Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 38 Special in LCR's

I stumbled across this thread on a random internet search and it describes exactly the question I am trying to answer right now... Pops passed a few years ago and left me a Ruger LCR 38 Special +P and I am looking for a self defense round for it... this YT vid by Paul Harrell concludes that if you are using standard pressure loads then the wadcutter or semi-wadcutter is the way to go instead of a JHP (like a Hornady XTP), here is part 3 is his video series on the topic:



If you are a reloader, and a bullet caster, NOE makes what I think is the perfect bullet for .38 Special self-defense loads, 148 grain hollow base wadcutter (can be loaded upside down as a hollow point, or not):

NOE 360-148-WC



Because of this thread I ordered the mold and plan to make this my self defense bullet for the LCR. Ran it through QL and looks like I will start with 3.2 grains of W231 which will hopefully give a mild recoil load at around 525 fps, and see what happens. I'll cast the bullet with soft lead and powder coat, and resize to 0.358.

Thanks so much Mr. Dawes and welcome to the "Fire". Great place for the info ya need! Appreciate ya taken the time and effort to join and post this. Turns out I had seen Mr. Harrell's video's in my searches also. Also turns out I had given my friend and his wife some 148 WC's that I used to use for target practice in my 686+. They were pussycat loads and were very easy to shoot well in a full sized gun (bet they would be in a pocket pistol also)! Can't remember what exactly the load was but it was somewhere between 3 & 5 grains of 231. Gotta get some more for the friend and my family to play with and decide if that's what they want to carry. I know my family and my friend and his wife were counting on me to do the footwork for them so to speak but after consideration I decided ANYONE's carry load they will have to decide on themselves! I'll just give em a few different JHP carry loads and some hardcast to try out and let them decide. Couldn't stand if a load I chose didn't do the job and the wrong person went down!

Thanks again and have a great Turkey day!

It's a good idea but I don't think they really need to be too hard at 38 speeds. I just cast a bunch of 147 wadcutters and powder coated them and I used 4 pounds of wheel weights to 1 pound of monotype. I'm guessing they are around 15bhn and that's a bit harder than I'd really even like. I just ordered a few hundred pounds of a bit softer allot that supposed to be around 10bhn. I'm betting it'll be great at about 850 fps from short 38s. I'll jug test some in the spring and see if either one expands at all. The only downside is the totally flat fronts are a bit harder to speed load quickly. I usually keep the gun loaded with the flat stuff and carry a speed loader with something easier to line up like 125g golden sabers or 158g swaged lead hpswc.

Bb

I’m shooting wadcutters out of my 38 special LCR. No complaints. I find my ammo on the ammoseek website.

I carry DEWC's in the cylinder and SWC for reloads, because wadcutters suck for any kind for reloading speed.

I have to go along with the recommendations to get a hold of Mackay Sagebrush. I’ve been pleased with the ammo I’ve got from him. Good guy.

Thanks guys! Appreciate the help!!