The top ones are lubed with a white dry lube. Top are swedged bullets by Hornady or one of the big boys most likely.
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Pet load for short barrel 38spl? Taurus 85
- Thread starter dieselrealtor
- Start date
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I used to use Remingtons black coated wad cutters when loading for bullseye matches, when they stopped production I went to my own cast. I found a few thousand from a gun in so Va last year for sale and I got those. Great Bullets!!!Advantage Arms carries the 38 spcl wadcutter.
I was going thru some old boxes and saw theirs. Price was 5.50! Now it's a bit more
Elite | .38 Special | 148GR HBWC PPC
Our Elite .38 Special 148gr HBWC PPC ammo is the most accurate ammo on the market. This is application-specific ammunition for the highest level of competition.atlantaarms.com
I have shot a few thousand of Precision Deltas wad cutter bullets and have been impressed with there performance.
38 Cal 148GR HBWC-ML
Precision Delta 148 grain Hollow Base Wadcutter bullets make a great choice for any 38 Special hand loader. Made from a swaged lead core and featuring a hollow cavity base, our HBWC bullets are renowned for their consistency and match winning accuracy.
www.precisiondelta.com
dieselrealtor
Master
Does this look to be the correct seating depth and crimp for the ones with no groove?
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Those would work in my auto-loaders.
dieselrealtor
Master
I loaded 10 rounds & went to the range, first 5 averaged around 720fps if memory serves me correctly (chrony in basement, I am not). Shooting offhand while kneeling (chrony was on a table) I was able to hit 2 8" plates from 5 shots at about 25-30 yards.
My 60 year old, 77 pound girlfriend and 7th, 8th granddaughters like the 38 spl load I've made for them. 120 gr LRN with 2.6 gr HP-38, Bullseye or 231. At 10 yards the girlfriend can shot around a 3" target until it falls out, never hitting the center 3" piece. Both granddaughters can remove the 3" target at 5 yards. A trip to the range is with 500 rounds for each of us. We have 1 Tarus 80, 85 and 2 605's.
I shoot a lot of full-wadcutters through my J and K frame snubs. I load them flush to the top of the case like the photo above, but use a little less crimp. Currently I'm using HP-38, mainly because I'm trying to burn through an 8lb jug, but I'll probably switch to Unique or titegroup when that's gone.
They're soft shooting, low-leading, accurate, and cut nice clean holes in the target. The only downsides are that they can be a little slower to reload as there's no protruding bullet tip to guide the round into the cylinder, and my lever-actions don't really like feeding them either.
They're soft shooting, low-leading, accurate, and cut nice clean holes in the target. The only downsides are that they can be a little slower to reload as there's no protruding bullet tip to guide the round into the cylinder, and my lever-actions don't really like feeding them either.
dieselrealtor
Master
Loading them on a Dillon 550, reducing the bell as much as I can & backing off the crimp a little. Trying to not work the brass too much.
I don’t reload myself but remember buying 38 Special WC back in the day for $3-5/box. Now if you even find any they’re just crazy prices for what they are. I use them in my S&W Mod 52 and some revolvers.
I don’t know the loading data but I remember guys loading the hollow based wad cutters upside down for defense loads.
I don’t know the loading data but I remember guys loading the hollow based wad cutters upside down for defense loads.
Don't you know that wadcutters are match grade ammunition and as such you must pay out the nose for them.
I agree they cost way more than what goes into them.
Looks good, the top picture posted earlier of the no groove, dry looking HBWCs are probably old Hornady bullets. They had a dry lubed, swaged, 148 HBWC that I still use today. Nothing wrong with them, use as is. I also load these on top of BP for use in Colt Lightnings.
dieselrealtor
Master
Yes, I believe that's too much for Bullseye (3.2gr. is great with WW-231/HP-38)
Back down your Bullseye to 2.5gr. to 2.7gr., and I think that you will be Golden...Bill.
2.5 sure is a lite load Billy, that's around 630 fps. I don't believe I've ever loaded 38s with a 148 below 2.8 of Bullseye.
I missed it, what bullets are those again?
dieselrealtor
Master
These are the DEwc's in post #15. With the leading issue & looking closer at them I don't think they are pre-lubed. I have some dry lubed Hornady HBwc's & they have a very different powdery slippery feel.
The unknown DEwc's are rough & do not have any lubricity in comparison to the Hornadys.
I tried alternating loaded rounds with some of the lubed projos to see if there was enough lube left in the barrel, no joy. Still a fair amount of leading after 15-20 rounds.
On the bright side of things, I have learned that a Chore Boy stranded copper wraped around an old bronze brush can help clean the lead much faster.
The unknown DEwc's are rough & do not have any lubricity in comparison to the Hornadys.
I tried alternating loaded rounds with some of the lubed projos to see if there was enough lube left in the barrel, no joy. Still a fair amount of leading after 15-20 rounds.
On the bright side of things, I have learned that a Chore Boy stranded copper wraped around an old bronze brush can help clean the lead much faster.
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For ME Creed, you are pretty much spot on.
My accuracy load for 148gr. HBWC-Swaged=Speer + Hornady is 2.7Gr. of Bullseye.
For a DEWC-Cast + Lubed it is right at 3.0Gr. of Bullseye.
The projectiles that I saw, that Diesel had were Hornady Swaged Hornady HBWC, that I load at 2.7Gr. of Bullseye.
Most cast wadcutters I load at 3.1-3.2Gr. of WW-231/HP-38.
For ME=It's better to suggest a lighter side of powder charge?? HA.HA. Bill.
" Am I pushing them too fast with 3.2 grains of Bullseye?"
^^^
I believe that you ARE..
I believe that you are blowing off the skirts of those HOLLOW BASE Wadcutters.
3.0-3.2Gr. of Bullseye may work for a SOLID Wadcutter (Cast-NOT-Swaged), but too hot for a SWAGED HOLLOW BASE Wadcutter.
I use 3.2Gr. of WW-231/HP-38 for 148Gr. SOLID CAST-Lubed/Painted Wadcutters.
As everyone knows on these loading specs. YOUR RESULTS may be different...Bill.
LOL, For ME, with loading my 38 Special wadcutter automatics, S&S 52's and Colt 1911's I load
My own cast 148 HB or Precision Delta HB 148's and for really good shooting now discontinued Remington HB 148's. My standard load for these pistols is 3.0 to 3.2 grains of Bulleye.
I will add that most leading issues are caused by an incorrectly sized bullet or the wrong/not enough bullet lube.
This is off todays world reloading manual.
And I have another question, what 38 special brass are you using to load?
dieselrealtor
Master
Using mixed brass, Aguila, HSM, & others. I had them sorted by HS, made no difference.
Sold BillyBob most of my 38 brass some time ago when I thought I it was very unlikely I would be interested in loading 38, LOL. Here I am.
I think I am going to pull the rounds I have loaded & look at options for those & the 500+ projos that do not appear to have any lube, they are double ended wadcutters.
Sold BillyBob most of my 38 brass some time ago when I thought I it was very unlikely I would be interested in loading 38, LOL. Here I am.
I think I am going to pull the rounds I have loaded & look at options for those & the 500+ projos that do not appear to have any lube, they are double ended wadcutters.
