let's talk 38 wadcutters

[4barrel]

If you're serious about accuracy forget plated . At best they're plinking or short range action games where 10 ring don't exist . But if you were a 2700 shooter you'd know that . # 1 is a HBWC & the Rem 148 HBWC is king . # 2 are cast rather DEWC or FBWC . I've had better luck with the FB button nose like the H&G 50 or Lyman 358432 heavy . If you don't shoot SF @ 50yds , DEWC will work too .

I have both of those +some Remington. I can leave all the nose sticking out in my NM Colt 38 special with the H&G 50 flat base.

 

[RobertJ.]

I recently tried Berry's plated DEWC for the first time, with Bullseye. They shoot good in everything I put them in! Especially my 28-2! Sadly, the Sportsman's Warehouse I live closest to is completely sold out of those or anything else right now. I have no shortage of projectiles, but was hoping to stock up on those.

 

[mikld]

I too am a caster with very little experience with plated bullets. Due to the current ammo shortage my home cast bullets must do everything. That includes SD loads. I like a DE wadcutter, tumble lubed and sized to .358 or 9 over 4.X grains of Unique. Mine come from a 6 cavity Lee mold and I use whatever alloy that's handy. Anything from linotype to range scrap.
I shoot them out of J frames, K frames, a rifle, a Taurus revolver, and a 10" TC. They all like them just fine.

I tried about 1,000 plated bullets in a few calibers/guns, but bottom line they offered nothing better than my cast, and if I wanted higher velocity I just went with jacketed. Lately I tried some 9mm plated hollow point bullets and had quite a bit of seating problems. I have been reloading for a very long time and rarely have major problems seating and controlling OAL, but even after measuring bullets and cases' lengths, I often got .008"-.010" difference in OAL. I can only think the ogive varied a lot and gave such wide swings in depth. I have reloaded many, many 124 gr JHPs and from 3 different manufacturers and mixed brass and often hold .002" variation in OAL, so the problem wasn't with me or my equipment. Besides, I like casting...

 

[Amp]

I truly appreciate all the responses here. And glad to see all the interest.
When I started loading back in the '80s it was because the previous reloader forgot to charge a few leaving me with the opportunity to learn clear squib loads. They were HBWC in magnum cases. Then I went with magnum loads for hunting and such.
Now a days I just like shooting paper and steel for fun.
I shoot revolver so no mystery brass or hunting empties.
My own interest in loading has been restarted by bullseye league which i am very happy to be about average at on my better days.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[Turn4811]

For accuracy it is hard to beat a lead WC running 850-950 fps. I don't take lead past 1050fps or use very fast burn powder with it.

FMJ are my next choice for accuracy and they have the added bonus of being pushed fast. Coated lead is right there with FMJ.

Plated is my last choice for accuracy. The "double thickness" seem to work better than the thinner plated bullets. I have also experienced copper fouling with plated. I have never seen that with jacketed bullets.

 

[boatbum101]

Most factory 38 special 148 HBWC loads run around 700fps with a soft swaged lead bullet . Cast work better pushed a mite faster . HBWC do not exceed 3.0grs Bullseye , cast you can go 3.5grs .

 

[38SPL HV]

I like using either a cast DEWC or BNWC, 148 grs. Great bullets in both 38 Special and 357 Magnum. Fun as heck to shoot and plenty accurate for my requirements. I like loading them in 357 Magnum cases for use in my 4 5/8 inch Ruger, at mid range velocities, 1,000 FPS +/-

 

[4barrel]

I'm strictly a type III wadcutter shooter. It's difficult to not like the Lyman 358432. I use the 160gr version, haven't shot the 148gr.

Lyman made a 141gr. also.

 

[johngalt]

My only experience with DEWC was with Lasercast. I was greatly unimpressed with their accuracy (or lack thereof). I never tried plated in my .38, but did try a batch of plated .45 round nose once. Accuracy was ok but not what I would call stellar.

For bullseye, the only reason I would switch from a swaged HBWC is if they became unobtainable.

 

[max503]

I'm moving away from 148 grain DEWC's towards a 105 grain SWC in order to conserve lead. The 105 is very accurate in my guns.

 

[Nevada Ed]

If I can get them, I prefer a soft HBwc lead bullet for my revolvers......

but the BBwc can produce good loads with a different powder than Alliant Bullseye with a little testing and finding the right speed, be it sloooow or a little faster than a standard load, in my revolvers from 1 7/8 up to a 6" tube.

Most lead bullets will work if you play around with them enough.
Have fun.

 

[Brister1984]

This is a great topic. Can't recommend plated bullets for anything but general plinking. For serious target use, HBWC is your best bet at velocities below 800 fps. Back in the day the best was made by a company called Bull-X Inc. and to my knowledge they don't exist anymore.
One good alternative I just found is from a company called PrecisionDelta.com. They have a Match Lube version 148 gr HBWC that is working well in my M52