HBWC Defense Load

[fredj338]

Back in the day I hunted jackrabbits with a 357mag & inverted HBWC running about 1000fps. They were quite accurate out to 50y or so & absolutely devastating on big desert jacks. Penetration is almost none existent though, so I would never consider them as an anti personnel round. A soft 158gr LSWCHP is a better tool imo.

 

[Nevada Ed]

It's all about penetration. The projectile needs to reach the vitals to do real damage.

Standard 38 Spl loads of yesteryear were closer to 158gr at 850 fps.

The latest test by Lucky Gunner with a 2" 38 special and factory ammo has................

148gr penetration at.............. 15.8 "
158gr penetration at.............. 18 "

FBI minimum at ................. 12 "

It is all about using ammo that you feel good about and trust your life on.................
even if it is a little 90 grain pill.

 

[38SPL HV]

I prefer Ed Harris's Full Wadcutter load using 148 gr DEWC...3.5 grs bullseye.

 

[max503]

I used to buy HBWC's back before I started casting. I played around a lot with reversed wadcutters. Don't see why they wouldn't work as a SD load. I've even heard of people seating gas checks on the nose, then reverse loading them to high velocities. Wouldn't want to get hit with one of those.
Here's what John Wooters had to say about it:

 

[usmc2427765]

Back in the day, I used 3.0 grains of Bullseye for my backup gun. It worked well and that Cottonmouth never knew what hit him.

 

[rwsmith]

Wow!

From 2"bbl. S&W J-frame
148 gr. HBWC Speer , reversed
3.5 grs. Bullseye
801 fps
bullet mushroomed to .715 " diameter (nearly 3/4 inch diameter)
This was the best load . optimum dia. mushroom with good accuracy.
Any heavier loading gave poor accuracy .

I think this was from a test in Guns Magazine .

I wouldn't feel unarmed carrying this load...it hits hard .
May not have a lot of penetration but expansion is good .
Gary

REAL DATA! WOW!

 

[10Driver]

I picked some up, but haven't loaded them yet. Anyone else loaded any and have a good recipe for them?

So are those bullets from the recently released 130 grain +P HST?

 

[jimmyj]

I load reversed 148 grain HBWC with 3.5 grains Bullseye.
Tested in a S&W Model 60 2" and a S&W Model 64 2".
At 3 and 7 yards accuracy was good.
At 15 yards a few bullets "Key Holed"
At 25 yards POI was erratic and most bullets "Key Holed.
Fired into a plastic jug of sand. Bullet traveled half way though and the bullet nose expanded to approx. .45 caliber.

 

[biku324]

FWIW Buffalo Bore sells a 45 Auto Rim 225 grain full wadcutter at 1100 fps - I'm thinking that would be a useful midrange load even for small deer.