Hollow Base Wadcutter

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alreadygone

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Anyone else ever load any of these backwards? Turn that cavernous hollow base toward the target?

I loaded up a couple hundred back in the early 90's and have never shot anything but paper with them, reasonably accurate, but not in the same league as when loaded properly.

With my recent armadillo (2-3" potholes dug all over yard) encounters, I need something reasonably low noise with "stroke of lightening" terminal balistics. Been using a Ruger MkII, but even when hit(night time activity only) a few have run off. I want them STONE COLD DEAD, without having to wear muffs.

This bullet is dead soft lead, so even over 4 grains of Bullseye they're gonna expand, and at 10ft ranges accuracy and speed are gonna be sufficient. Using a 8 3/8" Colt Python 38 special target revolver.

Can't hardly wait for first encounter!!

Bob
 
Glad to see you are so excited. I used to load sub sonic stuff all the time for night time varmints but I was useing a rifle. I have loaded some stuff as heavy as 409 grains that was just slightly loader then a primer going off. The trick is being very close. If you can legaly get a silencer you will not destirb the neighbors at all.

I once attended a class on sub-sonics and it was a really intersting class and that is about all Ica n really say. If you ecide to use a 22 and purchase 69grain sub sonics you need a faster twist rate to stablise them or they will just tumble the second they leave the barrel but that isnot alway a bad thing debending on how close you are tot he critter.

For instance a sub sonic 22 at the base of a human skull from the rear like you are walking up from behind is seriously leathal but will not exit. Instead it just zips around and bounces around the skull turning the brain to mush. Because their is no exit you do not get the drastic blood splatter or the horrific noise of the skull exploding from over pressure. So a regular .22 on a dillo should come close if you are close enough the increased velecoity but reduced weight of the projectile will kind of ballance out but you have to get close or your follow up shot has to be right on the monney.

When I used to get rid of wood chucks on the Farm I used a Rugger 10/22 with a 4-16 power scope with a massive objective and parallex adjustment. I used a mono pod from the door of the garage to allow me to get quick follow up shots. I could often put 3 rounds in an area small enough to cover with adime even when they where running full speed because of how stable that mono pod was. With that much scope shooting with just moonlight was just like shooting in the day time.

You can also use adapters in rifles to fire pistol amunition or carbine ammo in full size rifles. If you put a 30. carbine round in an adapter and shoot it from a full size rifle you can barely hear it on the other side of the house so if you wouldnot wake the neighbors with it. Generaly if people are not expecting gun fire the smaller stuff will not set them off our worry them it is when some knuckled head decides to kill the chipmunk that has been chewing on his roof at 12 midnight with a 12 gauge that people get mad! I live in between two major cities but it is a rural location farm country so gun shots are normal inthe day time. Most farmer keep a carbine onthe tractor to get Coyote's and varmints!
 
I would think a .22 rifle with a 40gr round nose would do nicely, and fairly quietly. A 10/22 would give you follow up options.

One of the high power .22 pellet rifles might also do the trick.
 
I never loaded any backwards, my plinking load with a 148gr HBWC out of my S&W K-48 chronos at around 750fps and is no louder than a firecracker.
 
I've loaded a few of them. Pretty much as paper punchers and with light powder charges. I recall reading they are not good for full power charges and accuracy loss can be expected at anything except short distances. I remember reading in an old American Rifleman article that Finn Aagaard was fond of them for defensive loads.
 
Oh well, I don't have as much at stake as the dillers!:p Only concern for noise is personal comfort. Live in the country, no close neighobors.

The 38's just kinda a stop-gap measure, as I've ordered a set of "Crimson Trace" grips to put on one of the gubmint model 45's. Then I guess a set of muffs will join the diller walks.:(

Bob
 
During my Bullseye shooting days, I used a Model 52 S&W(.38 flush wadcutter only) with Hornady 148gr HBWC and 2.7grs of Bullseye. These chronographed at 700fps. Accuracy was outstanding. On nice sunny days, you could actually see the bullet going towards the target!

The hollow base was designed to expand the base of the bullet to help stabilize the "flying ashcan" bullet design for better accuracy. I tried the bevel base wadcutters from various manufactures but always came back to the HB. I never tried reversing one but it would be one giant hollow point for sure. 4grs of bullseye would seem a bit much. These bullets are usually very soft and lead stripping would be a concern. A slower burning powder might be a better choice to take advantage of the Colts longer barrel.
 
Several of us tried exactly that in an effort to slay evil bowling pins .

Both the hollow base and standard bullets backwards .

We found that this seems to increase pressures a bit , nothing really excessive with mid range loads , but max loads would likely not be a good idea .

Revolvers usually function just fine , semi auto stuff is sometimes VERY picky when the forward end of the bullet is square ( round is better for feeding ) 1911's depend entirely on the style of the feedramp/throating job which varies quite a bit . Glocks do better , at least in .45ACP , needing very little adjustment of the breakover area of the chamber ( if you don't know what the breakover area is , please step away from the dremel tool... ).

Overall due to the lighter weight of the hollow base bullets pins don't fall any faster or better and the edge hits don't get any better grip either ...

YMMV when the target is not plastic coated maple ...
 
Years and years ago some gun magazine posted an article on just that . The bullets were shot into a bar of soap. "the testing media of the time" and it mushroomed.
 
Originally Posted By: alreadygone
Turn that cavernous hollow base toward the target?
Now why would you do that?

Originally Posted By: alreadygone
This bullet is dead soft lead
Quit [censored] around and go for something sub-sonic and FMJ in a bigger caliber. Anything but +p in .45 should work fine. Or just adopt them as pets! You could have an armadillo ranch!
grin2.gif


Originally Posted By: alreadygone
With my recent armadillo (2-3" potholes dug all over yard) encounters
If the noise bothers you more than the sight, maybe you should just try out the earmuffs. No neighbors to worry about apparently...
 
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