Heavy Wadcutter

[justindad]

What’s the conventional wisdom on heavy wadcutters? Accurate has a 170grain .38cal wadcutter mold. Are there notable pros & cons?

[StrawHat]

What is your intended use for this boolit?

That will determine how responses are made.

Kevin

[HWooldridge]

170 gr yields 6 fewer bullets per pound of lead over a 148 wc. That adds up pretty quickly if you’re trying to be frugal with the galena.

[Soundguy]

Wadcutters tend to be paper punches for target shooting...that said... Paper is marked just as good with lower grains as higher grains. Ie..hole gonna be the same size.

If your target shooting..no way I'd go with heavy for caliber wadcutters.

[dannyd]

I use a NOE mould that makes 148 or 170 with pins or without. The 148 is definitely more accurate than the 170.

[shooting on a shoestring]

I’ll guess you’re looking at 36-170W.
Pro:
Lots of penetration if driven fast. Maybe for a hog hunter?
Could be a self defense tumbler if driven slow.

Con:
It’s long boolit with a full meplat so it needs lots of spin to stabilize it. Will definitely work better in the 14” twist Colts or 16” Rugers than a 18.75” Smith and Wesson.

As noted above, uses more lead per boolit than 140-150s.

Pro or Con depending:
It takes up lots of case capacity.
That’s a pro if you’re after consistent ignition using small charges in a 357 Magnum, Maximum or 360 DW etc…
That’s a Con if you’re after high velocity in a short case like 38 Colt.

My take is it’s a special use boolit. If you don’t have the special use, you probably won’t be happy with it.

[dannyd]

170 is definitely accurate

[gwpercle]

Take a Look at NOE 360-160-WC PB (360432) .

It's different , based on the discontinued Lyman #358432 but the front drving band is improved on the NOE ,

It is the most accurate boolit in all my 38 special and 357 magnum revolvers .
The 170 gr. is on the edge of too heavy and not quite as accurate .
My home 38 Special stays loaded with them .
Target , mid-range and heavy 38 loads ... this boolit covers all the bases .
Since it is so near standard 158 gr. weight the fixed sighted revolvers I have all shoot POA = POI ... which is very nice ,
Gary

[oldhenry]

What he said ^

[Char-Gar]

Long heavy 38 wadcutters up to 210 grains have been the gold standard for bowling pin shooting. A fair hit and the pin scoots straight back off the table.It doesn't need velocity to do the job. It will also serious hurt anybody that gets hit with one.

[justindad]

Is a 210 grain .38cal wadcutter mold a custom job?

[45DUDE]

Is a 210 grain .38cal wadcutter mold a custom job?

You could take a 200 grain Lyman and turn it around and start low in 357. A 200 is long and you run out of case so it needs to stick out. The Lee book has a load for a 200 Lyman with 2400 powder I use in 38 special. I have a 1 in 14'' twist barrel for these. I may load some backwards tomorrow just to test.

[RickinTN]

Tom at Accuratemolds can alter any bullet in his catalog for you or he can do a drawing of a completely new bullet for you and make the mold subject to your approval. If you like the bullet in his catalog but want it lighter just ask. He can do his magic and have a drawing to you in no time. I have about a dozen molds from Accurate and I don't recall one that I ordered directly from the catalog. I tweaked every one to meet what I wanted. The quality of Tom's molds is as good as any. Contact him with your wants and I think I know you will be very pleased.
Good Luck,
Rick

[Rapier]

The 200 grain RCBS design, Veral Smith says otherwise, but anyay. I have worn out three RCBS cast iron GC moulds, which they replaced, then found a cast iron plain base mould for that bullet, made by Saeco, for my PC process. I shoot the bullet in two of my ARs in the 358 MGP, which is basically a rimless 357 Herrett, runs 2,500 fps. Plus my 357 Super Mags and 357 Merrill or XL guns.

Below is a 10 shot group from a 10" Ruger SRM 357 Super Mag at 50 yards with open sights in Creedmore. Using 357 Mag brass (pre 357 Super Mag brass) and 15 grains of H-110 under a 200 RCBS, taper crimped at the crimping groove w 205 M primers.
I used the 357 Python with 38 Special and 357 brass for six years before the 357 Super Mag brass and guns came out, Winchester Brass / Brass so it will fit in the chambers and the cylinder length. Same load I use in my 94 C Marlin, what was that, oh a 357.

[Good Cheer]

If you're going to get a heavy wadcutter mold make it one with adjustable length and interchangeable tips.