Atomic Ammo 38 Special +P 148 Grain Hollow Base Wadcutter Loaded Backward Gel Test and Review

While we may never know who was the first to load a 148 grain hollow base wadcutter bullet upside down, they should be credited (perhaps posthumously) with creating one of the most talked about “specialty” handgun loads of modern times. The legend and mystique of the 148 grain HBWC loaded backward seems to have started in or around the 1970’s and continues to be discussed four decades later. Do you enjoy reading about the history and advancement of modern ammunition? Have a few spare hours on your hands? Do a web search on “wadcutter loaded backwards” and feast on page after page of search results discussing, debating, and questioning the merits of this load.

Discovering handguns later in life than others, my first exposure to this load came from a gun-savvy coworker who told me that he handloaded this cartridge for his girlfriend’s carry ammunition. He claimed the bullets expanded to the size of quarters. This was back in the early 1990’s. I hadn’t started reloading or backyard ballistics testing yet, so I filed the information away in my head and went on about my life content with my 38 Special +P 158 grain lead …Read the Rest

Source:: Pocket Guns & Gear