John in WI
05-22-2012, 09:31 PM
I just got a Lee full wadcutter mold (funny--I've been casting about 2 months--and have 4 molds already). I was thinking about cooking up something along the lines of the Buffalo Bore full wadcutter. They are being driven pretty fast for a .38special (1200fps), and are "very hard cast".
I have a couple of questions about this. I my manual has a recipe of 5gr Unique/148gr Lyman wadcutter=948fps. What difference does about 200fps make in this case (a pretty short range round)?
Also, what does "very hard cast" mean? They are claiming that the wadcutter design tends to stay in a straight line, and the hard cast makes it keep going, even if it encounters bone or other obstacles--it doesn't want to deform or deflect on impact.
I respect the people at BB, and I hear nothing but good things about them (they seem to be THE people to try and copy!), but I'm wondering how much of this is sales hype? I realize it's not a new idea, and that to this day a lot of people load up snubbies with target WC's as a pretty effective, low recoiling SD round.
Do you figure some wheel weight would be hard-cast enough? I can't imagine I would see a whole lot of expansion at these low velocities with WW. Maybe add just a bit more tin to harden it (because I have some pewter, not because it's necessarily the best)?
It's an old-school/brute force approach to thumping stuff. Fast, blunt, and fairly heavy!
I have a couple of questions about this. I my manual has a recipe of 5gr Unique/148gr Lyman wadcutter=948fps. What difference does about 200fps make in this case (a pretty short range round)?
Also, what does "very hard cast" mean? They are claiming that the wadcutter design tends to stay in a straight line, and the hard cast makes it keep going, even if it encounters bone or other obstacles--it doesn't want to deform or deflect on impact.
I respect the people at BB, and I hear nothing but good things about them (they seem to be THE people to try and copy!), but I'm wondering how much of this is sales hype? I realize it's not a new idea, and that to this day a lot of people load up snubbies with target WC's as a pretty effective, low recoiling SD round.
Do you figure some wheel weight would be hard-cast enough? I can't imagine I would see a whole lot of expansion at these low velocities with WW. Maybe add just a bit more tin to harden it (because I have some pewter, not because it's necessarily the best)?
It's an old-school/brute force approach to thumping stuff. Fast, blunt, and fairly heavy!