They say there are no stupid questions...

[ShowMeState1977]

So here is my NOT stupid question...

What exactly is a wadcutter?

What makes them a semi or a full wadcutter?

Thanks in advance!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[artz]

weird name so to speak, isn't it ?
A wadcutter bullet is designed to shoot at paper targets. It has a flat top. The bullet that is. So it can be easier to read a score (on paper) more accurately with round holes in the paper than with jagged tears....

A semi-wadcutter is part round nose and part flat-top bullet. Supposedly the most popular bullet. I think thats true when it comes to bulk boxed ammo that you purchase from your local dealer, not the store bought stuff.

[pete156]

[Bud White]

wadcutter



semi cutter




wadcutter is a full bore bullets semi wad cutter is not as seen above

[falcon1]

A wadcutter also looks essentially like a cylinder (frequently with lubrication grooves) and is full-caliber along its length. A semi-wadcutter will be like a full wadcutter at the base of the bullet, but toward the front of the bullet has a truncated cone. At the link below, the bullet farthest left in the banner is a semi-wadcutter, the bullet farthest to the right is a (full) wadcutter:

http://www.laser-cast.com/.

Both have full-caliber cutting shoulders.

[ShowMeState1977]

Thanks for the info, and for not making me feel like an idiot!

[AZG23]

great job ya'll....thanks

[kd5nrh]

weird name so to speak, isn't it ?
A wadcutter bullet is designed to shoot at paper targets. It has a flat top. The bullet that is. So it can be easier to read a score (on paper) more accurately with round holes in the paper than with jagged tears....

They also tend to be insanely accurate; I thought my aim still needed a lot of work until I took the old .38Spl out to the range with a box of wadcutters and shot the x-ring out from 20 yards.

Seems to have given me the confidence to do a lot better with the autos and with other ammo, but nothing drives 'em down the middle like LWCs.

FWIW, I keep them loaded in the .38 at home, primarily because of the accuracy.

[erh]

They're meant to remove a "Clean Round Wad" of target paper; like a "Paper Punch w/o the anvil..!" Again - "Not a stupid question at all..!"

[ELCruisr]

Thanks for the info, and for not making me feel like an idiot!

I don't think there can be any stupid question relating to firearms from someone who really wants to learn. We all start with zero knowledge and have to learn at some point! I never considered wadcutters or semi wad cutters for anything except my revo's untill a few weeks ago. Had a friend hand me a bag of 200gr semiwadcutters for my 1911. Yeah, right, I thought untill I used 'em. Hey, I shoot better than I thought! I'll be using more of these at the range now.