Loading wadcutters?
- Thread starter ditto1958
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Make sure you have the right seater stem. Mine WC's have a small crimp groove, so I use that. They can be seated flush with a slight roll crimp. Don't be afraid to push them past light target loads, I do. WC's are the only bullets I use in my .38's. Enjoy! 
jsh
Single-Sixer
If you do load them up past a target load, be aware of the hollow base wad cutters. Pushed to hard you can tear the skirt off of them.
I prefer the DEWC, Seems to be just as accurate and and handle a wider power range in loading if you don't get crazy. Usually the have a slight crimp groove and I just barely roll crimp them. Using .358 in the SP100 or Blackhawks make good target loads.
I too prefer the double ended wadcutters in my 38s. For informal target shooting, 3.0 gr of Bullseye under a 150 gr DEWC (seated to the crimp groove) gives a mild, accurate load that I can shoot all day without my hands getting too tired. I have a load I use for my"house gun", which is a DEWC over a stiff load of W231 that gives me around 900 fps outta my 2" 38.
As with any lead bullet in a revolver, slug/measure the cylinder throat and size/purchase bullets the same diameter. Much less leading and good accurate fit...
As with any lead bullet in a revolver, slug/measure the cylinder throat and size/purchase bullets the same diameter. Much less leading and good accurate fit...
Clovishound
Blackhawk
I tried some 148 grain cast WCs in Clovispup's new SP101. They were accurate, with soft recoil. They also deposited a ton and a half of lead in the forcing cone. I have decided that this revolver just doesn't like lead. Earlier this week I picked up 100 copper plated WCs. Shot about 30 of them yesterday. They were accurate, soft recoil and no leading. I think I will order 500 of them later today. The only odd thing was that the SWCs she shot left cleaner holes in the target than the WCs. Didn't look like keyholing to me. Perhaps it was the lower velocity of the WCs. I didn't look carefully at the target up close to make sure they didn't keyhole, but I would expect the accuracy to be horrible, if they were keyholing.
It the sharp edge that cuts the clean hole. Perhaps the plated WC's don't have the sharp edge.
"Normally" leading at the forcing cone or beginning of the barrel indicates too small bullets. A couple thoughts; slug the barrel and measure the cylinder throats. The cylinder throats must be larger than the groove diameter. If not, a trip to the gun smith is needed. Size or purchase bullets the same size as the cylinder throats for a starting point to avoid leading...Clovishound said:
