The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Art of the Rifle: Bolt, Lever, and Pump Action

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old December 20, 2012, 01:48 PM   #1
TheBear
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 11, 2011
Posts: 303
semi wadcutters from a levergun

I never used semi wadcutters with my marlin 1894C .357mag, i`d like to give some copper plated ones from H&N a try, problem is my gunstore is only selling them in boxes of 500. Will semi wadcutters feed properly in my levergun? I only used truncated cone projectiles in the past.

Are semi wadcutters a good choice for huntig?
TheBear is offline  
Old December 20, 2012, 03:03 PM   #2
Tortuga12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 28, 2006
Posts: 211
My Rossi 92 feeds SWC's just fine, however, from what I understand, it really depends on the individual rifle. Anyone around you have a box you could try 1st?
Tortuga12 is offline  
Old December 20, 2012, 03:08 PM   #3
m&p45acp10+1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 3, 2009
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,930
Try a box of 158 grain factory LSWC, or JSWC ammo. A box of ammo should cost less than 500 bullets, and if they do not work then that is all you are out. If they do work then it confirms it. Buy 500 then shoot them. Though I cast mine. Could not tell you how they work in a lever gun I am now working on the funds to put one on lay away when the LGS gets one on the shelf.
__________________
No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.
m&p45acp10+1 is offline  
Old December 20, 2012, 06:37 PM   #4
kraigwy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 16, 2008
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 11,061
All I shoot in my Marlin 38/357. Never noticed a problem.
__________________
Kraig Stuart
CPT USAR Ret
USAMU Sniper School
Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071
kraigwy is offline  
Old December 20, 2012, 06:43 PM   #5
Charlie Fox
Member
 
Join Date: January 25, 2001
Location: Summerville SC
Posts: 79
I've had mixed results with my Marlin; it seems to depend on the manufacturer of the bullets. Federal and Bitterroot Valley cause no issue, but Remington catches and shaves horribly. I don't know why; I've checked the feeding, the ramps, the cartidge length, but I always end up with a lot of lead shavings after several rounds of Remington. So I just don't shoot Remington anymore
__________________
"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
Charlie Fox is offline  
Old December 20, 2012, 07:38 PM   #6
Shotgun693
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 3, 2011
Location: Poteet, Texas
Posts: 959
Learn to reload, stick to RNFP lead bullets. You live a less frustrating life in the long run.
Shotgun693 is offline  
Old December 20, 2012, 08:31 PM   #7
idek
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 20, 2009
Posts: 903
I loaded some .38 sp. with LSWC and they actually fed better than .38 sp. with LRNFP in my 1894. Not sure what would happen with .357 length ammo.
idek is offline  
Old December 20, 2012, 11:19 PM   #8
ThomasT
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 22, 2009
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,746
The back edge of the barrel on a marlin has a nice sharp edge. The sharp shoulder of a SWC will tend to catch on the sharp edge of the barrel.

I shaped a round grindstone to fit through the action after the bolt was removed and put a very small radius on the back of the barrel on my 357 and 44 mag rifles. SWC bullets feed as smooth as jacketed hornaday XTP rounds.

To make the grindstone I used a round stone from the army/navy store with a quarter inch shaft. It was a little too big so I mounted it in a drill and spun it against the wheel on my bench grinder till it would fit the bolt port on the rifle.

I had an old metal fishing arrow that had an open seam down the side. The inside diameter of the arrow was just under a 1/4" and when forched in it had a tight fit. I cut the shaft to about 8" long. I chucked it in a drill and spun it on the back of the barrel just enough to make a very small radius. Just enough to break the sharp edge. That was all it took.

You will need to take the gun apart first and clean it well from dust afterward. An air hose works wonders here.
ThomasT is offline  
Old December 21, 2012, 09:09 PM   #9
bamaranger
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 9, 2009
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 8,262
depends

Rifle to rifle.

I ran a mid-range 158 LSWC load through my Marlin for quite a few years, matching load to a revolver.

It seemed to vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some SWC were longer and blunter and gave trouble. Others had smaller cones and less abrupt sholders and fed fine.
bamaranger is offline  
Old December 21, 2012, 10:33 PM   #10
Sport45
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 25, 1999
Location: Too close to Houston
Posts: 4,196
Your revolver will love them even if the rifle doesn't. You do have a .38/357 revolver, right?
__________________
Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.
Sport45 is offline  
Old December 22, 2012, 12:39 PM   #11
shafter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 23, 2009
Posts: 1,624
They work perfectly in my Rossi 92
shafter is offline  
Old December 22, 2012, 01:25 PM   #12
jglsprings
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 7, 2009
Posts: 1,827
How do the copper plated bullets hold up to rifle velocities?

My 44 mag will tear them up at high velocities. The rifles should push them harder. No?
__________________
Let's eat Grandma.
Let's eat, Grandma.

Commas save lives...
jglsprings is offline  
Old December 22, 2012, 07:37 PM   #13
Edward429451
Junior member
 
Join Date: November 12, 2000
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 9,494
When I lived in Ohio, we ran a butt load of 429421's (Keith SWC's) through my friends 94 with no issues whatsoever. Dunno why a 38/357 would be different.
Edward429451 is offline  
Old December 23, 2012, 06:18 AM   #14
TheBear
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 11, 2011
Posts: 303
I shot some of the swc`s yesterday, the feed just fine. thnx for all the answers.

Quote:
How do the copper plated bullets hold up to rifle velocities?

My 44 mag will tear them up at high velocities. The rifles should push them harder. No?
I used copper plated TC bullets for velocitys up to 1457fps (shot from my marlin 1894c .357 and clocked with a shooting chrony). Never had any problem though. Those H&N bullets are pretty tough, german engineering...
TheBear is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:55 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.07969 seconds with 7 queries