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Old 12-24-2012, 10:09 AM
S&W1006 S&W1006 is offline
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Default 148 grain wadcutter question

Hey guys I'm going to order some 148 grain wadcutters for my competion loads. From what I have read I can get good accuracy with a light load. Heres my question there are 2 different styles I have found the double ended and the hollow base. Which one is better I can see the hollowbase sealing better but I can't see the purpose of the double ended wadcutter but almost every manufacturer makes them. I also welcome brand suggestions. Thanks for the help.
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Old 12-24-2012, 10:41 AM
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What kind of competition?
You'll wasn't swaged HB wadcutters running 700-720 fps. WST gets high reviews for thus application.
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Old 12-24-2012, 10:41 AM
mkk41 mkk41 is offline
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The hollow based bullets are usually made from soft swaged lead. The Speer and Remington bullets gave me leading even at low velocity. I've used a hard-cast DEWC now for many years. I get no leading and excellent accuracy with 4.0grs of HP-38.
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Old 12-24-2012, 11:19 AM
Titegroups Titegroups is offline
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Buy some of each, I use 2.7g of Bullseye under a DEWC for bullseye shooting pretty much the standard others use titegroup and 231 of similar charges. You'll like the nice holes they make in paper.
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Old 12-24-2012, 11:24 AM
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Double ended wadcutters were designed especially to use in high volume reloaders like progressive presses... they could go into the case either way and be the same. If the fit your bore well, they give results that are quite acceptable/

Hollow based wadcutters are generally (but not always) swaged from soft lead. The skirt of the base is thin and malleable enough to expand well into the lands and grooves of any reasonable bore variations and give good accuracy as long as you don't have a rough bore that would lead up. I shot thousands of them through my PPC gun with Douglas barrel and never had a "problem" with leading, but had to clean it normally about every few hundred rounds!

Froggie
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Old 12-24-2012, 11:28 AM
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If you're going to buy wadcutters for competition, the most popular seem to be Remingtons swaged HBWC. Also important is your selection for brass. Winchester used special brass for their match wadcutter loads that were thinwalled from the case mouth to the first cannelure. This brass is especially desirable if you use double end wadcutters (DEWC). I'm sure you're already familiar with hollow base wadcutters (HBWC), so I won't go in to that. I don't believe that Remington used special brass for their factory HBWC loads, except for the positioning of the cannelures. I do not recommend using any case that has a cannelure that could interfere with the bullet seating. Uncannelured brass is probably best if you don't have the specific wadcutter cases. Here's a little more information that might help you choose:

75,000 Wadcutters in a Model 27

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...55534169,d.dmQ
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Old 12-24-2012, 11:55 AM
Ohioron Ohioron is offline
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I use Rainier 148gn DEWC and Starline brass, Winchester primers, 3.1 Gn W/231 with a slight roll crimp and bullet seated flush with the case mouth.
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Old 12-24-2012, 12:22 PM
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I notice a difference between the two and like the HBWC better than the DEWC. The standard 2.7gr Bullseye, lightly crimped just shy of flush in a WW case and WW primer. Hornady makes a great HBWC bullet as do Remington and Speer. My experience is with Hornady and they are very accurate indeed.
I am now trying Bear Creek and they are very promising too.
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  #9  
Old 12-24-2012, 12:32 PM
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I load both. The cast DEWCs can be loaded to much higher velocity than the swaged HBWCs.
I shoot a lot of 357 range loads with the DEWCs. Loaded up to about 1100 FPS they run well.
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Old 12-24-2012, 01:05 PM
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FWIW , the DEWC's load a tad easier , especially with a speedloader.
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Old 12-24-2012, 01:34 PM
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I use the Hornady HBWC + 2.8 gr Bullseye
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Old 12-24-2012, 02:28 PM
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Well before I make any suggestions : A) What type of competition ? Will you be shooting 50yd targets ? B) Are you shooting a revolver or semi auto ? . Different needs for different games .
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Old 12-24-2012, 03:03 PM
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This is a timely post for me. I just ordered some 158 gr SWC and some 9mm 125 gr SWC. Been loading plated round nose for a while and thought it was time to give these a try.
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Old 12-24-2012, 03:21 PM
S&W1006 S&W1006 is offline
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I'm shooting a plate match. 8 inch steel plates we start at 10yards and move back 5 yards at a time to 25 yards. It is a speed match shot from the draw. I have used semi auto 40's for years but I have found I personally shoot a revolver better. I will be shooting a 4 inch Ruger Security Six until I can save up for a Smith. I have only loaded 125 grain round nose up until now. I do have bullseye on hand and I have heard the 148 wadcutters shoot very well. I have adjustable sights so I can adjust for the drop at 25 yards. I shot my Smith 617 last month and got my highest score ever even higher than my red dot sighted semi auto .22 so I decided to go with the revolver. I wanted a center fire because the 22's are allowed but won't count for a record so I'm going for it with my Ruger since I have it. I know it's no Smith but it shoots very well.The match is set up so a revolver isn't a disadvantage. There are 6 plates and misses cannot be made up so a revolver is perfect for it with time to reload between strings.
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Old 12-24-2012, 04:14 PM
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+1 Hornady HBWC/2.8 Bullseye

Larry
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Old 12-24-2012, 06:22 PM
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For 38 wadcutters I like the the Xtreme plated 148 gr DEWC. I load it with 3.3 gr of Bullseye, Win SPP and OAL of 1.22". These generate about 700 fps from my 3" bbl 686.
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Old 12-28-2012, 06:12 PM
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Some guns like HBwc and some love BBwc bullets, just depends on what you discover after shooting a few of each.

The Speer 148Hb has a dry lube that many like but some get better accuracy with the "Gunky" Remington that is messy but they put up with it for the better groups they get.................

then there is which powders............most use the old style w231 or Bullseye powders but there are lots of "New" powders out there to try also. Never know............

I get nice groups from my 2" and 6" with 2.7grs of bullseye and a 148 Speer HBwc. 3.0grs of RedDot with the 148gr BBwc which is a little different than most loads but it does well in my 6" Smiths.
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Old 12-29-2012, 12:28 AM
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There's a lot of history behind 2.7-3.0 grains of Bullseye and a 148 grain full wadcutter. That has been the standard paper-puncher target load for longer than I've been alive. And it still works.
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Old 12-29-2012, 01:08 AM
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Default Wadcutters

I like the hollow base wadcutter because I once read about the blood grove on a bayonet introducing air into the wound, and being a more serious injury. So I ponder the hollow base wadcutter as an easy on the ears, home defense round, that will introduce a little air in its hollow base.

Now that I have introduced that bit of silliness the anti-gun paranoids will add it to the wish list of things they want outlawed. (No record of any criminal using it - just my twisted humor).

Yes as has been mentioned the expanding gasses cause it to fill the barrel grooves (most of it adapts to the barrel nicely).

And the hollow base makes it longer so more bullet is in contact with the barrel.
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Old 12-30-2012, 07:43 AM
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I like the Remington 148 HBWC over 3.1 gr. of HP 38 (PPC load). Precision Delta also makes a good HBWC but my gun likes the Remingtons. I tried a DEWC as they are a little easier to load ( I'm talking reloading the case....I can see no difference in the two styles when using speed loaders as both would be loaded flush with the case mouth). The DEWC's were not nearly as accurate in my gun which was important at the 50 yd stage in PPC.
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