Any special tips for using wad cutters for reloading?

[mudbug123]

I just acquired a large box of .38 cal wad cutters (148gn). I've never used wad cutters for reloading. Any special tips for their use as opposed to other types of bullets?

 

[true_shooter]

primary use is paper punching

 

[Engineer1911]

Seat bullet flush with case mouth, and enough crimp to remove the case mouth flare. Best success is seat bullet in one operation, and crimp case separately in the next operation. Check seater die / seater stem for lube/lead buildup if wad cutters are cast and lubed. Use starting to midrange powder charges from published load data.

 

[H Richard]

I started this trick many years ago when I was shooting a Mod 52 in competition. Leave the bullet about 1/32" in front of the case mouth and taper crimp. The lead being softer than the brass, it seemed to help with feeding. When loading for revolvers, I still keep the little extra lead in front, but roll crimp (very little) into the bullet. 3.0 gr. of 231 shoots the same as 2.7 gr. Bullseye. Very accurate load.

 

[Pigirondan]

Are they hollow body or double ended?

 

[Hulltech]

I shoot these all the time out of a Mod 19 and Mod 27 at 25 yards. 3 grains of bullseye is what I use. I personally would check your reloading manual to see what the OAL is supposed to be instead of just eyeballing it.

 

[JBnTx]

I use a 148gr double ended wadcutter from Missouri Bullet Company.

Load them with 3.3 grains Bullseye and seat them flush with the case crimped over the edge of the bullet.

 

[parabarbarian]

They are made to be seated deeply on top of a fast burning powder. The most common use has always been lightweight target loads. However, I've used them on small game and there are a couple of SD loads based on the DEWC so they are not just for paper punching.

I roll crimp into the cannelure for a OAL of about 1.22".

 

[Engieman]

After trying many different combinations, I have settled on the classic bullseye load of 2.7 grains Bullseye over a hollow base Speer swaged wadcutter (HBWC). Scary, scary accurate out of my Model 15. While I cast my own 148 DEWC and they are good, the HBWC work better for me and this gun. I initially thought I was missing the target....turns out these suckers are making just one jagged hole. Wonderful!

 

[Dale53]

There is a caveat when using hollow base wadcutters. You do NOT want to drive them faster than the design limits - they can separate at the skirt, leaving it in the auto pistol OR revolver to bulge the barrel on the next shot. I have personally seen that happen, twice, with predictable results...

That means no more than 3.0 grs of Bullseye or equivalent.

On the other hand, dbl ended wadcutters can be driven to the pressure limits of the revolver without issue.

I have shot thousands of H.B. wadcutters without issue as well as TENS of thousands of dbl based waddcutters without issue. You DO have to be careful...

FWIW
Dale53

 

[Pigirondan]

I use Unique, Bullseye and Red Dot for my 148 grain hardcast DEWC. I vary the loads from time to time. It is a very accurate bullet. 5.0 grains of Unique makes a nice SD round.

 

[venomballistics]

yeah ... make sure of your powder charge with em cause they are a bear to disassemble if you screw up a batch. and keep velocities below 1000 FPS or they tumble.

 

[mudbug123]

Thanks Everybody! I plan on using the wad cutters primarily for target shooting. The bullets are made by allstar/magnus and have a beveled base. I'll post to let you what I think of them.

 

[mikld]

I cast my own from a Lyman mold and they have a crimp groove about 1/16" or so from the end. For target/plinking loads I'll lightly crimp in the groove. For my "house gun" loads I use a Redding Profile Crimp die and use a med-heavy crimp in the groove, over a stiff load of W231. For WCs without a crimp groove I usually seat to about 3/16" out of the mouth and taper crimp.

 

[tommy F]

All good advice. I like 3.0 W231 with all styles. WCs deliver excellent thump to the target, thanks to the full caliber design even at low fps.

 

[Forrest r]

It would help if you stated what you planned on using those bullets in, revolver, semi-auto, ect.

Normally using wc's from bullet casters can be iffy due to the extremely hard lead that they use along with the hard lube & undersized bullets (357). The combination of hard lead, hard lube & under sized bullets can make it hard to create target loads.

I've cast my own wc's over the years, lyman 358495 & 35863 along with Hensley & gibbs #50. I always found that filling all the lube grooves way too much lube & affected accuracy. They always shot better/tighter groups with only 1 or 2 of the lube grooves filled.

Don't be afraid to move the bullet out & crimp it in the lube groove if you're using/shooting a revolver, rifle or a single shot. I move them out all the time, it does aid in accuracy when the bullet is out further into the taper of the revolvers chamber or into the lands & grooves of a rifle/single shot , no free bore.

A Lyman 358495 made with soft lead & sized to .358 with 2 lube grooves used, left.
358495 loaded in a 38spl case crimped in the 1st lube groove, 2nd left.
358459 loaded in a 357 case for use in a revolver, 3rd left.
358495 loaded in a 357 case for use in a 357 contender bbl, the bullets out far enough to engage the tapered throat of the chamber where the lands & grooves start eliminating what's called skidding, far right.

 

[Calliope]

Magnus makes a good bullet. Use the crimp groove with a very light roll crimp. I like the Lyman 'M' die for expanding the cases when using long, soft bullets in .38/.357.