What's a good .38 Special WC cartridge?

**SSCUSTER** · May 24th, 2007, 11:03 PM

I'm looking for advice on a good cheap .38 Special wad cutter for target shooting in my 4" Taurus 627 Tracker. I have read that the most accurate .38 round is a 110 grain wad cutter. I just did a quick search arround and the only WC's I can find are 147 grain.

I welcome any suggestions. I am not locked into the idea of wad cutters, I just read that they are the most accurate.

**Xringshooter** · May 25th, 2007, 07:13 AM

For target shooting (This was my competition load when shooting PPC):

148 gr HBWC (Hollow Base Wadcutter)
2.5 grs of Solo 1000 or Red Dot
Federal Small Pistol Primers.

It pushes just over 700 fps, very mild, very accurate. The Solo 1000 was very clean burning. With some of the newer powders out there you can probably duplicate this load.

**SSCUSTER** · May 25th, 2007, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Xringshooter

For target shooting (This was my competition load when shooting PPC):

148 gr HBWC (Hollow Base Wadcutter)
2.5 grs of Solo 1000 or Red Dot
Federal Small Pistol Primers.

It pushes just over 700 fps, very mild, very accurate. The Solo 1000 was very clean burning. With some of the newer powders out there you can probably duplicate this load.

Thanks for the advice, but I don't make hand loads. I am looking for store-bought ammo.

I do want to learn to make hand loads at some point.

**GRIZ** · May 30th, 2007, 02:03 AM

You could get a 110 grain wadcutter mold and cast your own so that's out of the question for you. I've never seen anyone load a 110 wadcutter anywhere. Every wadcutter loaded commercially I've seen is 148 grain or close to it.

To get inexpensive wadcutters for practice your best bet is commercially reloaded ammo. You can find it at most gunshops and the price is usually about 70-80% or less of factory loaded ammo. The more you buy the cheaper it usually is. These are made to duplicate factory ammo which is very consistent even from manufacturer. I chronographed 3 major brands of factory wadcutters and all had the same average velocity and the extreme spread was within 5 fps of each other.

If you're using wadcutters in a 2-3" revolver you might consider using factory wadcutters as a carry load as was discussed in the following thread.

http://www.pafoa.org/forum/ammunitio...-snubnose.html

**SSCUSTER** · May 30th, 2007, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by GRIZ

You could get a 110 grain wadcutter mold and cast your own so that's out of the question for you. I've never seen anyone load a 110 wadcutter anywhere. Every wadcutter loaded commercially I've seen is 148 grain or close to it.

I don't remember where I read about the accuracy of the illusive 110 grain wad cutter, but perhaps it was just B.S. or the guy made his own. I'll try the standard rounds that are available.