Good factory .38 wadcutter

After 20 years or so I'm running low on match grade .38. I have zero desire to reload this caliber. My stash was Federal "Gold Medal" .38 Special 148gn FWC, in the old white and blue boxes. I see that Target Sports USA has a similarly-labeled cartridge for $20 per box of 50. Anyone know if the current stuff is up to snuff?

My application is a SIG/Hämmerli P240 at 25 meters.

Federal and Fiochi are the only currently manufactured 148 grain wadcutter 38 special loads that I know of.  Precision Delta sells it as well I think it is their bullets on reloaded brass.

troystaten wrote:Federal and Fiochi are the only currently manufactured 148 grain wadcutter 38 special loads that I know of.  Precision Delta sells it as well I think it is their bullets on reloaded brass.

There are others:
Remington
Winchester
S&B
Magtech
Zero
Atlanta Arms
Black Hills
CCI Blazer

Michigan ammo company

John, these people make good ammo.

Jim

I am quite disappointed with the batch of Precision Delta 38 wadcutter I bought a few months ago. Variable sizing, many bulged case sides cause they use mixed used brass some of which does not suit full wadcutter bullets. I used it in a revolver and was surprised to get a couple of mis-fires which did not appear to be light strikes. I did not dare try it in my model 52.
Wish that I had paid more and got fresh factory wadcutters.

S148 wrote:

troystaten wrote:Federal and Fiochi are the only currently manufactured 148 grain wadcutter 38 special loads that I know of.  Precision Delta sells it as well I think it is their bullets on reloaded brass.

There are others:
Remington
Winchester
S&B
Magtech
Zero
Atlanta Arms
Black Hills
CCI Blazer

Remington is accurate but some of the bullets protrude enough to hang up in a 52 magazine.

Magtech are decent for function and they’re probably ok for accuracy.

S&B are fine for functioning and accuracy but there scarce as hens teeth at times.

Black hills wasn’t good in the accuracy department in my gun.

I’ve never seen CCI Speer Blazer Wadcutters.

Fiocchi are accurate but they do not function my 52.

John, when I sent my 52 to S&W, they used Federal Gold Medal to test fire.  I figure if they use it for accuracy testing, it must be OK.  

I rarely use factory ammo, but when I do, Winchester works best for me.  Federal and Remington are also quite good.  As for Magtech, S&B, Fiocchi; they wouldn't group well in my gun.

james r chapman wrote:Michigan ammo company

John, these people make good ammo.

Jim

Yes, they certainly do. Great people, too.

oldsalt444 wrote:John, when I sent my 52 to S&W, they used Federal Gold Medal to test fire.  I figure if they use it for accuracy testing, it must be OK.  

I rarely use factory ammo, but when I do, Winchester works best for me.  Federal and Remington are also quite good.  As for Magtech, S&B, Fiocchi; they wouldn't group well in my gun.

When did you send your 52 back? S&W doesn't accuracy-test anything. They haven't done that for many years.

They don't have many parts left for obsolete guns, either. Or for modern guns, for that matter. They tell you to go to Brownells or MidwayUSA for parts. That's what they told me 2 months ago.

Greetings Papa John,

The current Federal Gold Medal Match appears to be loaded with the Speer 148 HBWC. Not like the nose profile of earlier years.

I did test two lots a friend gave me.

One box did not have a Lot Number.

Fired at 50 yards via barrel tester with a Colt 38 KIT barrel. (0.354" groove by 14 twist, I think)

By the way, the current Remington 148 "Match" ammo would not stay on the repair center at 50 yards.

Cheers,

Dave

Thanks, Dave. That's good enough for my purposes.

Have you tested any P240s in .38 at 50 yards? Curious what their accuracy is, but not curious enough to buy Random Rest inserts.

I have P240 inserts if you want to borrow them John.
Jon

Jon Eulette wrote:I have P240 inserts if you want to borrow them John.
Jon

That will probably be pretty far down on the project list, but I'll file this info away for future reference.

Have you tested the .38 P240 at 50 yards?

If you want to try, I can ship you mine.  DEWC, sized to .357", code name "Bad Coating".  Mr. Wilson can elaborate on 50Y testing.  I do shoot them in P240.

AP

john bickar wrote:

Jon Eulette wrote:I have P240 inserts if you want to borrow them John.
Jon

That will probably be pretty far down on the project list, but I'll file this info away for future reference.

Have you tested the .38 P240 at 50 yards?

I have P240 in 22 and 32acp. They both shoot sub 0.8"
No 38's except 1911's.
Jon

Outthere wrote:

oldsalt444 wrote:John, when I sent my 52 to S&W, they used Federal Gold Medal to test fire.  I figure if they use it for accuracy testing, it must be OK.  

I rarely use factory ammo, but when I do, Winchester works best for me.  Federal and Remington are also quite good.  As for Magtech, S&B, Fiocchi; they wouldn't group well in my gun.

When did you send your 52 back? S&W doesn't accuracy-test anything. They haven't done that for many years.

They don't have many parts left for obsolete guns, either. Or for modern guns, for that matter. They tell you to go to Brownells or MidwayUSA for parts. That's what they told me 2 months ago.

It was probably 3 or 4 years ago.  It wouldn't hold a group.  So they tested it, probably in a ransom rest.  It held 1.5" @ 25 yd. using Fed Gold Medal.  They sent me the target and box end flap of the ammo.  The problem was that rear sight had come loose, just enough for me not to notice.  They tightened it up at no charge.

Greetings Papa John,

From my archives...

Random Rest at 50 yards...

Cheers,

Dave

I should double your salary. Go ahead and take Monday off, with pay.

Greetings Papa John,

Many thanks for the day off!!!

Also, make sure your Lederhosen gets picked up from the dry cleaners...

Cheers,

Dave

james r chapman wrote:Michigan ammo company

John, these people make good ammo.

Jim

+1 Great Ammo!

must be some kind of secret code to see what there prices are at Michigan ammo company

Deerspy wrote:must be some kind of secret code to see what there prices are at Michigan ammo company

thanks Jim