Federal Nyclad .38 Rounds

[bobbob]

I found these old rounds in my range bag, they are all blue,
with a lead bullet that has a huge cavity. Has anyone shot
these? I am reluctant to use them as they had been taken off
the market due to too much lead in the air? Thanks

 

[supton]

I don't recall why they stopped selling. I want to say they are Teflon covered--which sounds really bad to people who don't shoot. "Cop-killer bullets" and other malarky.

In terms of lead in the air, the purpose of the covering was to cut down on leading in the bore. Still have the lead in the primer, which IMO is where most of the lead issues come from, not from exposed lead.

After reading Stephan Camp's article on 158grn +P SWCLHP's I prefer those for snubnose revolvers. But Nyclads were popular in their day. If they aren't +P then I wouldn't worry about; if they are old +P rounds then I might hesitate to use in an older non +P revolver.

 

[HappyLittlePony]

I loved the nylon coated Federal Nyclad back in the days when I was still shooting and owned a .38 Taurus. The Nyclad was created to reduce airborne lead at shooting ranges. The nylon coating was used to control the lead, but a pleasantly unexpected side-effect was that the nylon also made the Nyclad hollow point a respectable self-defense round. But Nyclad ammunition received a somewhat unfair reputation when some people confused "Teflon" with "Nylon" and lumped them in with other so-called "cop killer" ammo.

 

[Durango]

bobbob,

I shot those in my snubbies long ago and even though it had a nylon coating surrounding the soft lead bullet it fouled the bore really bad and needed a stainless steel brush to clean it out!!! Still in a gun fight and for close quarters anything is better than none.

If you think those are old I still have 4 boxes left for my house gun PMC "Tubular" ammo. This is clean shooting and since it's basicallt a copper tube it doesn't foul up my bores.

Durango

 

[supton]

I bought a set of plastic pick tools from Midway, for cleaning the bore on my snubnose. I know I had some lead in there, not sure from what. However, after one good scrubbing, I've never had it back... ? Maybe because I generally only shoot hardcast lead? Thought about using the copper washed stuff (Rainer/etc) but since it's not leading anymore, I don't have a reason.

Regardless, with a snub, it's pretty easy to use a pick to chase up and down the bore, to break loose the deposits.

 

[Win]

I have some .38SP Nyclad wadcutters that are at least 30 years old.

I don't even remember what it was like to shoot them.

 

[Durango]

The best 38 specials I love is the old tried and true Winchester "Silver Tips". No lead exposer and no nylon stuff to fould up the bore. Aluminum jacket is what I was told and so it cleans up better. I still have and use the old PMC "Tubular" for my house gun though.

Durango

 

[BarryinIN]

Federal brought some Nyclad ammo back a few years ago. This was probably right before the ammo panic buy/shortage of 2008/2009, so it may have been put in the back burner.

I'm not sure if they ever completely stopped making it for very long at a time. It came and went.

I have a few boxes of the std pressure .38 125 HP Nyclads, made about 2000. It is pretty mild stuff, but super accurate. It is one of my "standards" for accuracy testing.

I wish Federal (or someone, if the patent has expired) made a .38 load with about a 160 grain Wide Flat Nose HP in Nyclad.
Another similar bullet shaped load in .44 Spl, at anywhere from 200-240 grains would be nice too.
If it expands OK, if not, OK, with the big flat nose.