32 wadcutter question

[Chili501]

Wadcutter

I’m looking for wadcutters in 32 acp,38 special,9mm,and 45 acp. Any help is appreciated. Reasonable prices too !

 

[rbmac52]

Chili501

Check out ammoseek.com. They have the best information about what is available online.

As for reasonable prices, you can pretty much forget about that. Those days are long gone.

 

[Paul in Nevada]

...I've heard discussion claiming the .38 Special brass that was originally sold as ammo with the 148gr hollow base wadcutter bullet is different internally than typical .38 Special brass but I can also say that I don't use any wadcutter specific brass for my S&W Model 52's, all of which are highly capable and extremely accurate pistols.

But I toss that out there anyway as perhaps the .32 Wadcutter brass is different than .32 S&W Long brass. I have a slew of both, and apologies as I have no interest whatsoever in trying to determine if the case capacity is much, if any different...

The cases walls are thinner and untapered to the length of the projectile. That way you don't swage down your nice soft WC's while seating. Most people who load full WC's will never know this fact, and will happily load excellent ammunition in spite of it. No one to my knowledge sells the WC brass alone. There are however custom flaring plugs that can compensate for the difference. Useless information that no one asked for but there ya go.

 

[desi2358]

I’m looking for wadcutters in 32 acp,38 special,9mm,and 45 acp. Any help is appreciated. Reasonable prices too !

True wadcutters are only factory offered in revolver rounds such as 38 Special, 32 S&W Long, etc. They are a blunt full diameter flat nose bullet and normally loaded so as to be flush with the case mouth. Now semi-wadcutter type bullets have been made in 45 ACP for target use for years. They have a reduced diameter ahead of the case mouth and taper slightly to a flat nose Is this the style you are looking for?

With current high ammo demands true target loads seem to be currently unavailable. Manufacturers appear to be concentrating on the higher demand loadings and traditional target loads don't seem to be in demand enough for any of the major makers to produce any at the moment. Your best bet if you are not a handloader would be to look for a custom loader who might make some up for you.

As to the 32 ACP and the 9mm any type of wadcutter could be a problem. Lyman has offered a mold for a truncated cone 9mm bullet based on one of the original design Luger bullets. It does have a small flat nose and is popular with many handloaders. In the 32 ACP round you are limited to round nose unless one of the semi-wadcutter bullets available for the 32 S&W Long might be adaptable to the ACP. When it comes to the 32 ACP and 9mm any target work is normally done with tradiotional style bullets that will function through the guns actions.

If you are simply looking for practice ammo I would suggest regularly checking any (all!) of the online sellers as well as asking any local shops what they have available. If there are any custom loaders in your area they might know of them as well and may be able to get what you need from there as well. The ammo market is still a mess, especially if you want anything other than the current, high demand calibers

 

[505Gibbs]

Most 32 wadcutters were/are 98 -100g EXCEPT I believe Lapua offers/offered a 83g at one time.

 

[Toyman]

I found these on a trip through Iowa last fall. 2 box limit but when I asked about the PPU I was told take all you want@ $21.95 per box, bought all they had. The Agulia ammo was $32.95 per box at Brownells.

 

[Alk8944]

ALL Current Factory .32 wad-cutter ammunition is .32 S&W Long, so head-stamped or not. If you believe otherwise show us a photo!