The NEI gas checked wadcutter hard cast and loaded seated out with 296 could do wonderful things (as long as you were intending to eat what you shot).
The NEI gas checked wadcutter hard cast and loaded seated out with 296 could do wonderful things (as long as you were intending to eat what you shot).
Yes,easy and fun to shoot,I fired many dozens of BHN 4 wadcutters @ 1000 fps the other day,it must be Hi Tek coating but leading was not bad in that 66. I expected serious leading.
Here you can see current Vihtavuori data, 3N37 can push a 158 lead bullet above 1100,too. Within CIP 22k psi. I have used 3N37 for heavy bullets (163) in 9mm subsonic and 255 grain in 45 ACP. It delivers velocity with less pressure than many other powders.
I know these look crazy if one is used to 16 k psi loads. 45ACP goes the other way round by the way, CIP is lower pressure than SAAMI.
This is a problem that I teach in my pre-calculus class. The airless case is much easier, and I'll be glad to work it out for you if you wish. The same problem in the presence of air is a little harder because the velocity is not constant. However, if you understand the airless trajectory, it's easy to intuitively grasp the additional complication. Let me know if you would like me to do it.
The V comps are designed for action pistol, so they’re probably standard 1/18.75 twist. Fine for wadcutters out to 50 yards.
I believe the original Colt Pythons were 1/14 twist, so if the new one follows suit and is decent quality, it should shoot wadcutters pretty well.
If you’re wanting to extend the range, I’d look at the LBT Ogival wadcutter design.
Whatever you go with, I’d stick with brass matching caliber, i.e. if you buy a .357, load .357 brass & not .38.
No matter the gun, all other factors affecting accuracy still apply.
Very nice info!
I have 3N37 which I got for use with 9mm Bergmann-Bayard / 9mm Largo, and .38 ACP.
It is probably about the ideal for these ( even if the Manufacturer does not publish data for these Cartridges ).
I had wondered about it for .38 Special or others also, so this is nice to see.
I'll give it a try sometime in .45 ACP and .38 Special.
Thanks!
Although I've never owned a V-Comp, a fellow loaned me his and gave me a box of ammo once. I was flabbergasted by the accuracy at 50 yards. I don't remember what the ammo was, but the gun certainly was accurate!
Good info, Petander. Thanx a lot.............
My mother's retirement present to herself about 4 years ago was a 6" GP-100. When she gets going, a rather staggering quantity of H&G #50 wadcutters get consumed in a short period of time - usually resulting in giggles by the one shooting it.
Of recent production, the S&W's seem to suffer more from thread crush at the frame (bore diameter .001-.002" tighter at the frame than the rest of the bore) than the Rugers do. Both are likely to need fire-lapping to really sing, but I know of three fairly recent S&W's that really lead up past the forcing cone because of this. On the Rugers, not quite so intense.
WWJMBD?
In the Land of Oz, we cast with wheel weight and 2% Tin, Man.
I have one of the new S&W 686+(7 shot) revolvers and it dearly loves wadcutters. Mine is a 6 inch version and shoots as accurately as my model 14 Target Masterpiece does.
This Mod 66 shoots some wadcutter loads with great accuracy.
I was shooting a 38 Special load @ 21 psi (Quick load & chrono estimate, below Vihtavuori max) with VV 3N37 today, very tight 1" grouping @ 20 meters. Shooting accurately with a snubby just feels soooo good.
Last edited by Petander; 01-27-2020 at 09:06 AM.
Thanks guys for the comments on revolvers, I appreciate it.
exile
"There is not a single instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty preserved entire. If therefore we yield up our temporal property, we at the same time deliver the conscience into bondage." --John Witherspoon, The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men. 1776
"The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times." Psalm 12:6 (E.S.V.)
I hate to keep adding topics to this thread, but I was wondering if the RCBS Cowboy die sets in .38 Special were worth the extra cost as an aid in loading cast boolits? I currently use a Lee set, but wanted an extra set just in case? Thanks for your thoughts.
exile
"There is not a single instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty preserved entire. If therefore we yield up our temporal property, we at the same time deliver the conscience into bondage." --John Witherspoon, The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men. 1776
"The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times." Psalm 12:6 (E.S.V.)
I am sure others here have a different opinion but if your loaded ammo is accurate and doesn't lead why would you change the system you have ?
I don't look for a solution to a problem unless I have a problem.
That said , nothing wrong with experimenting I have several sets of dies for many of the cartridges I load and sometimes buy a particular die if I have need for it but for the most part for what I load and the way I shoot factory die sets work fine.
Read some reviews here, decided the extra cost was not worth it, bought a three die Lee set as a spare, gave my original set a good cleaning.
exile
"There is not a single instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty preserved entire. If therefore we yield up our temporal property, we at the same time deliver the conscience into bondage." --John Witherspoon, The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men. 1776
"The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times." Psalm 12:6 (E.S.V.)
Are factory wadcutters pure lead boolits? Do you guys cast them from pure lead? 50/50? Does the use of softer lead increase accuracy? Anybody have the NOE 148 grain hollow-base wadcutter mold? How do you like it? Thanks.
exile
"There is not a single instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty preserved entire. If therefore we yield up our temporal property, we at the same time deliver the conscience into bondage." --John Witherspoon, The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men. 1776
"The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times." Psalm 12:6 (E.S.V.)
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |