Who makes the best 148gr. HBWC, Berry's, Zero, Hornady, Speer, ETC

[Bullseye Smith]

I haven't shot for years or reloaded. Got to a few month's ago and what to try and get back into it. Looking for the best HBWC now? Zero was the best, but looks like it has fell to the way-side(?). I can't shoot BULLSEYE any more due to heart problems that made me lose 30% sight in one eye and a busted shoulder from pasting out. Can't hold my Revolver up with one hand anymore, or see my open sights right anymore. Thanks, Bullseye

 

[sjmjax]

My experience is primarily with Zero swaged and Berry’s plated. Some limited experience with Speer.

Excellent accuracy for me with Zero. (Initially) At the expense of awful leading and greasy residue.

Good accuracy with Berry’s and very clean. But, my experience is that they require a significant increase in powder charge for the same velocity as plain lead. Now pretty much my standard.

Limited experience with Speers powder coated. Notes indicate excellent accuracy and less leading issues than with Zero. But don’t generally use them in 38 caliber.

Zero brand is convenient as my gun club stocks them at reasonable prices.

I prefer Berry’s for their cleanliness and non-leading.

I most often use Speer for .32’s as there are few options for me in wad cutters for that caliber. Accuracy in that caliber outstanding.

 

[sjmjax]

By the way, sorry about your eyesight and shoulder strength issues.

I developed a serious cataract in my right eye. Learned to shoot reasonably well left hand - left eye for awhile.

Eventually got cataract surgery and decent eye sight. Returned to mostly right dominant shooting.

I also understand the shoulder issue. Worn my right shoulder joint out. Can still shoot one handed but it’s more challenging than it use to be. And painful at times!

 

[Krogen]

I've put a lot of Hornady HBWCs through my K-38. They shoot accurately without any leading issues. More recently, I've been shooting them in my Model 52. No leading there either. Both guns with the Hornady bullet are way more accurate than their owner. In the past, I shot Speer HBWCs, but I'd say the Hornady bullets is a better bullet. I bought 2000 Precision Delta 148 gr HBWCs. They have a good reputation and look excellent. Of course the proof is in the pudding, but I haven't made any pudding with them yet. Someday soon.

 

[robertrwalsh]

Of all the lead WC I have had the best luck with Hornaday. That being said I no longer shoot hardly any plain lead bullets. I have been very happy with Berry's and they are very clean and shoot well. It might be different if I was a high end bullseye shooter, but I am not and have never been.

 

[Protocall_Design]

The ones I like the best are Bayou Bullets 138 gr. DEWC. In my guns, running them at around 910 -920 FPS, I'm getting about 1-1/2 groups at 50 yds. shooting rested on sandbags. These are polymer coated and very clean to load and shoot. I've shot several hundred thousand of swaged and cast wadcutters before there were polymer coated bullets.

 

[Doriangray6]

Sounds like you're dealing with some rough physical challenges but keep working on them. Nothing irritates doctors more than a patient that improves beyond what they said was possible.
Not HB but I've been using 148gr poly coated button nose and full wadcutters from Acme for years.
They load nice, produce nice groups out of my model 10, and the poly coating eliminates barrel leading problems and makes cleaning easier.

Bullet Manufacturer: American Ammunition Company: Reloading Bullets

ACME Bullet Company in an American ammunition company. Our company manufactures bullets and a variety of reloading supplies for the US.

acmebullet.com

 

[John in Yuma]

Bear Creek Supply
Sharp and consistent. Coated for cleaner handling and shooting. Good stuff.

 

[gwpercle]

Back in my competition days I liked Hornady or Speer .
The soft swaged 148 gr. HBWC .
Speer may still make them but I think Hornady has discontinued them ... that's OK , I prefered Speer anyway .
Good Luck ,
Gary

 

[zodraz]

Back in my competition days I liked Hornady or Speer .
The soft swaged 148 gr. HBWC .
Speer may still make them but I think Hornady has discontinued them ... that's OK , I prefered Speer anyway .
Good Luck ,
Gary

Poly (Hi Tek) coated bullets are the way to go.

 

[MN Rifleman]

Zero is the way to go if you’re after pure accuracy

 

[J56]

Precision Delta, no. question about it !
But, I strip them and re-lube with 50/50 LEE LIQUID ALOX thinned
with mineral spirits…
But for short range rapid fire stages, a cast DEWC or SWC from 50/50 WW and range scrap… practically free bullets…
For jacketed bullets, RMR in-house. Eley USA uses his bullets!

 

[22shtur]

If you're not shooting bullseye, then any 148 grain lead bullet would be pretty good. All the manufacturers you mentioned would approximately group the same at 25 yards. Load the least expensive bullet and go have fun.

 

[rwsmith]

I've had good luck with both Speer and Hornady swaged HBWCs. They both have a dry lube that works well. Never had leading and they are very easy on the barrel. I shot thousand of them through my first model 10 and the bore still looked great when I sold it.

Right now I'm shooting Missouri Hi Tek double ended wadcutters. Don't think that they are QUITE as accurate, but I don't have definitive proof. It's been a long time since I shot HBWCs and havenn't shot enough of the Missouris under good conditions to have an opinion.

 

[rwsmith]

I've had good luck with both Speer and Hornady swaged HBWCs. They both have a dry lube that works well. Never had leading and they are very easy on the barrel. I shot thousand of them through my first model 10 and the bore still looked great when I sold it.

Right now I'm shooting Missouri Hi Tek double ended wadcutters. Don't think that they are QUITE as accurate, but I don't have definitive proof. It's been a long time since I shot HBWCs and havenn't shot enough of the Missouris under good conditions to have an opinion. One plus is that they are CHEAP.

 

[Kp321]

When I ran out of Remingtons, I bought a couple of thousand Magnus HBWC’s mostly because they were available during the early days of the component drought. They are supposedly the same as Zeros but I have no experience with Zero so can’t comment. The Magnus bullets shoot as well as the Remingtons but lead a little in my 52. I only use DEWC’s for practice.

 

[Eddietruett]

I ran a fairly extensive test a year or two back with wadcutters. I used a model 52 and a model 14 with an 8 3/8” barrel with a red dot sight that was rebuilt by the late Master Gunsmith Jim Kelly as a wad gun. Back in the day Jim built a good many Revolvers for bullseye shooting with wadcutters and his guns won a lot of trophies. I used Zero, Speer and Hornady HBWC. Rim Rock and Oregon Trail Lead DEWC. Brazos and Missouri HiTek Coated DEWC. Berrys Plated HBWC and Xtreme Plated DEWC. All were loaded with the standard 2.7gr Bullseye for all lead and coated and 3.0gr Bullseye for Plated. In the Model 14, the soft lead HBWC were by far the most accurate with a slight nod going to the Zero.
It was almost too close to call and the difference could be the human factor. With the Model 52, pretty much the same results, but the coated did shoot better in the auto than the revolver. One huge surprise was the Xtreme DEWC shot as good as any HBWC in the Model 52 but was the least accurate with the revolver. My take away at least for the 2 guns I used is the HBWC’s are the most accurate. I was also surprised and glad to learn the Xtreme plated shot equally as well in my 52 since I have about 1k on hand and those do shoot cleaner. In case anyone is curious, all shooting was done at 20 yards with a Caldwell handgun rest.

 

[AJ]

Zero & Hornaday