357 wadcutter data

[f3]

Looking for a source of 357 mag wadcutter data. All the manuals I have just go as high as 38 special +P. Looking for something in the upper 357 pressure range.

[Fowler]

Wadcutters are stictly a low pressure target bullet. Most are made of near pure lead and will lead horribly and anything even approaching mid level pressures. Even the cast solid waddcutters are normally bevel base and won't do well at high pressure ether.

Just my two cents. YMMV

[AxeHandle]

"wadcutter" in the context of 38 Special and 357 Mag context implies the 148 grain wadcutter bullets in either double ended or button nose solid bullets or the hollow base version. All made to cut clean holes in paper. True magnum level lead bullet 357 stuff to me means a hard alloy and a gas check. No matter what you have in mind you need a copy of Lyman's Cast bullet loading manual. The actual name eludes me at the moment but "Lyman" and "Cast Bullet Manual" will find it for you.

[Deleted]

Lyman has tons of data for full power 357 wadcutters. They're showing velocities of up to about 1300 fps for 141 cast WC.

[f3]

My Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Edition doesn't list a single 357 wadcutter load.

[Deleted]

My Third Edition does, or you can try the Pistol & Revolver Reloading Manual.

[f3]

I was in Missoula today so I stopped in Sportsmans Warehouse and flipped through Lymans Pistol and Revolver manual and still no 357 wadcutter data.

[boatswainsmate]

www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=357%20Magnum&Weight=148&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=

[dutch41]

check here for info, this was back on page 7 if the link doesn't work.

singleactions.proboards.com/thread/13574/anybody-load-wadcutters

Scott

[f3]

Found a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 3rd Edition. I wonder why they dropped the 357 wadcutter data in the fourth edition.

[axel]

Lyman Pistol & Revolver Reloading Handbook, Second Edition shows .357 Magnum wadcutter loads up to 1382 feet per second using Blue Dot. Lyman mould # 358495. OAL of 1.435".

[f3]

axel, do you know what edition that was in.

[f3]

Sorry I see quite clearly you stated 2nd edition. Thank you.

[Deleted]

357 wadcutter data is in the first and second editions of the Pistol And Revolver Handbook. I see Lyman saw fit in their infinite wisdom to not include it in the third edition. They haven't been making a lot of sense to me lately.

[bradshaw]

f3.... as I recall, Lyman Cast Bullet Volume #3 data for wadcutters in .357 Magnum was obtained from a Universal receiver 4" barrel----probably SAAMI minimum chamber without cylinder gap or forcing cone. While magnum pressures and velocities are listed, I don't recall info on what happens to the bullet. Supect plenty keyholing at target not very far away.

A forcing cone can be a dark alley for a soft bullet driven hard.

Caution: a hollow base wadcutter loaded at safe maximum manual loads may very well blow off the skirt. This generally puts three ragged holes in a target at 7 or 10 yards. According to Bill Jordan, who said with a grin, a hollow base wadcutter "accidentally turned upside-down" spells bad news for the recipient. I wouldn't know. My testing with a 4" Model 19 proved most unsatisfactory. Hollow base wadcutters are a mild velocity, short range proposition.

Solid wadcutters can be accurate out to 100 yards, but must be tested. A .38 148 grain WC and the .44 240 WC are potent game bullets at tested distances. A barn door ballistic coefficient coupled to the Center-of-Form coinciding with the Center-of-Gravity spells SHORT RANGE STABILITY. You may come up with a load to defy this rule. Meanwhile, assume nothing you haven't demonstrated.

Please report you finding back to the forum; there seems to be a thirst for bizarre information.
Good shooting,
David Bradshaw