Just received some 148 grain wadcutters from Acme. Never loaded these before. I have on hand Trailboss, Accurate 7, Red Dot and Claydot. Which powder do you guys recommend? Which cases 38 or 357? I will be loading fairly light loads for steel plates.
Eager to try these in my 686+ and 627.

I always load them in .38 cases even if I shot them in one of my .357s. Red Dot will work fine.

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Sag Harbor & Manhattan, N.Y.

The first place to look is the powder manufacturers published data. I don't load most of those powders except AA 7. That full wadcutter isn't going to leave a lot of room in the case. AA 7 may be slow and I seem to recall that Trailboss can't be compressed.

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Just Say No - To Social Media

I use Red Dot for my .38 loads.

I shoot both 148 grain DEWC's and 148 grain HBWC's. In fact that is about all I load for the most part. I use 2.8 grains of Bullseye for them all. Try it, you might like it.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Of the powders you mention, Reddot or Claydot should do it. In 38 special cases.

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Regards,

Tom

I prefer Red Dot when Bullseye isn't available , actually Red Dot works well in target wadcutter loads .
I load them in 38 Special cases because I have buckets of 38 special brass and three of my "Target" revolvers are chambered in 38 special .
The one 357 magnum I do have shoots them just fine ... so I don't bother loading any in 357 magnum brass ... but you could do it if you like .
My pet loads : 148 grain cast WC - 38 Special brass

3.8 grains Red Dot @ 843 fps (target load)
4.0 grains Red Dot @ 900 fps (mid range)
4.3 grains Red Dot @ 960 fps ( max load )

Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

I use only .38 Special cases also. The 148 gr. WC/2.8 gr. Bullseye is shot in my Model 14 PPC, Model 52-1, Model 27-2, Colt Mid Range and Victory Model. It fills all my needs for punching paper. Will work as a self defense load in a pinch also.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

My Circa '93 S&W 686-3 357Rem Mag 6-1/2"Bbl holds a special
place. The frame size is nice, the trigger is very nice, and it is
very accurate.

Here is my go to 357mag Reload:
148gr LDEWC (Lead Double Ended Wad Cutter).
3.0grs Alliant Red Dot (with flash light always
check for double charge).
CCI #500 SP primer.
357Rem Mag Nickel Win and 357Rem Mag Starline brass.
Light Crimp on first crimp band.
700fps?
Very accurate reload for me.

I myself, maybe it's just me, never shoot 38Spl in a 357Mag,
or 44Spl in a 44Mag., 40S&W in 10mm, and I won't get into it
here why, I just don't do it.

The Best to you and your Endeavors.

My 148gr 357mag reload.

Attached Images

WIN_20200323_14_49_59_Pro.jpg (93.1 KB, 55 views)

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SD social distanc'n since 1889

I load 'em in 38 Sp. cases. Bullseye 2.8-3.0 gr is a pretty tame load that's fun to shoot. I also use Trailboss. The great thing about Trailboss is you can mark your case at the bottom of where the bullet will rest and fill your case to that level. Hodgedon will actually tell you that you can load that way safely for any caliber. I've done it and I'm liking Trailboss more and more for 38 and 45ACP. AA#7 seems a little slow burning for 38Sp. plinking loads. Red dot and Clay dot should work well, but I have no experience with either. They have burn rates similar to Bullseye.

Load 'em up and have fun. As always use your reloading manual data and start low and work your way up carefully.

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What could possibly go wrong?

That's the age old classic and maybe even the best combination there ever was.

If you want to use an alternate powder, look it up in several loading manuals.

You might just start with RD and ClayDot in a few 38 and 357 to see what turns up, for your first try at some target loads.

If you want a really Sloooooow target load, you can always go to the Trail Boss powder.

In my 2" J frame and 686 6" 38 & 357 lead loads, Red dot worked with a starting loads of 2.8 grs around 740 fps.
I do not use the 148 in the 357 but a 158 lead at 890 fps with Red Dot is my go to target load with Trail Boss at 755 fps my X-lite recoil loading.

Red Dot for sure of the powders mentioned.

I like 3.0gr Promo/Red Dot, 148HBWC in a mag case. Mellow, accurate and fun to shoot.

Just shot my first tray of wad cutters out of my 19-3. I used ACME hi tek coated, 38 cal. 148 grain WC.DBB bullets. 2.4 -2.8 grains of IMR Red and close to the end of my small pistol magnum primers. Shooting them was a stark departure from the usual 38/357 rounds I shoot at the local indoor range. They were fun to shoot. The recoil was like shooting 22. I seated them to the top crimping groove in 38 special brass with a light crimp the top

And either case would be fine.

I don't always seat wadcutters flush with the case mouth but leave some protruding especially if there is a crimping groove.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I once did a test with cast 148 gr wadcutters that have a crimp groove .
I seated 25 flush and 25 in the crimp groove with a light roll crimp.
Both in 38 Special brass
Both over 2.8 grains of Bullseye .
That day the ones seated to and crimped in the crimp groove won the overall accuracy test but only by a slim margin ... After that test I just loaded all my cast wadcutters to the crimp groove .
This may not be the case with you and your gun so test them both ways and see which method works better.
Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

+1;
the lead 148 HBwc does best when seated flush with the case and a light crimp.

the lead 148 BBwc has been tried at 1.16" to 1.28" OAL but my bullets with a crimp area near the ends, did much better in accuracy, when they had a OAL of 1.25", in my test, with a light crimp.

Have fun.