38/357 148 grain wadcutter bullet recommendation wanted

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oldcrab

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 23, 2022
Messages
96
Location
Mukilteo, WA
Hi.
I want to start loading some plinking/target loads for my GP100 357 mag.
Will be getting 148 grain double-end wadcutters and loading them around 800fps, or so.

Do you folks have a bullet supplier and specific bullet you would recommend to me?

Thanks much and have a great weekend!

Crab
 

jgt

Buckeye
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Messages
1,000
Location
coleman texas
I would add my recommendation to the one above for using hollow based wad cutters over double ended for the use you state. Maybe try both and see what you prefer, but the hollow based design seem to work better in more guns.
 

LDM

Blackhawk
Joined
Nov 16, 2015
Messages
789
I've had good results with the Speer 148 gr. hollow base over 2.7 gr. of Bullseye.
 

Paul B

Hunter
Joined
Dec 4, 1999
Messages
2,132
Location
Tucson, AZ
My pet load for .38 Spl. is the Lyman #358495 nominally 148 gr. wadcutter over either 2.7 gr. of Bullseye of 3.1 gr. of W231. FWIW, the W231 load will out shoot the .38 Spl. 148 gr. commercial wadcutter factory ammo in ever .38 Spl. I've shot. Be advised I cast my own bullets. I size my WC bullets to .359" for use in my guns., .38 Spl. or .357 Mag.
Paul B.
 

oldcrab

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 23, 2022
Messages
96
Location
Mukilteo, WA
Paul B:
Do you size your WC bullets to .359 because that is the dimension of your cylinder throats? If not, why? (I'm trying to learn)
 

Paul B

Hunter
Joined
Dec 4, 1999
Messages
2,132
Location
Tucson, AZ
"Do you size your WC bullets to .359 because that is the dimension of your cylinder throats? If not, why? (I'm trying to learn)"

Yes. The .359" size seems to work best in all my .38 Spl. and ,357 Mag revolvers. If I use .358" they lead, sometimes badly and ..360 is a sometimes thing. Actually, .360" works fairly well in a .358 Win. rifle running 200 gr. bullets.
Paul B.
 
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
4,415
Location
Lemont, PA, USA 16851
When I was shooting PPC the favorite load was a cast 148 gr hollow base wadcutter over 2.5 grs of Red Dot with a Federal #100 small pistol primer. Pushed it out my 6" GP100 at a little over 700fps with virtually no recoil, would be great for plinking/varmits.
 

GypsmJim

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Messages
373
I loaded some Berry's plated 148 wc and the plating makes them thick enough such that about 50% wouldn't chamber in one revolver I have, and 0% in another. Had to resize them to fit consistently.
Without doing my homework beforehand I went out and bought Berrys plated in 9mm, 357, 41 and 45. Never again.

The nines were "OK", the 357s were 357, the 45s were 0.001" undersized and the 41's were 0.002" undersized.

I have gotten by with 3 of them, but the 41s have been trashed. The accuracy is awful.

Apparently, they didn't add too much plating on mine.
 

James also

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 6, 2023
Messages
51
Location
Davison, Michigan 48423
Hi.
I want to start loading some plinking/target loads for my GP100 357 mag.
Will be getting 148 grain double-end wadcutters and loading them around 800fps, or so.

Do you folks have a bullet supplier and specific bullet you would recommend to me?

Thanks much and have a great weekend!

Crab
Coated bullets are mandatory IMHO, unless you like to scrape off lead in the cylinder. As stated Berry's would eliminate that at 800fps. IMHO
 

loaded round

Hunter
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Messages
2,257
Location
Valley Forge, Pa
I second the load LDM mentioned above. This load was the most accurate load I ever fired in my Colt Gold Cup NM 38 Spl back in my bullseye competition days. Still a recommended target load; but just don't ''push'' a hollow base bullet to velocities it wasn't made to handle. Excess pressure and leading will result!
 
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