I don't know if anybody is still making wadcutter specific brass anymore. You can find a lot of good info on the bullseye.net forum about 38 special wadcutter ammunition and loads. I have a lot of it as well as standard and plus P brass I think the wadcutter brass is a bit thinner. One of the people on the Bullseye.net forum did a lot of testing and he got a bit more accuracy from wadcutter brass at 50 yard shooting.
38 mid range wadcutter brass
- Thread starter Jaco1234
- Start date
gwpercle
Member
If anything 38 WC cases would be thinner because the complete length of the bullet must slide down into the case ... a thicker case would cause seating problems with the soft swaged hollow based wadcutter bullets .
But the truth is no "special" thicker wadcutter cases are made .
I'm thinking for thicker brass you might cut down 357 magnum cases to 38 Special length or buy new Starline ... their brass is usually "sturdy" not thin and holds up quite well to multiple reloadings .
Gary
Retail boxes are showing on Ammo Seek. Winchester, Remington, Magtech, and others.
Seems like we are only talking 38sp. I load 38sp in WC brass. I also load 44sp and 45Colt WCs and just use standard cases. Looking for a full WC type bullet for 45AR / m25-2s. Actually want the mold.
Paul in Nevada
Member
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2021
- Messages
- 870
- Reaction score
- 1,020
I read an excellent article that stated this. I will link it if I can find it. The same effect can be achieved with one of the NOE expander plugs. UniqueTec makes a similar product for Dillon measures.
I have a couple of dozen boxes of Western and Remington/Peters wadcutter brass in the original old-style cardboard boxes. I keep it segregated and use it for wadcutters exclusively. Both brands have the double cannelure. I have newer W-W cases that I use for other than wadcutter loads. I could actually use some more standard . 38 cases, may look for some Starline.
Wadcutter brass is not as strong
Some time ago I did quick check comparing the 38 Spcl wadcutter double cannelure brass walls to a 38 Spcl (+P)'s brass walls.
Using a .350" pin gage (the biggest that would pass by the inside ridges caused by the double cannelures), it would extend ~.725" into the sized wadcutter double cannelure case but only ~.460" into the (+P) case, a difference of ~.260".
That shows the wadcutter's straighter walls & the (+P)s thicker more tapered lower walls.
The wadcutter's walls only start getting thick just below it's lower cannelure while the (+P)'s starts getting thicker higher, where the upper cannelure would be on it, if it had one.
They're that way so that the hollow base of the fully seated soft lead wadcutter doesn't get deformed by the reduced inside diameter.
A typical 148gr swaged lead cutter has a bullet length of ~.616" long.
.
Some time ago I did quick check comparing the 38 Spcl wadcutter double cannelure brass walls to a 38 Spcl (+P)'s brass walls.
Using a .350" pin gage (the biggest that would pass by the inside ridges caused by the double cannelures), it would extend ~.725" into the sized wadcutter double cannelure case but only ~.460" into the (+P) case, a difference of ~.260".
That shows the wadcutter's straighter walls & the (+P)s thicker more tapered lower walls.
The wadcutter's walls only start getting thick just below it's lower cannelure while the (+P)'s starts getting thicker higher, where the upper cannelure would be on it, if it had one.
They're that way so that the hollow base of the fully seated soft lead wadcutter doesn't get deformed by the reduced inside diameter.
A typical 148gr swaged lead cutter has a bullet length of ~.616" long.
.
