Hollow Based Wad Cutters vs. Double Ended

[Comrade Mike]

Is there enough of a difference in 25 yard accuracy to justify the extra cost? I just bought my dream wadcutter gun, a smith and wesson model 14, and plan on shooting it quite a bit. I was planning on using Missouri bullet's 148 double ended was cutters.

 

[blarby]

I suspect you are going to need to try both and find out for yourself, with your load, in your gun.

Generally the hollows are more accurate, as they obturate more/differently than a flat base bullet. They also allow for more powder in a given capacity than a flat base, for better or worse.

 

[Walkalong]

I can't shoot the difference, but there are people who can. I used to shoot a lot of DEWCs in my Model 14. It was my first S&W revolver. If the HBWC had been available cheaper at gun shows or the local gunshop, I would have bought those. That was before the day of the internet where you can find anything you want and have it delivered pronto.

While the HBWC will "allow" more powder, you have to be careful with them. If you push them too hard you can blow the skirt out on them. They are designed for low target velocities only. You can push the DEWC as hard as the alloy and .38 Spl pressure limits allow.

 

[Wil Terry]

YOU MUST TEST BOTH to know the answer to this question. The HBWC projectiles do cover up for a lot of crappy BBLs and goofy chamber throats. \
The DEWC's, IF correctly cast, sized and lubed, will usually outshoot the HBWC's with properly developed loads. If you are a toss-it-all-together-and-hope-for-the best-reloaded buy the HBWC and be done with it.
ALL of my 38SPL WC testing, over 10M rounds in 2", 3", 4", 5", 6", 6 1/2", 7 1/2", and 8 3/8" 38SPL pistols ALWAYS---ALWAYS --- shot their best wth full charge loads, NOT mid-range loads. This involved over a dozen appropriate propellents with every commercial and handcast WC projectile available and every pistol shot it's absolute best with a charge of 3.4grs of a different propellent under each bullet. Have fun !! IF your loads do not shoot nickle sized groups at twenty-five yards you are not 'there' yet ! Nickle sized groups at fifty yards were not uncommon, though it did nesessitate getting well buzzed on Dr. Crow's Oh-Be-Joyful for the rest of the day in celebration...
And so it goes...

 

[anothernewb]

I've run both and I can't tell the difference offhand. Some probably can though. Used identical load data for both sets as well.

 

[ljnowell]

In every gun I own the HBWC does have a slight edge. Shooting many of them a year in practice and competition I recently switched entirely to HBWC for that purpose.

 

[RugerOldArmy]

I've only recently experimented with HBWC(s). I had been using 158 Gr LSWC for target shooting , and was quite happy with them.

I like the 148 Gr HBWC(s) better. They were very easy to find a good load for.

 

[cfullgraf]

I generally load DEWC just so I do not worry about blowing the skirt of the HBWC. Not that I am anywhere near the limit for the HBWCs, it just gives me some piece of mind.

If I was shooting in some kind of competition where the use of wadcutters was desirable, I would load the HBWCs without a second thought.

These days, I just plink in the back yard. Paper, plastic bottles, AL cans, and other targets of opportunity are my main targets these days.

 

[ljnowell]

I generally load DEWC just so I do not worry about blowing the skirt of the HBWC. Not that I am anywhere near the limit for the HBWCs, it just gives me some piece of mind.

If I was shooting in some kind of competition where the use of wadcutters was desirable, I would load the HBWCs without a second thought.

These days, I just plink in the back yard. Paper, plastic bottles, AL cans, and other targets of opportunity are my main targets these days.

Until I really got into shooting bullseye competitively I used DEWCs. I even used them for quite awhile in competition. However .100" can mean lots of points sometimes in respect to group sizing.

 

[TimSr]

HBWC will almost always shoot very accurrately over any published load for them in most guns. There is basically one type recipe which is low velocity and a fast powder, and a soft bullet.

DEWC can equal HBWC accurracy with the right recipe that matches all components well. There is a wide array of possible types of recipes.

 

[mdi]

I use the DEWC for two reasons; first they are cheaper, and readily available 'cause I cast my own, and two, I can run the velocity up much higher than a HBWC (no soft skirt to "blow off"), and I use them in my house gun for SD. If you go with the DEWC, make sure they fit your gun; I prefer the bullet to be the same diameter as the cylinder throats. Commercial cast bullets are often too hard, too small, and have barely acceptable lube...

 

[ljnowell]

HBWC will almost always shoot very accurrately over any published load for them in most guns. There is basically one type recipe which is low velocity and a fast powder, and a soft bullet.



DEWC can equal HBWC accurracy with the right recipe that matches all components well. There is a wide array of possible types of recipes.

Too much variation in a DEWC.

 

[moxie]

I can't tell the difference in accuracy.

But, I prefer the DEWCs because they are a lot cheaper and sometimes I get leading with the HBWCs.

 

[Walkalong]

I wonder if you are pushing them a bit too hard and getting "skidding". Just a thought.

 

[moxie]

Don't think so. Standard load for me is 3.0 gr. Bullseye. That's about as low as one can go. You can go down to 2.7 but accuracy suffers. Some of the swaged bullets are just way too soft, I think.

 

[ljnowell]

Don't think so. Standard load for me is 3.0 gr. Bullseye. That's about as low as one can go. You can go down to 2.7 but accuracy suffers. Some of the swaged bullets are just way too soft, I think.

2.7-2.8 is the gold standard for bullseye and a HBWC.

 

[moxie]

Yes I know it's the "gold standard." But 3.0 works better for me. And that's not pushing it. Two tenths!

 

[Dframe]

For pure accuracy I suppose the hollow base might be slightly better, but I'm not able to tell the difference. Iif you want to shoot anything other than minimum velocity the skirt issue bothers me, so I shoot double end exclusively.

 

[ljnowell]

Yes I know it's the "gold standard." But 3.0 works better for me. And that's not pushing it. Two tenths!

Two tenths matters when you have that small of case capacity.

 

[Mostly Lead]

The DEWC puts a lot of lead deep into the case. I've had issues with some of the thicker brass. HBWC seemed to squeeze in there better. R-P is the only 38 Special brass I'll use for DEWC...

Haven't loaded HBWC in quite a while, but loved them when I did. As others have stated, I can't tell the difference now. Fifteen to twenty years ago, maybe...

 

[1KPerDay]

Generally the hollows are more accurate, as they obturate more/differently than a flat base bullet. They also allow for more powder in a given capacity than a flat base, for better or worse.

Be careful with this advice.