Factory ammo for S&W Model 52

[mikemyers]

I'm mostly loading my own ammo for 38 Special (for Model 52 and others) and 45 (wad guns). I would like to buy a couple of boxes of "factory ammo" for comparison purposes. I started a thread on the Bullseye Forum, and have narrowed the choices down, but I thought I would ask here as well.

Anyone know of a good place currently selling 38 Special wadcutters suitable for shooting in a Model 52? The price isn't as important as the quality.

Thanks in advance....


Oops, I entered this before I found:
148 gr 38 Special wadcutters

This thread should probably be deleted.
I wasn't aware of the other forum on this site.... Sorry.

 

[505Gibbs]

You're going to have to go to the ammo search sites to make it easier to find.
Its not run very often & 'I think' its only currently done by Winchester.
Remington & Black Hill use to load it but I don't think they currently do.

 

[mikemyers]

So far, Zero is one of the better choices. I also found:

Products - Ammunition - 38 Spl - Precision Delta

Or, I can scrap the whole idea, save my money, and just go back to my reloading. I though it would be good to have something to compare my reloads to.

I can buy Fiocchi at Midway, but too many people said it doesn't work well in the M-52.

My wish-list is down to:
Magtech
Seller & Bellot
Winchester
Federal
Remington Match


....and
Roze Distribution: 148 GR WCHB, $ Per 500, NEW

 

[boatbum101]

I vote for Roze / Zero . Their bullets shoot well , are not undersized & they load with 700X powder . Accurate & extremely affordable compared to the Big 3 . Added plus owner is a High Master Bullseye shooter & knows what it takes . BTW their 45acp with either the 200 LSWC or 185 LSWCHP also shoot well . I've not had good luck with Precision Delta & am still shooting up what's left of 5K undersized 185 SWC I bought . They're OK at the short line but don't group @ 50yds . YMMV

 

[elpac3]

Have run several thousand rounds of Federal through my M-52 with no issues.

Also run reloads with Hornady 148 HBWC with 2.8 of Bullseye. Both are great.

 

[mikemyers]

I vote for Roze / Zero . Their bullets shoot well , are not undersized & they load with 700X powder . Accurate & extremely affordable compared to the Big 3 . Added plus owner is a High Master Bullseye shooter & knows what it takes .......

If nothing changes in the next three weeks, I think that is my choice, especially having read what you just posted. They have "new" and "reloads". Ignoring the cost, which would be better?

 

[505Gibbs]

Champion's Choice has Federal 148 HBWC for $28/box.
They have 89 boxes!!!

 

[colt_saa]

I was shooting Federal Gold Medal before I began hand loading, but I came across a VERY large amount of Remington at an estate sale so I have not had to buy of load any for quite a few years now.

Last time I looked for someone else, Midway had Remington, Federal and Winchester in stock but it looks all gone at the moment

If/When you find a deal on ammunition that your 52 likes, Buy lots of it

 

[Tom S.]

I can buy Fiocchi at Midway, but too many people said it doesn't work well in the M-52.

Add me to that list. Fiocchi shot OK (just) but didn't eject worth a damn. If I ran across a bunch of it on sale, I might consider trying it with a lighter recoil spring, but it would have to be a heck of a sale.

 

[mikemyers]

Champion's Choice has Federal 148 HBWC.....

Thanks, that's now at the top of my list.

 

[mikemyers]

Hmm, they have Federal 38 Special 148 WC
How does this compare to Federal 38 Special 148 HBWC

WC vs HBWC - same thing?

 

[boatbum101]

New is new cases , reloaded is with used cases . Low pressure rounds I'd go with reloads . If you have brass buy the exchange reloads even cheaper . Doesn't matter as it's the same bullet / powder / primer .

 

[mikemyers]

Well, this is lovely. Now I have two excellent choices, the new Federal, or the new/reloaded Zero. But for what was said about the owner of Zero, I'd be concentrating only on the Federal. Not as much now... "Added plus owner is a High Master Bullseye shooter & knows what it takes."

