I wonder if using .357 brass (in a .357 revolver) would alleviate the problem of a wadcutters being squeezed into the inside taper of the case.
I wonder if using .357 brass (in a .357 revolver) would alleviate the problem of a wadcutters being squeezed into the inside taper of the case.
Not on Federal or Midway 357 Brass for me. l used the Lyman wc bullet sized w/358 Lee Sizer and tumble lubed.
Texas Flyboy thanks for the great post and to the rest of you for your responses. I enjoyed this a great deal and once again, I've learned something. I was just sorting through some very old brass from a friend's estate and was reminded that I really had no idea what the double cannelure was about. I'm inspired to go through all my empty 38's, cull the wadcutters, pull out my H&G 10 banger and get to work...hmmm...maybe I'd better "eats me spinach" first, 'cause that dude is heavy.
Valley Forge
Wow, this thread is great
I just recently bought a lee wc mold here, with the intention of making tame loads for my 357 for fun shooting. This thread could not have come at a better time as I was already excited about those 38 loads!
Hey Tex, thanks for the effort and exciting read, I know that stuff takes time. But what a great story!
Looks like a 8lber of BE is in order too next time I am at the reloading supply shop.
Dan
Really cool thread. I am contemplating the same regimen, but in .32 caliber.
My dad has a model 27. He used to shoot 1000 rounds a week through it before I was born. He always wrapped it up in the oil paper that it came in and treated it like it was made of gold. He has told me many times that it is the best target pistol that was ever made, and I agree with him. He doesn't shoot any more, and I hope he makes it a birthday present to me someday (heh heh, unlikely!) I am going to buy one myself someday, but I'm not going to go cheap on this one, so I'm biding my time.
Precision in the wrong place is only a placebo.
Great thread, My Mod 28 4" has just over 30K thru her. Bought her new in 1975.
Favorite loads: 148 gr WC Ohaus cast in WW with 3.3 gr in Bullseye or Titegroup.
This is why this is the best place to hang out. Got a warm feeling reading your post. Making me remember why I love shooting so much. It started when I was a cub scout. Thank you
The best way to cheer oneself is to cheer another....Mark Twain.......
"IF YOU CAN'T GO SHOOTIN GO FISHIN"... >)))))}•> .....>)))•>
Great post! I just finished up a few hundred loads similar to yours to run through my Ruger Security Six tomorrow. I always wondered why my WW brass had the 2 cannelures since it was given to me. It is the last of the WCs that were given to me by the same shooter, and casting new ones is the reason I found this site and your post.
great post and thread!
i didnt know about the wadcutter brass either.
i have a 27-2 that is my most accurate wheel gun
and i love it so
i shoot the same boolits but use trailboss with good results
here is my baby
Went to the range yesterday and me and two friends put 200 rounds through my 6" Model 28. The load? Well 3.5/BE over a WC of course! Lots of fun taking the steel plates down. That load will smack them down smartly.
For fun a couple of drink cans were placed on the berm and I shot them with 125 gr. Black Hills factory ammo. The bullets punched right through the cans and they did not move. Hit the same cans with the 38 Special WC load and they jumped a foot each time. What does that tell us?
Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.
l picked up a H&G #50 4cavity mold off ebay tonite. 5K Win sp primers and 4lbs of Bullseye over the weekend. l am still chasing those elusive Win 38 wadcutter cases.
Wadcutter Brass was/is available from:
Winchester Western : Headstamp = W W
Available in Brass or Nickel
Winchester : Headstamp: Winchester
Available in Brass
Remington: Headstamp: R P
Available in Nickel
Wadcutter brass is was also made with the Peters and Federal headstamp.
Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.
Great read!!!!!
I don't have a Model 27 but I do have a 5 screw Highway Patrol Model it just doesn't shine as much as the 27. My dad bought it some time back in the 1950's. He carried it as a service revolver for about 20 years until he became Chief Dective, he then got a S&W 5 shot snubby. Then later he became Under Sheirff, this was in Pinal County, Arizona. He gave the HP model to my oldest brother, he was a Deputy for Gila County. When my dad died I got the S&W 5 shot. After my brother retired as a law officer, he worked as a Security guard for the Show Boat Casino in Las Vegas and needed a small side arm so he traded my the HP for the snubby. Between my self, my brother and my dad, we have probably shot 50,000 rounds through it. 80% of which were reloads, and most of those were wad cutters. It's a great gun and wad cutters are my first choice.
The only difference between the Model 27 and Model 28 is cosmetic, plus the 27 has a few more options like target trigger and target hammer. Other than that they are the same pistols.
I have not been without a 28 (Highway Patroman) since 1963. Today I am down to only 2, a 4" and a 6". The 4" in kinda strange as it came from the factory with a high polish Model 27 cylinder. I bought new, so I know it came that way.
Some years back, Skeeter Skelton wrote that the Model 28 was the best value sixgun on the market. You got a heck of allot of revolver for your money when you bought one.
Last edited by Char-Gar; 08-02-2012 at 04:37 PM.
Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.
I thought model 28's were fixed sight? I had both at one time. I seem to remember that. AM I wrong?
No, both the 28 and the 27 have adjustable sights.
Smith and Wesson did make a special run of fix sighted N frame 357 magnums for some New England State Police agency and some of the overun was sold on the commerical market. I forget the model number was it was not 28 or 27.
There were also plenty of L and K frame fix sighted 357 Magnums.
Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |