Wadcutter Bullets: Everything you ever Wanted to Know

[Annihilator]

An NRA Shooting Sports Journal | Wadcutter Bullets: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know

Did you know that some wadcutters are designed specifically to feed through semi-automatic pistols? Here we review the basics of wadcutter bullets—from Himmelwright to HBWC.

www.ssusa.org

 

[BangBang]

Good article, very accurate bullets when you roll your own.

 

[adam sr]

Always did like the WC in a revolver.

 

[KLGunner]

I have 3 boxes of these and I have a faulty round 1 out of 4 rounds I shoot. I quit shooting them after that.

 

[HansGruber]

I have 3 boxes of these and I have a faulty round 1 out of 4 rounds I shoot. I quit shooting them after that.

What are you shooting them in, and by “faulty” what is the exact issue? Dud round, failures to feed?

 

[papa]

I have 3 boxes of these and I have a faulty round 1 out of 4 rounds I shoot. I quit shooting them after that.

What brand and caliber?

 

[Annihilator]

I used to shoot the old Winchester 185gr target load...aka wad cutters, in my series 70 Colt Gold Cup, never had any issues, but this was years ago when Winchester made good ammo.

 

[KLGunner]

What are you shooting them in, and by “faulty” what is the exact issue? Dud round, failures to feed?

Complete duds

What brand and caliber?

.45 ACP

 

[papa]

Complete duds


.45 ACP

What brand were they ?

 

[KLGunner]

What brand were they ?

Federal Monark.

 

[HansGruber]

Federal Monark. View attachment 4162

Dang—those are OLD...I’d guess 1960’s?

That’s more than likely where the dead primers came from...has nothing to do with them being wadcutters.

 

[KLGunner]

Dang—those are OLD...I’d guess 1960’s?

That’s more than likely where the dead primers came from...has nothing to do with them being wadcutters.

The age of the round i have no clue i bought them in 2010. had problems with them then haven't used them much sense.

 

[jfmorris]

I love the full .38 special wadcutters in my old S&W M&P revolver (made in 1905). Such a pretty hole in a target, and I used to keep it loaded with wadcutters for home defense before I had the XDM 5.25 and Compact 3.8.

 

[HansGruber]

The age of the round i have no clue i bought them in 2010. had problems with them then haven't used them much sense.

I’m just going by the box...that’s a discontinued line from Federal, I think it went away in the 1970's.

 

[KillerFord1977]

Federal Monark. View attachment 4162

Save the box for historical fun and uniqueness

 

[TEXASforLIFE]

New game called, "How old is the box"?

 

[jfmorris]

I've never seen wadcutters or even semi-wadcutters for any form of automatic - just revolver ammo. I just figured it was due to issues with feeding with a flat or concave nose on the bullet. Maybe that's why you can't find these anymore?

 

[HansGruber]

I've never seen wadcutters or even semi-wadcutters for any form of automatic - just revolver ammo. I just figured it was due to issues with feeding with a flat or concave nose on the bullet. Maybe that's why you can't find these anymore?

The 200gr SWC is one of the most common bullets used in .45 Bullseye competition. I’ve got a few boxes of them in Federal's Gold Match line.

There were some 1911’s used by the AMU that were modified to shoot .38 special wadcutters...also some S&W autos, as well.

 

[HansGruber]

And...

Coated 158gr SWC’s are my go-to bullet for general shooting in .38 and .357.

The “FBI Load”—158gr+P SWC-HP—is my main carry in my .38’s; they shoot to point of aim at 25 yards, and since there aren’t many .38 loads that get reliable expansion, particularly out of a 2” barrel, I trust that the wadcutters will still cut a full-caliber hole, unlike more round-nosed bullets.