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Post by Burnston on Dec 3, 2018 11:20:44 GMT -5
This year's Wanenmacher Gunshow yielded fruitful results. The following Colt Detective Special presented itself in what I considered a more than reasonable deal; so much so that it would have been a violation of all I hold sacred to bypass it.   It has been about a year since I've read Hoglegs, Hipshots, and Jalapenos, and Good Friends, Good Guns, and Good Whiskey. In one of these books, Skelton outlines his use of a specific wadcutter in his .38 specials which he loaded upside-down, as they produced a desirable expansion at relatively low velocities in this configuration. I do not currently have access to my library, and would appreciate any of you who happen to know the specific bullet to which he is referring, as all of my current experiments with this little gem have proven slightly below par. |
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Post by potatojudge on Dec 3, 2018 11:59:07 GMT -5
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Post by Burnston on Dec 3, 2018 12:26:13 GMT -5
Thank you, that is a big help. Should I hunt for a lighter bullet than 148gr?
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Post by ezekiel38 on Dec 3, 2018 12:54:46 GMT -5
Look at the new HST 130 grain Jacketed inverted load for 38 Special. Federal designed it and it mushrooms out to 65 caliber and out of my Model 60 it averages 812. It's my J frame, snubby load of choice. It's rated plus P, 17K pressure, but it shoots very soft with quick follow and good accuracy.
Inverted wadcutters are tricky as the skirt can stick in the forcing cone. The HST is quite innovative and effective.
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Post by Burnston on Dec 3, 2018 13:36:57 GMT -5
Look at the new HST 130 grain Jacketed inverted load for 38 Special. Federal designed it and it mushrooms out to 65 caliber and out of my Model 60 it averages 812. It's my J frame, snubby load of choice. It's rated plus P, 17K pressure, but it shoots very soft with quick follow and good accuracy. Inverted wadcutters are tricky as the skirt can stick in the forcing cone. The HST is quite innovative and effective. That certainly produces the desired effect. Unfortunately, I don't think the 3rd issue DT Specials are suited for +P. Good tip on the skirts and forcing cone. I hadn't considered that. Thanks for the response. |
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jd
.30 Stingray
Posts: 204
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Post by jd on Dec 3, 2018 16:13:49 GMT -5
One thing to be aware of, is that inverted hollow base wadcutters are VERY unstable. When I played around with them, virtually every load had the bullets going through the target at 25 yards sideways... As such, accuracy at 25 yards was "poor"... I'm sure that distances measured in a few feet, they would work fine, but if you end up trying to make a longer shot, you may as well throw rocks....... There are much better bullets out there...
Just my experience.....
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Post by ezekiel38 on Dec 11, 2018 11:56:32 GMT -5
Colt DSes and Cobras were ok'ed by Colt to shoot +Ps (the 17K-19K) Sammi loads. What they were not ok'ed for was the old 38-44 loads that were generating at least 24K and would shake the D Frames loose in short order. Colt said 5,000 Rds of +Ps for the steel DSes and 2,500 for the Alloy frame Agents and Cobras. This is the shrouded barrel iteration of the D frame, and then they said the little heater needed a tuneup.
Carried a DS in ankle holster for years as a backup to my duty weapon. Colt did advise to practice with standard 38 Specials and only qualify and carry with the +P round.
Hope that helps. The new Cobra is +P rated and Colt made a point of advertising that fact. I have a new Cobra on Layaway. Will keep you posted.
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Post by warhawk on Dec 11, 2018 14:05:18 GMT -5
If you buy your cast bullets, Matt’s Bullets has wadciputters in a Variety of weights.
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Post by tinkerpearce on Dec 12, 2018 21:56:54 GMT -5
Buffalo Bore makes a 158gr. LSWCHP for short-barrel guns. It's a standard pressure load but delivers +P velocity. Recoil is not excessive. It performs decently in tests; I use it extensively in my .38s.
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Post by boolitdesigner on Dec 13, 2018 20:17:43 GMT -5
There is a lot of controversy about backwards loaded hollow base wadcutters...... some true and some not. A friend of mine has an old early stainless S&W Chief and he wanted to try the supposition. I took my design of the 38 hollowbase wadcutter from MP Molds over and cast a good pile in a 35:1 lead/tin alloy. We sized to 0.358" and loaded to about 750 fps or so. We got accurate to the sights loads and expansion with a perfect mushroom to .60+ caliber. I've tried the Hornady HBWC's with some of Paco's loads also. Use the right alloy and normal loads.....you'll like the results better.
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