Treatsie on loading 38 Special wadcutters

[GSSP]

Young man i've known since he was in diapers dropped by some "cast" bullet items he came into possession last Fall.  Molds (nice 357156 4-cavity), handles, ammo, cast bullets, sized and otherwise.  About 15+ lbs of 148 gr DEWC.  Figured i'd try them in my 50th Annivesary 357 mag and a bunch of Federal (others in the mix too) 38 Special cases.  Any tricks of the reloading process; dies, what expander size, seating depth, favorite loads (I have most of the associated powders)?  These look to have a dry film on them.  The 148 gr DEWC are mic'ing at .3585" and BHN 8-10.

Several coffee cans full of these.





Guessing I might need a slightly larger expander die?

[AxeHandle]

For the flush seated wadcutter you may need some wadcutter brass. The wadcutter brass is made thinner deeper in the case than typical 38 brass, to accommodate the long, deeply seated, and soft bullet. FWIW I spent a lifetime loading and shooting flush seated wadcutters, DE and HB, and never knew this was a concern.

[bushog]

Jul 13, 2024 9:23:15 GMT -5 AxeHandle said:

For the flush seated wadcutter you may need some wadcutter brass. The wadcutter brass is made thinner deeper in the case than typical 38 brass, to accommodate the long, deeply seated, and soft bullet. FWIW I spent a lifetime loading and shooting flush seated wadcutters, DE and HB, and never knew this was a concern.

Thanks for the “rabbit hole” re: wadcutter brass.

Where does one find such a thing?

[Encore64]

I just use 367 Magnum Brass. I've been shooting the Gardners Coated Wadcutters at impressive velocities.

I'm also curious about 38 Special Wadcutter Brass...

[45MAN]

MOST OF MY 38 SPECIAL BRASS COMES FROM FIRED FACTORY WADCUTTER AMMO, NOT SURE IF OTHER 38 SPECIAL BRASS HAS BEEN MIXED IN WITH IT OR NOT, MOSTLY HAVE RELOADED WADCUTTERS IN 38 SPECIAL, BUT NOW THAT I HAVE A 6.5" 38/44 OUTDOORSMAN TO LOAD FOR I AM GOING TO START SEGREGATING MY NON-WADCUTTER FACTORY AMMO FIRED BRASS.

[GSSP]

What measurements are there that tells us the brass is wadcutter brass?

[bushog]

So…. The interweb says if it has double crimp grooves it’s wadcutter brass. The guys on Castboolits have multiple threads on the subject. Some say Starline brass is wadcutter brass but….

[pbcaster45]

I've posted this before but here it is again!

Here's what I do to get top accuracy from the Speer 148 grain HBWC. No bullet deformation and this load equals Federal Gold Medal Match in my Colt Python and Clark PPC Revolver.

Brass: Federal or CCI (These two brands have less internal taper)

Sizer Die: Lee Undersize .38 Super Die (Yeah! It's for the .38 Super but works great for minimal sizing of .38 Special brass!)
RCBS Expander Die with Special Order Wadcutter Expander (I got mine from Huntington Die Specialties)
CH Wadcutter Speed Seater Die
RCBS Taper Crimp Die

Bullet: Speer 148 gr. HBWC
Powder: WST 2.7 grs.
Primer: Federal 100 Small Pistol
Case: Federal .38 Special
LOAL: 1.180
Comments: Brass processed Lee Undersized .38 Super Carbide Die and expanded with Lyman M-Die. Taper-crimped with RCBS Die.

Five shots at 25 yards.



Not sure what brand of bullets those are but here's a good load I used to use in my Colt Python.

Bullet: 3-D 148 gr. DEWC
Powder: Alliant Bullseye 2.8 grs.
Primer: Federal 100 Match
Case: Federal .38 Special
OAL: 1.225

[AxeHandle]

Been meaning to section a few pieces of brass to see the wall thickness of wadcutter and regular brass. Maybe I'll do that soon. FWIW the headstamp on Fiocchi 38 Special wadcutter brass is actually "38 Wadcutter" Don't remember any special marking on the case head of my GI 38 Wadcutter.

Starline actually posts a warning for their 32 S&W long brass. www.starlinebrass.com/32-sw-long-brass
"*May not work with some wadcutter loads due to length of internal taper of case."

[earl54]

Wadcutter brass "usually" has 1 or 2 grooves about midway up the case, inside walls are not tapered and the grooves were to keep the bullet from falling down inside the minimally sized case. Target wadcutter's are dead soft and the point is to not size them down when they are seated. The only way I know to get them is from factory loaded wadcutter ammo.