Wadcutters

[StrawHat]

I like wadcutter bullets. I have cast them in 36 from the Lee mold, which I thought was 358150, a DEWC but i no longer see it in the line up. I also used a wc mold for the 44 Special/Magnum. My current favorite is the SAECO 453, a 235 grain wc which I use in the 45 ACP/AR.

I would size and lube them because PC was not available then.

What is your favorite WC mold?

Kevin

 

[RBHarter]

I have the 358495 and 358432 (I think that's right , the 148 nose out about .1 and the first WC flush seat 148) for 38/357 and a cringe worthy 9mm .

 

[Brad]

Blasphemous I know but I don’t shoot wadcutters in anything at the current time. Have never owned a WC mould.

 

[S Mac]

I like the H&G 50, probably because I have one.

 

[MW65]

358432 which is a favorite in my 38... Was thinking about a clone in 432 for a 44mag.

 

[Joshua]

I have two wadcutter molds that I shoot in my 38sp/357mag revolvers. A wore out two cavity Lyman 358495 and a Lee six cavity 358-148-TL.

On the Lyman the sprue plate didn't sit flat because the area around the screw was actually worn at an angle. When I would tighten the sprue plate screw, the plate would actually pull away from the mold. So, (this is where you all gasp audibly and judge me) I took a hammer to her, I took the plate off and bent the corner just past the screw hole so that it sits flatter when casting. Also one of the allignment holes had wobbled out, with a hammer and a center punch I nudged the metal back where it needs to be, and then I stoned off any high spot left from the punch. She will now cast a nice bullet, there is still a little flash but nothing like in the beginning of our relationship.

The Lee makes good bullets, really fast, that are just as accurate as the 358495. I have stopped using that old wore out Lyman mold, she just doesn't do it for me anymore.

I should get rid of that broke down old mold. I don't need two wadcutter molds. But, I have beat her with a hammer. I'm a mold abuser! No one can KNOW my shame. I'm just gonna restrain her with a zip tie, put a Ziploc bag over her head, and shove her into the back of the closet.

I listen to a lot of Stand Up Comedy and "True Crime" pod casts while I cast bullets. It may be bleeding into my literary style.

Josh

 

[Matt]

Was a big fan of the H&G #50 and tumble lube for years. Saw the Lee double ended TL mold and tried the two cavity. Then bought two six cavity and haven’t looked back. Not having to orient the bullet is a big time and irritation saver. I don’t size them as both molds cast about .358 with my bullet trap scrap lead. I load wadcutters with a Bullseye charge that makes the rounds safe for any .38 Special I own and the wadcutter makes identification easy. I usually load 2-3,000 of these on my old Dillon 1000 during the winter and have enough for the following year. I’ll admit the wadcutters from the H&G are more accurate than the Lee, as was a Lyman 358485 I had years ago.

 

[CZ93X62]

Wadcutters kinda lost their luster for me early in my casting career. I have two wadcutter molds--Lymans #313492 in 32 caliber and its larger clone the #358432 in 38 caliber. I heard the siren song of Keith and SWCs and still labor under that spell currently. Round flatnoses are making incursions into the realm, but they remain the minority party at present.

 

[Ian]

I have the Lee button-nose .38 in standard-groove configuration and it is excellent. However, all my fixed-sight .38s shoot high with anything over 130 grains so I use the Lee 125 for most all my loads. Recently I bought an Accurate 35-135W to fill the scads of matching wadcutter brass that I have and am liking it a lot. Was dinging 6"x12" bottle gongs at 80 yards offhand with them a couple weekends ago.

.

 

[waco]

My only WC mold at the time. I do really like it. Only wish it was a four or six cavity.
i shoot this in my 1968 Smith & Wesson 14-2 K -38

 

[Mitty38]

358 -148 or 158 wc's in a 38 case or some kinda variant of those 2, coated with Alox,, or PC'd. Put under some Red Dot or Universal.
That is 80% of what goes down range when I pull the trigger on my . Taurus 66, .357.
Affordable fun

 

[fiver]

the 41026
push it some harder than you'd think a wad cutter should be pushed and it shoots like a champ.

 

[358156 hp]

I have a number of 38 WC moulds, and if I had to pick a favorite, it would either be my RCBS 38-148 DEWC like the one shown above, of Lyman 358432, which is a really versatile design. It was the first wadcutter I found that can be used with speedloaders (try it!). A couple of weeks ago I bought this old girl at auction. I need to rearrange my Lyman pots mould guide so I can bottom pour with this behemoth:


I'm also trying to figure out how to attach the necessary wheels so I can move it around.

 

[fiver]

use a spring and swing it from the ceiling.

 

[Ian]

As a bonus, it also comes with gen-u-ine vintage Asbestos handle insulation wrap!

 

[RBHarter]

Yours even has the spring/cable mount bolt in the hinge !
My #130 doesn't and I made my new handles too short .
A wheel ..... I kind of like that idea .

If im thinking about it next time I'm out I'll see if I can get a clevis head bolt for the hinge bolt .
Big down side is that while they make a bunch of bullets in a hurry they also have a bunch of sprue metal .

 

[Hawk]

You're gonna look like Popeye after a few sessions with that one!

 

[358156 hp]

Yours even has the spring/cable mount bolt in the hinge !
My #130 doesn't and I made my new handles too short .
A wheel ..... I kind of like that idea .

If im thinking about it next time I'm out I'll see if I can get a clevis head bolt for the hinge bolt .
Big down side is that while they make a bunch of bullets in a hurry they also have a bunch of sprue metal .

I've seen them before but never knew what their purpose might be. Thanks for the info!

 

[CZ93X62]

Some wadcutters--esp. the swaged hollow-based critters--have a tendency to de-stabilize at about 65-70 yards and tumble when fired at lower speeds. I have seen this occur with 38/148 grain Hornady and Remington WCs and with the 95-100 grain Hornady 32 WCs as well.

My #313492 and #358432 do not tumble at longer ranges. They also behave well when launched at higher velocities. Both are "button-nosed" designs that look like someone cut away 3/4 of a SWC nose from them. They don't "range" quite as well as RCBS #32-98-SWC or Lyman #358477 and #358429, but are pretty accurate to 100+ yards......to which more than a few varmints can attest. I have run both calibers of my 2 WC molds to the 1200 FPS+ ZIP Codes, and their accuracy holds well. They just have the aerodynamics of a wall block.

 

[StrawHat]

When I carried a 38 Special, I loaded wadcutters based on talking with several coroners. They kept wadcutters in their own SD revolvers.

I also read the article by Ed Harris on wadcutters at full throttle. I never got them to 1200 fps but was pleased at 950fps! I currently carry wadcutters in my ACP revolver, 235 grain, 900 fps. Never thought about going higher. I might have to give it a go!

Kevin