I used to shoot reload wad cutters; how would they be treated by the law now? Can you buy wad cutters and where?

wadcutters can be purchased through "cheaper than dirt", "midway", "ammoman"...........to name a few. you probably can get them at your local gun store.

__________________
There's nowt so queer as folk

Many Bullet Casters have them for RELOADERS, such as;

Penn Bullets, Zero Bullets, Missouri Bullets, Quality Cast, Oregon Trail, Hornady, Tennessee Valley Bullets,
Berry's Mfg Co, Rainier Ballistics, Mt. Baldy Bullets, Magnus Bullets, Matt's Bullets.

Not all have SWEDGED HBWC though, most are HARD CAST,
some also offer softer bullet alloys as well.

Double Ended Wad Cutters (DEWC) have shown to be as accurate as
HBWC in some firearms, as is with Bevel or a Flat base bullet.

Loaded Ammunition WADCUTTERS from Federal and Fiocchi are available.
Wadcutters are available as SEMI and FULL.

A personal choice is through practice and record keeping for your individual firearms is best advise.

__________________
NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

"Treated by the law" in what way?

I suppose it depends upon where you live, but I can't imagine any place in the United States where you could have pistol ammunition at all, where you couldn't have wadcutters.

Well they allow Zombie Max zombie killers... I would think wadcutters wouldn't raise an eyebrow....

New Jersy does not allow hollow point handgun ammo and I'm not sure how they might view wadcutters. When I go to NJ my EDC gets loaded with lead RN or FMJ. I guess there is no cure for stupid . . .

__________________
Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

New Jersey's laws on hollowpoint ammo can be found here: New Jersey State Police - Transportation and Use of Hollow Point Ammunition by Sportsmen


Old Cop, If you're carrying under the LEOSA, review the latest revisions that include ammunition.

Most of the factory loaded wadcutters I know of are the old mid -range wadcutters (slower target velocity).

Buffalo Bore and some others still load the "full power" Wadcutters.

All the above are full wadcutters, not to be confused with the semi wadcutters.

Just FYI.

__________________
July 4, 1776 not Jan 30, 1909

I think he is speaking of the old practice of loading the HBWC's backwards.
I love shooting a .38 with wadcutters loaded to abound 850 fps. You can almost see them flying through the air.

__________________
Forum consigliere

I was thinking about the mid-range TARGET loads as we are in our upper 70's and my wife has a problem with the full spec. loads. Thanks for your help.

Salute to you and especially your wife, still actively shooting in your upper 70's, I respect that!

The HBWC loaded back wards makes a very lager hole in a wet phone book, not much penetration but sends it flying backwards.

That is an outstanding load. Call Black Hills ammo and buy a case. You won't regret it.

__________________
NHI, 10-8.

Buffalo Bore 150 gr. HCWC is what I carry in my two S&W 442's, along with two speed strips for EDC.

dsk10:

I can still find factory loaded, mid-range 148gr. wadcutter ammo in the local gun stores, but the prices are ridiculous! I think $30.00/box is excessive. I like the idea of mid-range 148gr. wadcutters as an ant-personnel round. For reloads though, whether a speed strip, a speed loader, or loading by hand, I prefer a bullet with more bearing surface to make the reloading easier and faster.

Best of luck,

Dave

Not sure where in there, it states that HP's can be used for SD?

That NJ Statute FOR SPORTSMEN seems to say,

1) Possession of hollow point ammo in your home is OK.
The transportation from place of purchase to home or property owned is OK.

2) Transporting to a target range club whose charter is on file
with the NJ State Police, and traveling in the most direct route there is OK.
Locked in the trunk.

Transporting directly to an AUTHORIZED place for PRACTICE, MATCH, TRAP (?), SKEET (?), Shooting Exibition.

3) Transporting to a State where the ammo is allowed and you must be
PRESENTLY in possession of a hunting license for that state.
Locked in the trunk.

4) No mention of SELF DEFENSE CARRY, that woud be a problem FOR YOU. (FELONY?????)

__________________
NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Yes, last I heard it was also a large fine to the tune of $1K per round.

There was a case of an OHIO LEO, a traveling CHIEF on vacation, who was stopped for speeding on the NJ Turnpike.

The NJ officer inquired as to if the Chief was carrying, he was, loaded with hollow points.
He ended up being charged with a FELONY for every round in the firearm and auto.

I never heard the final disposition of the case but the Chief's JOB/PENSION in Ohio was at RISK.

His vacation and wallet for legal fees was affected whatever the final outcome turned out to be.

__________________
NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

You carry in NJ? I know you're a retired LEO, but the way things are there, some of the horror stories I've heard, I'd be real nervous in your shoes.

There are a variety of wadcutters out there, I used to buy them until I started to cast my own. In my own guns I carry a variety of them depending on what I am doing. I have some that are hollowpointed like my #358156 or my SWC's like the #358429. When I had my .45 Colt I cast some 250 grain #452424's that I would not have hesitated to carry for self defense. I can tell you I have never heard here in NY of any issues carrying them anywhere. There was an attempt in Albany in that county alone to get them to do away with hollowpoints but it failed. I would be more worried about hollowpoints since most politicians are idiots and go after them first.

__________________
Vaya con Dios

There are many varieties of wadcutters.

Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3.

You have CAST WADCUTTERS, HARD-CAST WADCUTTERS, AND SWEDGED WADCUTTERS.

You have HOLLOW BASED WADCUTTERS ( HBWC, are usually swedged and very soft lead),

Bottle Nosed Wadcutters, Double-Ended Wadcutters (DEWC).

Some folks have been known to load a HOLLOW BASED WADCUTTER backwards into the case for a

BIG HOME MADE DEFENSIVE ROUND HOLLOW-POINT.

__________________
NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

I've never seen Wadcutters" or even Semi-Wadcutters for that matter for sale anywhere in my area.

Then again, I wasn't really looking for them until recently.

Bought a box of Sellier & Bellot 148 gr Wadcutters today at my local gun shop. Very mild and very accurate. Not sure I would carry these in my carry gun but I haven't tested them against all the SD rounds available either. Here in the deep South, no worries about what type of ammo you use as long as you can buy it commercially.