The USFA Sheriff’s Model .45 Colt with 250-gr. Aside from safety, the objective of shooting is hitting what you are aiming at. They’re commonly used by shooters who compete in matches but can also be an effective round for self-defense..45 ACP 200 Gr. Wadcutters for Self Defense This is a really good, comprehensive, and well-reasoned article on bullet selection in .38 Special ... Loaded to a more normal level of power, the wadcutter really comes alive for defense, hunting, etc. Unfortunately, the shape of the bullet, combined with the extreme low velocity of the round, also decreases the effectiveness of wadcutters when used for self-defense. Wadcutter Bullets For Hunting And Self-Defense Like the RWS H-Mantel , the wadcutter is very good at the job it was designed for, but it struggles in applications outside of its primary use. For target shooting, a wadcutter cuts a very clean hole through the paper target, making it easier to score and ideally reducing errors in scoring the target in the favor of the shooter. Factory loaded wadcutters are very low power rounds used for target shooting. As always, test the accuracy and reliability of your chosen.38 Special self-defense ammo at the range before you start carrying it. Personally, I load 158 grain semi-wadcutters for my 38 Special j … Due to popular request to make a potent defensive load in 44 SPL that can be fired in ALL 44 SPL or 44 MAG. I decided today to do a bit of a comparison between Winchester SuperX 148 grain Full wadcutter and Winchester Ranger Bonded 130 grain +P. When penetration is considered, typically available factory wadcutter ammunition, regardless of brand, penetrates bare gelatin well beyond the minimum FBI standard. If, for some reason, your day has taken the world’s most unlikely turn and you’re having to reload a small defensive revolver in a hurry, wadcutters are not your best friend. version with the small nose and a 185-gr. For that service it may have even surpassed the shotgun in popularity. Email this Page. I reload and shoot CMJ bullets, but for carry its factory HP Avoid using novelty (like the G2 RIP) or target ammunition (like FMJ or wadcutter bullets) for self-defense. 3-Gun is the Crossfit of the shooting sports. wadcutters is a very serious proposition. Buy in stock Wadcutter WC ammunition online. Bullseye shooters also use semi-wadcutters in semi-automatic pistols. The sharp shoulder of the wadcutter bullet tends to cut tissue much like it does paper or cardboard as opposed to a round-nosed bullet, which pushes material to the side, and then closes somewhat once the bullet has passed through. My thoughts are that expansion from hollow points fired out of a snub-nose aren't guaranteed and may act similar to a FMJ. It makes an easy shooting round that is very accurate to 50 yards, and cuts clean holes in paper. Wadcutters were originally designed for target shooting. newsletter for at-a-glance access to industry news, gear, gun reviews, videos and more—delivered directly to your Inbox. View all posts by Caleb → Post navigation. Wadcutters have also found favor for use in self-defense guns, such as .38 caliber snubnosed revolvers, where, due to short barrel lengths, maximum bullet velocities are usually … I've long believed that from a snub nose 38 special the basic target grade Full Wadcutter can be an effective round for civilian self defense. They can, with conditions. Himmelwright’s 1916 Pistol and Revolver Shooting. ammunition, Concealed Carry, revolvers, self defense, wadcutters. There are a number of good reasons why it’s a bad idea. The reasons are twofold. And yes, we are talking about it as a specialized self-defense round. EDC Pocket Dump video. 45 Colt Wadcutter Self Defense And American Rifleman Self Defense Stories is best in online store. The author was in favor of using these semi-wadcutters at standard velocity for self defense. load. .38 Special Wadcutters At 100 Yards – Duration: 5:33. © 2015-2021 TargetBarn, LLC. I know that technology has changed things over the years, but I would like to know what, if anything, is wrong with using wadcutters for defense or various other applications in my revolvers? Well obviously for target shooting, as it was originally designed. They took the old reversed hollow-base wadcutter, put a jacket on it, tuned the jacket for consistent expansion, and then loaded it to normal .38 Special performance, not wadcutter performance. Federal Gold Medal Match 148 grain full wadcutters. There is no free lunch. Semi wadcutters are a more desirable choice for hunting and self-defense. Caleb. As always, test the accuracy and reliability of your chosen .38 Special self-defense ammo at the range before you start carrying it. firearms, we’ve developed this hard cast Wadcutter 200gr. Federal 38 Special Ammo 158 Grain Lead Semi-Wadcutter Prices are usually reasonable and they make a decent load for self defense. Being able to do that with your revolvers loaded with wadcutters should instill a great deal of confidence in dealing with any situation you might encounter that may require a handgun. With all of the modern jacketed hollow point loads available for self-defense, it's easy to overlook the venerable lead wadcutter bullet. As Hellbent alluded to placing your rounds on target is the most important issue. Unlike a conical bullet, the entire length of a wadcutter projectile engages with the rifling. Solid wadcutters can be loaded a bit hotter than hollow base wadcutters but as already mentioned, fast reloading of the revolver with wadcutter bullets can be an issue. It cuts/crushes a "cookie cutter", full diameter hole in human flesh just like it does on a paper target. Get the Shooting Illustrated Reloaded newsletter for at-a-glance access to industry news, gear, gun reviews, videos and more—delivered directly to your Inbox. Ammo. This is true. For street use, we were supposed to change out to hollowpoints, but some of us stayed with the wadcutters because we could hit what we were shooting at with a high degree of certainty and the results were as good, or better than, what we saw with the vaunted hollow-point ammunition. George Harris answers this question, which may surprise you. This ammo is intended for target shooting. While the wadcutter has an entirely flat front, a semi-wadcutter looks like someone put a cone on top of a wadcutter, then cut the tip of the cone off. Newer post. The wadcutters are also good for all-around plinking, too. Many so called “perfect defense calibers” have disappeared over time. Older post. 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