Reloading wadcutters. Which caliber?

[Shrinkmd]

Now that I am about to leap into reloading, I am curious what people enjoy shooting for fun. Do most people just make up light 38 special wadcutters (the classic Bullseye 2.6 grain with 148 HBWC) or do people make up similar loads for their 41, 44, 45, or 10mm/40 S&W revolvers? I have only shot 38 Special wadcutter target loads.

Given that the difference in cost between plain lead wadcutters is about $20 from the 38 to the 44/44 variety, and a difference in powder cost, why wouldn't people plink more with their bigger bore guns?

Obviously, I'm dreaming of getting a 629 and using it for target practice. But for light target loads, does it really matter?

 

[Jim Watson]

I borrowed a mould and cast some .44 wadcutters once. They shot well enough, but no better than the usual semiwadcutter. Finding wadcutter moulds or bullets in calibers other than .38 can be a chore and they do not offer a whole lot versus cast or swaged semiwadcutters or roundnose.

 

[Jeff F]

I used to load some .44 wad cutters for PPC competition. They were cast by RB cast bullets, 200 grain full wad cutter that made major power pretty easy loaded in .44 spl cases. Very accurate and took home quite a few trophies back in the day.

 

[Saint Dennis]

I load wadcutters in .44 mag for myself and .357 for my bride to target shoot with. I love them. (I know, use .38 and .44 special brass, but I have the mag brass and never have to sort them which gets harder every year. I think they blurr the headstamp on purpose). My 185 gr .44 wadcutters loaded with Trailboss shoot the same POI as hot 240 grain hunting loads at 25 yards. I think that is a pretty huge.