Lightest load for snubbie

[don't shoot it's me]

My model 60 turns 20 next year and I've been looking for a light load to qualify with so as not to beat on the gun. We currently use 130 grain full metal jackets for training and I'm concerned this round is hard on the gun....is the full metal jacket harder on snubbies? Does it wear the barrel more? I'm trying to find some lead wadcutters that are very mild...any suggestions?

 

[JNewell]

Do you handload? I used to shoot a lot of a light wadcutter load in .357 cases. I could look up the load; you'd need to drop some of the powder for loading into .38 Special cases.

I don't recall the standard 130 gr hardball loads as being very stiff, and I don't think they're particularly hard on barrels, unless the barrel is badly leaded. What load are you all using? You could compare it to other loads using the manufacturer's data, but I bet it's only a mid-level load. You could probably wear yourself out shooting those before you wear out the Model 60!

 

[sox]

I have a Titanium and like to practice. But I am no masochist, so I have done alot of research and have found some really light factory loads. 3D makes a 100Grain double end wadcutter all lead that is coming out at 750FPS, this is the lightest load and most comfortable to shoot period. Second in line is the 3D 125grain JHP @ 750-775, USA makes a 130grain fmj roundnose, I found this at kmart and I think it is 800-830Fps or so, also tolerable.

 

[don't shoot it's me]

thanks guys...i think i'd like to try the light wadcutter..i'm pretty sure the lead is easier on the barrel than fmj's...don't know where i heard that....700-750 range sounds light enough...i thought they even had mid range wadcutters in the 600 range...well, thanks again

 

[don't shoot it's me]

sorry newel, forgot the load, i think it's remington

 

[Mark IV Series 80]

Don't you think that it would be wise to qualify with the load that you carry?

If you get into a shootout, and a stray round hits an innocent bystander, the lawyers in the civil wrongful death case could claim that you qualified with "powder puff" loads and not with the hot carry loads that you could not control.

For liability reasons, I would think that your department would insist on this.
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Anyway, my favorite light target load is the .38 special, 148 grain wadcutter.

However, this round will not be good for speed-loading.

I don't think that I would ever shoot enough rounds thru a snub-nosed revolver to wear out the bore.

-Mk.IV

 

[Jay Baker]

D.S.I.M., you do know, don't you, that if you shoot wadcutters to qualify, that when they count your target score there at Biscailuz, they'll see you're using non-authorized ammo, and disqualify your score? Same thing at the trailers.

I wouldn't worry about your Model 60. That 130 gr FMJ stuff is standard pressure. FWIW. J.B.

 

[don't shoot it's me]

I doubt my buddies in the trailer would disqualify me but you make a good point....as long as it's standard pressure, okay, i'll keep the dept. ammo....but to adress the others, we carry 125 grain +P rounds but we qualify with standard ammo so liability wise, i don't think it would make much of a difference if it were a wad cutter or fmj....

 

[Skip-2]

If it's not worn yet, shoot it for another twenty years.

"You could probably wear yourself out shooting those before you wear out the Model 60!" - you can say that again!!

 

[Blue Duck357]

Their was a great post on wearing out guns awhile back. I forgot who the poster was and the exact quote but it went something like "One day you'll admit your age and realize that you don't have enough time left to wear out any of the guns in your cabinet, so wear'em out while you can."