Big difference in cost, too. My original purpose was to have something to compare my reloads to. I've got two weeks to decide which to get, or maybe I'll just get some of each.

Thanks for all the information up above. Extremely helpful !

 

[kas9412]

Mike,

I live in crowded Northern Virginia, so my shooting is confined to indoor ranges, most of which will not allow you to shoot "naked" lead. Only copper jacketed or plated.

After a lot of searching, I found Defender Ammunition: Defender Ammunition Co.

They make re-manufactured .38 special wadcutters that work very well in my 52-2. The bullet is copper plated. Probably not the absolute best for bullseye, but I only shoot to about 50', so they are good enough for me. The bonus is that they are relatively inexpensive as well. Never had a failure or malfunction. Take a look!

kas

 

[mikemyers]

Thanks, kas, if I move someplace where we can't shoot lead bullets, I'll remember where to find this, but my goal here wasn't to start using somebody else's cartridges, it was more so to use to compare to my own reloads. Federal is exactly what I was looking for, but Zero is giving me additional things to consider.

To move to jacketed bullets, if I wasn't forced to by local laws, the jacketed bullets would need to shoot better than the lead bullets, but if that was the case, everyone would already be switching to them. One more option though, if needed. Thanks for posting - that might help a lot of other people who might not be allowed to shoot lead bullets.

 

[Troystat]

Check out Precision Delta they have 148 grain HBWC ammo both new and remanufactured. The Federal ammo on the Champions choice website is most likely HBWC, they might tell you if you call, it should shoot well in your 52.

 

[Rick H.]

Mike,

I live in crowded Northern Virginia, so my shooting is confined to indoor ranges, most of which will not allow you to shoot "naked" lead. Only copper jacketed or plated.

After a lot of searching, I found Defender Ammunition: Defender Ammunition Co.

They make re-manufactured .38 special wadcutters that work very well in my 52-2. The bullet is copper plated. Probably not the absolute best for bullseye, but I only shoot to about 50', so they are good enough for me. The bonus is that they are relatively inexpensive as well. Never had a failure or malfunction. Take a look!

kas

kas: There is a bullet making company in Wisconsin called ACME. They make two types of .38 wadcutter bullets that have a Hytek coating on them. I am not really sure what the coating is made from but it definitely isn't a metal coating. One style they make is a "button ended" bullet which isn't really for Model 52's. They also make a double ended wadcutter which should work quite well in a 52. I have a box of them but I haven't taken the time to load some up and give them a try. The nice thing with double ended wadcutters is that it's near impossible to blow off the top of the bullet. If you reload you may want to give them a try.


Rick H.

 

[n c rod]

New to 52's Bought NIB 52-1 on GB recently and purchased 2-1000 Rd cases to try. Maine Cartridge Co 148gr HBWC and Federal Gold Medal Match from Champions Choice 148HBWC . Federal shoots better in my pistol. I buy Gold Medal Match in the calibers available when possible as they have delivered excellent above average accuracy except for the 22lr version. The 22's are above average , but are not the best available when factoring in the $15 to $25 per box mostly foreign made "match" ammunition. I like to shoot and practice a lot. I only reload for precision in long range , big game cartridges. (280AI etc)

 

[mikemyers]

The ammunition I've found recently for S&W Model 52.

I plan to buy some factory ammo (Federal or Winchester), and enough reloaded Zero ammo to last me until I set my press back to 38 Special.

The list is accurate back to the past few days, but things will probably change over time. I can update the list, and/or make additions or deletions if someone sends me a PM.

 

[rolandj]

Shot 25 rds. of FIOCCHI and none of them had the power to cock the hammer and eject the empties. To be fair it is pretty accurate ammo.

Shot 50 rds. of PRECISION DELTA reloads without any problems and it is also pretty accurate ammo.