38 spcl wadcutter advice

[gspn]

I'm going to be reloading .38 special wadcutters for the first time and wanted to solicit some advice.

I'm using 148 grain double ended wadcutters and when I seat the bullet down to the crimp groove my OAL is much shorter than that on the load recipe I'm using.

I've got a slight bit of lead above the case mouth and plan to put a small roll crimp on it.

Does this sound reasonable?

 

[evan price]

Yep.

 

[TonyT]

That will work. I used a DEWC for a short time many years ago but switched to the 148 gr. Remington LHBWC in the 1960's.

 

[ljnowell]

I load Missouri DEWC all the time. I seat the crimp groove fully in the case, that just flatten out the flare, no crimp at all. I found much better accuracy this way as opposed to even a slight roll crimp.

 

[noylj]

I reload mostly for a S&W M52, so the wadcutters are all seated just below the case mouth.
For revolvers, I usually use a DEWC. I roll crimp in the crimp groove or the first lube groove (I only lube the lowest lube groove). There is usually about 0.2-0.3" of bullet in the cylinder's throats.
For store-bought L-HBWCs, nothing beats the Remington.
If using HBWCs, be sure NOT to go over 800fps. 675-750fps is best. Any faster, and you leave the bullet skirt in the barrel.
I would not roll crimp into the bullet itself, but only into a groove.
Best roll crimp I have found has been with a Redding Profile Crimp die.
You need to find the seating that your revolver likes.

 

[gspn]

I load Missouri DEWC all the time. I seat the crimp groove fully in the case, that just flatten out the flare, no crimp at all. I found much better accuracy this way as opposed to even a slight roll crimp.

That's the bullet I'm using. I'll try some with no crimp and some with a slight crimp to see what it likes best.

Thanks

 

[HighExpert]

For your Model 52 Noylj, I got some info from one of the gunsmiths who build them. He suggested a 9mm taper crimp die. I tried it and improved my accuracy tremendously. He said that the gun was built on a 9mm platform and that I should slug the barrel. If it measured .355 as most do I was in luck as these were the most accurate. If it slugged .357, sell it. It won't shoot well no matter what you do. I had two, one of each. I never could get the one to shoot and sold it. I kept the other and it is a sweetheart. I also found some HBWC that Star made. They have really gooey lube but shoot really well. Good shooting.