bullet seating question.....

[SSN Vet]

I competed my first re-load last night and generated yet another question.

I'm loading .38 brass with a 148 gr DEWC.....specifically, a plated Berry's bullet with no cannalure.

I'm not sure how deep to seat the bullet.

I'm guessing that if I bought the same bullet as a hard cast, the cannalure would be in the center of the DEWC. So I measured my brass and added half the length of the bullet and set my bullet seating die to give this length overall. Does this sound reasonable?

My load tables from Modern Reloading give a min. over all cartridge length, to ensure the powder is not compressed, but if I use this length I'll be seating the bullet with only ~1/16" exposed.

When my bullet puller shows up, I think I'll dissassemble these to see if the light crimp I applied broke through the copper plating.

Fun, Fun, Fun.... I think I'm going to re-designate my basement woodshop as the mad scientist's laboratory

 

[Walkalong]

I just loaded some Berry's 148 Gr. DEWC in .38. I loaded them flush with the casemouth like I have lead ones in the past. It took a bit more pressure thats for sure. I lightly, very lightly, taper crimped with a Redding Profile Crimp die. Just take the bell out, NO MORE. I am looking forward to seeing how they shoot.

 

[OLD DOMENION]

148 gr. seating

You can seat the bullet:
Over the nose and crimp it over the nose.
At the last crimping grove.

 

[scrat]

the rule of thumb i always use. first you have to know the overall maximum length of the round. Then measure the cartridge length. subtract from the maximum overall length then you will have the amount needed to add to your dye from the cartridge length. I usually take it 1/32 below the maximum length. then i load one round. After the round is loaded i measure the overall length and adjust from there if needed. However i try to make it so the first round is perfect. Old rule measure twice, seat once.

 

[Walkalong]

Don't do any more than take out the belling on the brass for plated bullets or it will ruin them. With the plated 148 DEWC seated that deep you have all the friction you need to get good burning of the powder. No crimp necessary there.

 

[tasco 74]

i have loaded dewc bullets into both .38 spl cases and .357 magnum cases... like the others said you load them flush with the case mouth with only a slight taper crimp..... i use bullseye so i'm very careful how much powder i put under em... about 3 grs. is all i'll go in both cases...... i do like hornady hollow base wadcutters real well as they have more room in the cases per the hollow base... they also expand at the bases when fired to really grip the rifleing so they shoot accurately in my model 27 s&w.....