Factory Ammo, 38 Special, for S&W Model 52.

First topic message reminder :

As of now, March 2019, are there any sources of "factory" ammo available for the S&W Model 52, 38 Special?
For testing, I'd like to eliminate any variable I may be introducing in my reloads, and buy a few boxes of "factory" ammo.  
Any recommendations?

In searing, I found this:
https://www.targetsportsusa.com/federal-gold-medal-38-special-ammo-148-grain-match-wadcutter-gm38a-p-1187.aspx
A year ago, in a similar discussion we were discussing "Zero".  
I don't want to buy that many, but I'd like to use something "factory" for testing.

Dave, where does one buy the ones you suggested?

New2BE wrote:I’ve shot a little over 3000 rounds of the Precision Delta “remanufactured” 148 gr hbwc ammunition out of 3 different 52-2’s and a Clark long slide  38 conversion. Shoots great with zero malfunctions. Highly recommended.

that is good to know, but I am reloading PD over 2.5 of Bullseye and they are working perfectly right now.  My cost to reload is about $6.00 a box.

Thanks!
I now get to choose between:
Zero,
Federal, and
Precision Delta.

Can't do much of anything for another two weeks though, until I return.

Thanks!
I now get to choose between:
Zero,
Federal, and
Precision Delta.

Can't do much of anything for another two weeks though, until I return.

I've only used Magtech , just to run my 52 after I bought it .
It worked.
Folks at my range have used Zero and have good reports on their loaded ammo and their projectiles.
My revolvers and 52 shoot very well with the Zero HBWC.
The RR doesn't lie.
I have never bought much ammo, I started shooting bullseye with the intention of learning to load which I did.
I've had pretty good luck with the Precision Delta product and I bet they make a good round .
In several of my guns I get less leading with the PD than the Zero due to slight difference in alloy hardness.
No doubt the Zero brand fully loaded ammo is a winner too.
Some folks sware by Federal. 
Lots of targets have been shot with Federal.
I wouldn't hesitate to try any of them , results will vary due to dimension of the projectile and alloy.
Find something your pistol likes and keep using it !

Based on everything I think I've learned, for the original purpose in posting this thread, now that it's available, I plan to buy several boxes of Federal.  If I have any doubts about my own reloads, I can compare them to the Federal.  Not sure how close I can come; hopefully "close enough".

The more I read, the more enthused I get about the Zero reloads.  I know I'm going to get "some", and maybe I'll get a lot more, meaning I can concentrate on reloading my own ammo for 45 instead of switching the press back and forth.  

It's good to see there are several other excellent alternatives - and it's scary to see that there are several alternatives that don't work that well in the Model 52, such as Fiocchi.  Thanks for all the advice, to everyone involved.  I can't wait to get home, place the orders, and start trying things out!

Hmm, maybe I'm not so sure what I'm doing.  Champions Choice has the Federal Ammo:
https://www.federalpremium.com/products/handgun/gold-medal/gold-medal-handgun/gm38a

Specs are listed below.  They call it "WC" rather than "HBWC".  Is this essentially the same Federal ammunition that people have been shooting for so long, or is it something different?  Do these specs seem suitable for the Model 52 ?  Champion has/had lots of it in stock, at a premium price, but I'm not sure if it's as good as, or better than, the Federal from the past.  I called them, but no reply yet.  I guess I could just get a couple of boxes to check it out, unless you guys feel it's "the real thing".  Also, their page appears to be confused - the photo of the bullet on the page isn't a wad cutter......

I’d go with Precision Delta for factory .

This is the Champions Choice webpage:

http://www.champchoice.com/store/Main.aspx?p=ItemDetailOptions&item=FGM38A

james r chapman wrote:I’d go with Precision Delta for factory .

