Colt Trooper MK III... what ammo to use?

[thefinger]

My dad has a Colt Trooper MK III (357 mag) that I'm planning on borrowing for target practice every so often. He mentioned that wadcutters are the cheapest way to practice. Unfortunately I am a huge handgun n00b, and I am sort of clueless when it comes to revolvers and handguns that aren't in the calibers of .40S&W, 9mm, or 45ACP. Can someone tell me a bit about the differences between .357mag, .38 special, .38 wadcutters?? and maybe a link to wadcutters at a good price?

[c good]

.357 Magnum is a very high velocity round and is not all that fun to shoot after a while, plus it's expensive to shoot. The .38 special is a little shorter cartridge and is loaded to lower muzzle velocities, more fun to practice with and by far more affordable. The .38 wadcutter, AKA .38 special wadcutter, has a blunt tip so it cuts holes more cleanly in paper targets and is easier to see your shot placement. All lead bullets (ie wadcutters, lead round nose, etc.) have a tendency to leave lead deposits in my revolvers so I've gone to 158 gr., copper plated (not FMJ, although these are fine too, just cant use them on steel plates) .38 special for almost all my plinking. Only down side to the .38 special loads is that it leaves a little carbon fouling in the cylinder charge holes. Nothing bad, just takes a little extra time when cleaning. HTH c good

[Vtaman]

I've got two .357 revolvers. Much more pleasant to shoot .38 spec, especially when I fire 200+ rounds in one afternoon.

My choice of .38 spec ammo is:

Winchester 38 Special, 130 Grain, Full Metal Jacket Flat Nose, Box of 50
Muzzle Velocity: 800 fps
Muzzle Energy: 185 ft-lbs

Inexpensive with a mild recoil. Available at Big 5 and I think Walmart sells it too.

[tankerman]

I shoot wadcutters, they are specifically made for target shooting, and they do make a good defensive round. You will likely have a more difficult time finding wadcutters,than semi-wadcutters which are more common these days. I'm guessing that your Dad probably shot a lot in the 70's and 80's when that (wadcutter) was very popular. If you load your own just remember that it is intended to be a low velocity projectile. So loaded light, and it will not lead your barrel. Also, one of the nice things about shooting this type of load is that the recoil will be very mild, so you can shoot more before the recoil gets to you. I love my Trooper, while not as smooth as my Python they can be just as accurate when I do my part.
Have a good time shooting with your Dad and the Trooper.

[NRAhighpowershooter]

You can get wad cutters and semi-wadcuters from Oregon Trail.. They make the LaserCast bullets. I have use nothing but them for lead bullets for the last 20yrs now.....

[awheelman357]

If You Are Looking Some 38 To Shoot I Would Just Go To Wal-mart And Pick Up Some Winchester White Box They Come IN 100 Round Boxes. Good Practice Stuff And Pretty Cheap To Shoot

[BillCA]

Finger,

I agree that the easiest thing for you to do is buy some Winchester/USA brand 130 grain FMJ ammo for range use. It's a mild load that is only nominally faster than the .38 Special Wadcutter, plus the jacketing means easier cleaning of the bore.

Save your empty brass even if you aren't reloading. It's sold in boxes of 50 (sometimes 100) and by keeping the brass, at a certain point (500 to 1000) you can sell it to someone who reloads. Reloaders generally like once-fired empty brass. Or you can stockpile them until you're ready to get into reloading, if that's on your agenda.