Crimp this bullet?
- Thread starter WayneConrad
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Smokey Joe
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Crimp, yes.
A .38 Spl. takes a roll crimp, so, yes, you want to crimp this bullet. The groove you mention around the bullet is called a crimping cannelure, and, guess what, that's where the manufacturer of the bullet intended that you crimp it. It'll probably work just fine as such.
That said, if the resulting cartridge turns out to be too long for your purposes, I'd not hesitate to seat the bullet deeper, and crimp the case lightly around the bullet's shoulder.
Having said that, I must point out that seating a bullet deeper will increase the pressure generated by the powder in the case before the bullet starts to move, so you need to back off to the low starting point of yr load and work up. With that caveat, crimp away!
Hope you find a load that works great for you!
A .38 Spl. takes a roll crimp, so, yes, you want to crimp this bullet. The groove you mention around the bullet is called a crimping cannelure, and, guess what, that's where the manufacturer of the bullet intended that you crimp it. It'll probably work just fine as such.
That said, if the resulting cartridge turns out to be too long for your purposes, I'd not hesitate to seat the bullet deeper, and crimp the case lightly around the bullet's shoulder.
Having said that, I must point out that seating a bullet deeper will increase the pressure generated by the powder in the case before the bullet starts to move, so you need to back off to the low starting point of yr load and work up. With that caveat, crimp away!
Hope you find a load that works great for you!
WayneConrad
Member
Smokey Joe, Thanks. I will go ahead and crimp to that cannelure (thanks for the vocabulary lesson!). Will the case mouth crush its way into the cannelure? Now I just have to remember where I put the shell holder for my case trimmer.
Seeing the sort of .38 bullet I've been loading might let you see how this new bullet has got me confused. I'm used to having a huge groove for the case mouth to curve into.
Seeing the sort of .38 bullet I've been loading might let you see how this new bullet has got me confused. I'm used to having a huge groove for the case mouth to curve into.
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Smokey Joe
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Crimping
WayneConrad--It's a plated lead bullet, right? Then the case mouth will just curve into the cannellure and cut into the lead as you crimp it. With copper jacketed bullets you can over-crimp and crush the case in the press. Nasty.
You probably don't want a heavy crimp, though, unless you're using maximum, high-pressure loads. With light loads, a light crimp is used, and the cases last longer that way.
BTW, don't bell-mouth the cases any more than necessary, either. Just a hint of bell-mouth, enough so the bullet will sit in the case mouth to be seated, and just a hint of crimp, to remove the bell-mouth and curve the case ever so slightly so it feeds into yr revolver's chambers nicely, are all you need except for heavy bullets and heavy loads.
WayneConrad--It's a plated lead bullet, right? Then the case mouth will just curve into the cannellure and cut into the lead as you crimp it. With copper jacketed bullets you can over-crimp and crush the case in the press. Nasty.
You probably don't want a heavy crimp, though, unless you're using maximum, high-pressure loads. With light loads, a light crimp is used, and the cases last longer that way.
BTW, don't bell-mouth the cases any more than necessary, either. Just a hint of bell-mouth, enough so the bullet will sit in the case mouth to be seated, and just a hint of crimp, to remove the bell-mouth and curve the case ever so slightly so it feeds into yr revolver's chambers nicely, are all you need except for heavy bullets and heavy loads.
WayneConrad
Member
Smokey Joe, Yes, plated lead. So just the barest of a bell, and a light crimp it is. Or will be, when I find my case trimmer parts 
Thanks again!
Thanks again!- Status
