Revolver reload question before I go to the range.

suggest you use your dial calipers to check the outside diameter of the loaded round. for light 38 special rounds, a light crimp is all that is needed and the caliper check will make sure your crimp is enough to remove the bell at the case mouth. you can also use the caliper blade to measure the amount of crimp for future loads that require a specific crimp diameter (45 acp).

luck,

murf

This is the only "gauge" you need for a revolver;

Reloaded first revolver round in '69 and for my next 8 revolvers this is the only "gauge" needed, even for my "extra accurate" DW 44 Magnum...

mdi said:

This is the only "gauge" you need for a revolver;View attachment 919670

Reloaded first revolver round in '69 and for my next 8 revolvers this is the only "gauge" needed, even for my "extra accurate" DW 44 Magnum...

Click to expand...

A good chamber check is IMHO faster than using your cylinder its also a better check (assuming its made correctly at max material conditions for the chamber). If it passes a good chamber checker it will work for all inspect chambers. A round might pass in one revolver and have issues in a different revolver. That said all my rounds get check in the cylinder but that is for checking moonclips not the rounds themselves that was check with the chamber checker.

ANATION said:

Lol. Oddly enough I was more worried about some light 38 special loads.

Click to expand...

Anation -
"Light loads" now become your second area of focus. (It's not critical, but it is necessary information.) 38 Special was originally designed to use black powder, so the case internal volumes can be huge when using modern smokeless powder. Light loads with dense powders can become "position sensitive", making a difference how the powder is positioned when the cartridge is fired. Results may vary depending upon whether the gun was pointed at the sky or floor before being fired. So...
• Stay away from high density powders
• If want light loads, then use a bullet (like DEWC) that occupy a larger portion of the case

rfwobbly said:

Anation -
"Light loads" now become your second area of focus. (It's not critical, but it is necessary information.) 38 Special was originally designed to use black powder, so the case internal volumes can be huge when using modern smokeless powder. Light loads with dense powders can become "position sensitive", making a difference how the powder is positioned when the cartridge is fired. Results may vary depending upon whether the gun was pointed at the sky or floor before being fired. So...
• Stay away from high density powders
• If want light loads, then use a bullet (like DEWC) that occupy a larger portion of the case

View attachment 919898

Click to expand...

I always do powder-forward testing with my revolver loads, at least for the ones that don't have good case-fill. I've seen as much as 300fps difference with one powder. I recently saw 200fps difference with one powder in 45acp.

Unique often leaves unburnt kernels for me in light or lightly crimped loads.

I like 4.2 gr Unique and a 146LRN or 158 LSWC for a nice mid-range load. 3.5 Unique is a minimum load and 5.1 is a max with a 158 lead bullet (Standard pressure .38 Spl., (Lyman 47th), so at 3.7 gr unique you’re on the far low end of the power scale.

I use a touch of a roll crimp into a bullets cannelure or the crimp groove, I take a thumbnail and feel the top of the case to be sure it’s there.

And yes, too much crimp can buckle a case at the top or amidships, so go easy or you’ll get rounds that won’t fit in the cylinder or it can ruin cases.

I do load some rounds that end up too long for some revolver cylinders, so I learned the hard way to check the rounds overall length in the cylinders of the guns I intend to shoot them in before heading to the range.

A close up of the crimp on a .38 and .357 round below. It may be more of a crimp than others use, but in the last 25 years of loading these rounds I’ve never had one fail to fire, sink into the case in my lever gun or pull a bullet under recoil to tie up a revolver.


A speed loader of Freedom Pills for the S&W Model 64...


Stay safe.

I agree with Riomouse911. I used to get a lot of unburned powder and sooty cases until I figured out that I was not putting a good crimp on the bullet. I especially had this problem with Unique and Blue Dot in the lower charge range. So I increased the charge weights and crimp. The problem disappeared and I get more consistent ignition. I like 4.5 grains of Unique with 158 grain bullets in 38 special and 9.5 to 10 grains of Blue Dot under the same in .357.

I used to have that problem too, especially when loading cast bullets (.001 oversized). Now I just run a Lee carbide Factory Crimp die as my last reload step. The carbide ring insert "resizes" the round as it enters/exits the crimp die. Not only do I get a better crimp, but all the little bulges created when pushing the oversize (cast) bullet down into the brass get removed by the carbide sizing ring. All my rounds drop into the cylinders...every time. I'm just too lazy to investigate the "why" part and jumped right to a cure-all fix.

All my rounds drop into the cylinders...every time. I'm just too lazy to investigate the "why" part and jumped right to a cure-all fix.

Click to expand...

I had the same bulged case problem when I first started reloading and it didn't take long to figure out the problem so, like Farmer Dave, I went straight to the Lee Crimp dies and completely eliminated the problem.