years old.
Zeke

 

[rcmodel]

Don't you have the same question running in two different threads?
Or is it just too much coffee on my part?

Nope! It's not the coffee!
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4782759&postcount=7

I hate when they do that!

rcmodel

 

[The Bushmaster]

Party pooper. You need another cup of coffee...

Yes...Why do they post the same thing in two different subject titles? Maybe it's like double posting...Just can't help it...:banghead:

Oh well...S & W model 10 with a four inch barrel... 4.5 grains of W-321 under a 140 grain SJHP. Remington or Winchester cases and WSP primer.

 

[senior]

4 inch barrel s-w model 64

 

[19-3Ben]

I know it's a .357mag and not specifically a .38, but nothing launches .38spl's the way my 19-3 does.

 

[M2 Carbine]

My most accurate 38 is the Mod 14 K-38.
The most accurate ammo is a 9mm cast lead 115gr Spire Point.
Next would be a .357 cast lead 158gr SWC bullet.

What's your favorite revolver to do this job? Please give the make, model and barrel length.

My favorite 38's for shooting at any distance are the 2-3 inch barrel S&W J Frames.

 

[zxcvbob]

How are you loading the 148s?

What kind of bullets are you using? Are they HBWCs? Are you pushing them too hard and blowing out the skirts? Are they plated? I've never had good accuracy with plated bullets of ANY kind. I would never use a plated 148gr. wadcutter. I use nothing but lead hollow base wadcutters or double ended wadcutters, the latter for casual shooting.

Are you trying to seat and crimp in one step? Seat and crimp separately.

Are you using enough crimp? Insufficient crimp will lead to inconsistent powder combustion and velocity fluctuations.

What powder are you using? For 148s, I use nothing but Bullseye.

I've tried copper-plated HBWC's and plain old DEWC's, with Bullseye, Red Dot, and American Select powders -- all of them loaded light except sometime when I load the DEWC's with almost 6 grains of Bullseye in .357 cases to scare the women and children . (I don't shoot those in my model 15)

HBWC's are seated flush and crimped over the top. DEWC's are crimped to the crimp groove just like a do everything else. Accuracy with all of them is good, but the 125 grain HP's with 4 grains of Red Dot (actually, it's "Promo") must just be a sweet spot or something.

 

[josephthreedogs]

Colt Python with any ammo,or barrel length.

 

[belus]

S&W 14-3 6"

Girlfriend shoots it exclusively, which leaves little ammo or time for me.

 

[bluetopper]

My most accurate 148gr wadcutter gun is my S&W Model 52.........hands down.

I have two 14-3's and a 15-4 and I really can't tell than one is more accurate than the others.

Beyond 25yds. the 158gr semi wadcutter has the 148 beat from my experiences.

 

[sparkyguy]

senior wrote:
4 inch barrel s-w model 64

I concur wholeheartedly. Mine is the cats' meow and is the best $255 I ever spent on a gun, EVER!