Wadcutters for self defense

Circa 1973, the front lawn of my high school was like a mini-Woodstock most days.
One day, a big fight started, and police were called to quickly put a stop to it. There was some hands on wrasslin involved.
In any case, as I left school that day, I walked across the lawn where the fight was, and spotted nickel cartridges in the grass...
Six Remington 148gn wadcutters which fell out of an officers dump pouch.
So, some departments did use them, I guess.
 
I like use stout wide metaplat HC loads in my 44s for hunting. There ability to punch thru muscle and bone, typically with complete penetration and copious amounts of leakage make for a good stopping round. While not as hot as my mag loads, I am confident that the HC wadcutters loaded in my 44 special Bulldog Pug would be adequate for anything I may encounter. Just my opinion :)
 
Hornady HBWC

Years ago I loaded Hornady hollow base wad cutters. With a top load of Unique. Loaded toward for field use. Backwards for home protection. My idea for backwards was to prevent over penetration in the house. In wet sand (my only available test media). That expanded wide, reliably, not breaking up. At the time these were loaded with a Lee Loader and complete scoop set. I think this is a viable option easily tried and done today
 
I was heading out deer hunting in northern Montana, south on I-15 just under the Canadian border. It was before dawn, but I think a few guys had started a little early. A nice big whitetail buck was running flat out from my left across a field. He crossed the northbound lanes, the median, and ran directly into the side of my 73 Chevy pickup, caving in the side just behind my door. I tried to avoid it, but it was like destiny.

I stopped and walked back to him. He had bounced back into the median, and was still alive but suffering. I had my little Model 36 with me, so I shot him in the neck. Nothing happened. I shot him 3 more times in the neck, being a slow learner. He was just looking at me like: you aren’t helping.

Down to my last round in the gun, I put the muzzle hard against his head and fired directly into his brain, ending the whole sordid business.

I wasn’t shooting wadcutters - they were factory FBI +P LSWCHPs. Literally the FBI load, since I got them from the FBI.

I didn’t do an autopsy - I just left him there and went hunting. I suspect those bullets penetrated about three inches of neck muscle and stopped against his spine. My wife drove past him a few hours later and his impressive head had been removed.

Anything can work, and anything can fail.
 
Last edited:
Interesting concept tell us more

Extreme makes a DE wad that is plated and hits like a hammer. I load a HB wad with a 00 buck in the hollow. Around a 200 gr payload. At 10 yards they hit the target consistently 1 inch apart. Makes a nice 10 shot J Frame.

Is the wad cutter foward or backward? Anything holding the OO? Powder charge for 200gn?
 

Latest posts

Back
Top