Jim, I'm about to give up on all this and just order some Zero.  I wanted to compare with Federal, which everyone used to use, but now I'm not sure if Federal is still Federal.  The tech person at Champions Choice didn't know if it was HBWC, as all they know is WC.  I can't reach a live person at Federal to answer either.  Oh well.......    Nothing is ever easy.  If I'm not going to get Federal, I'll get Zero, but maybe get some of the Precision Delta too.

I use Remington Match

Federal, Winchester, Fiocchi, Remington, Magtech, S&B (and almost everyone else) only make HBWC. So the Federal GM38A is HBWC.

If it was me and my money, I’d buy 1 box of each then go shoot them 15 rounds per group at 25 yards two handed from a rest as accurately as you can muster. Shoot 3 groups with each. Then pick the stuff that shoots best with fewest malfunctions or loading problems.

I’d also hit all the gun shows locally with $500 cash and buy all the factory 38 HBWC existing. There are still stashes of WC ammo from the old PPC days floating around. Just make sure it isn’t reloads.

Vista outdoors owns both federal and Speer.
I’ve long felt federal uses Speer 148 hbwc in their .38 match ammo

Thanks!

I just got this email from Jim Beck at Champions Choice:

Mike,
 
The item number you gave me GM38A, and if you enlarge the picture you will see that number on the top of the end flap of our picture. We put and “F” in front of our stock number to designate it is a Federal manufacture product. Our owner is a Double Distinguish Rifle and Pistol shooter, and when asked, he said he has shot a many of rounds, of this ammo, thru a model 52 Smith & Weston piston. 
 
Thanks for your business
CC


I guess this ammo is OK, and the comments from the forum confirm it.  Again, my main purpose for buying this is to have something to compare my own reloads to.  I'm not going to go all around the country buying up old ammo, but if I did want to buy ammo to shoot, and stop reloading myself, I think I'd buy the Zero ammo.  (Another great thing from these discussions is that I now know about lots of 38 Special that I should avoid, for  use in the Model 52.  I *almost* ordered some Fiocchi a while back, before I read the feedback.)


Lots of choices is great!  I remember a few years back, I couldn't find any ammunition.  Anyway, thanks, guys.  I just need to hurry up and get home, so I can stop typing and spend my time doing.

Wobbley wrote:........If it was me and my money, I’d buy 1 box of each then go shoot them 15 rounds per group at 25 yards two handed from a rest as accurately as you can muster.  Shoot 3 groups with each.  Then pick the stuff that shoots best with fewest malfunctions or loading problems.......

Excellent idea, but I'll exclude the ones people here feel are not up to par for the Model 52.  Will make an interesting comparison.  I read this earlier, but didn't think much about it, but why not?  I'll probably get at least two boxes of each - if it doesn't work that well in my 52, I'm sure I can feed it to my revolvers.....

I've spent the past few days looking around for ammunition for sale for a Model 52 S&W.  Lots of ammo is now out there - I was surprised and pleased.  When I get home in a few days, I know just what I'll be ordering.

I wanted to post the information here - it's in an Excel spreadsheet, but I can't find a way to do so, especially if I want the links to continue working.  The best way I thought of was to make a Screen Capture of my Excel worksheet.  For better or worse, it's copied here - and if anyone can tell me a better way to do so, such as maybe attaching the actual file, I'll do so:

As a separate thought, I want to get myself some "factory ammo" for comparison purposes, and then to get enough ammo to shoot for a while, so I continue loading 45 rounds at home, rather than switch back and forth.  I guess Remington discontinued their ammo, so I'll be getting Federal and/or Winchester, and for general shooting, I plan to get the Rose/Zero reloads.

Sorry again about the tiny image.  I can host the Excel file, but then you guys need Excel to work with it.  I can copy it to a MS Word file, which cuts off part of the link.  I can save it as a PDF, which destroys it. I can't place any of these files "here', and if I do what you see up above, I wish I could save it as a much larger image file. Maybe none of this matters, as the links won't mean anything unless I copy them here one at a time - which I can still do if it would be helpful.....

The most important parts of the file here, and you can easily search things on Google: