Charging and Seating .38 Special

[bluetopper]

There's so much empty space in the cartridge because the 38 Special was originally designed as a black powder cartridge in 1898.
I wouldn't hesitate at all loading them at max published data if you wanted to. Like I posted earlier, 38 Spl. is a low pressure cartridge anyway and you are shooting them in a 686.

 

[Cokeman]

Cool. Now I need to figure out how to crimp them.

 

[BWS]

My 3" 686 has a .002" BC gap. If the load isn't "clean" by even the tiniest amt of fouling,it ties up. Usually with high end plain base lead,or slow powders in low charge weights. One of these days will fix it..... myself.

Gas check lead @mid range loads and it does fine. Just sayin,not trying to raise any red flags other than,each firearm represents..... say,a "range" of control measures coming out of the factory. This is one,very important reason to handload,you can usually dial around certain issues.

Your load sounds fine,pay attention to how the gun feels during cycling when testing any new loads. Understand what warm,and hot load cases feel like on extraction. Just pay attention,and you're going to be fine.

 

[JT-AR-MG42]

Cool. Now I need to figure out how to crimp them.

My recommendation would be to pick up a Lyman or Redding taper crimp die.
Reasonably priced on E-**y.

I use a taper crimp when loading any of the plated bullets, regardless of whether they have a cannelure or not.
As walkalong showed a light crimp should suffice and adjust as needed.

JT

 

[bluetopper]

Your seating die doesn’t crimp also?

 

[murf]

your seating die should also have directions for crimping. if not, your reloading manual should have a section on bullet seating and crimping. what manual are you currently using?

murf

 

[Cokeman]

My seating die is a roll crimp die. Should I very lightly roll crimp them or use the resizing die without the decapping pin? My manual is the Nosler manual.

 

[lordpaxman]

You indicated you have good neck tension, the rounds chamber so the only reason to crimp would be to prevent movement during recoil. You could measure them before firing, shoot 1 or 3 and measure again. Or you can put a very light roll crimp on them. Setting up a roll crimp is sensitive to case length. That’s why if you roll crimp you usually make sure all cases are very close in length either by trimming or sorting.
You wouldn’t use your sizing die to crimp.

 

[Walkalong]

Just use the sizer to touch the top of the round and make sure the belling is gone, or buy a $15 Lee taper crimp die.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

If you have enough neck tension from seating the bullet, leave it alone. If you are worried about the bullets moving, put a loaded cartridge in the press, raise the ram to the top of its stroke, loosen the adjusting screw on the seating die most of the way out, and screw the die in until it touches the lip of the case. Lower the ram, and screw the die in just a hair. Slowly raise the ram until you feel it hit the seat/crimp die. This should be almost at the top of the stroke. Continue to raise the ram firmly until the top of the stroke. You should feel just a slight bit of resistance just at the top of the stroke, but should not feel the lip give on these particular bullets. Take the round out of the press, and examine it closely. You should be able to see the lip just begin to turn in, but not curl. Be careful if your brass is different lengths as this can cause some rounds to crimp heavy, and others not at all.

You never said what brand dies you have. They may have a built in taper crimp.

 

[Cokeman]

My .38 dies are the RCBS 18212 set with roll crimp. I also have the equivalent 9mm set but with taper crimp and the RCBS universal decapping die.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

My .38 dies are the RCBS 18212 set with roll crimp. I also have the equivalent 9mm set but with taper crimp and the RCBS universal decapping die.

View attachment 948117

Those are roll crimp only dies. You’ll either have to go uncrimped, or use a very slight roll crimp.

 

[Bill M.]

Simple. Buy a taper crimp die. You are not yet fully equipped to load plated bullets in .357. Or roll crimp lightly if you just have to make do for some reason. The bullets are soft enough to give and the plating is probably tough enough to take it. But...just procuring a taper crimp die is the best solution. No, do not use the sizing die. It is too small in diameter for the job.

 

[Blue68f100]

If you have a 9mm die set, use it's crimp die. It's a taper crimp. Hornady sells a TC die and it's marked , 9mm/38/357. Remove the seating stem if you want, not needed if your only using the die to crimp.

 

[murf]

I also have the equivalent 9mm set

you are all set then. back out the seating stem and go.

murf

 

[Cokeman]

If you have a 9mm die set, use it's crimp die. It's a taper crimp. Hornady sells a TC die and it's marked , 9mm/38/357. Remove the seating stem if you want, not needed if your only using the die to crimp.

you are all set then. back out the seating stem and go.

murf

Cool! I’ll try this. I haven’t even screwed the seating stem in the 9mm die yet. Does 9mm ever need a roll crimp? I haven’t heard of it. If so, could I use the 38/357 roll crimp die for that? I figure yes.

I was looking for a cheap 38/357 taper crimp die today. Other than new ones for $20+ and shipping, I found a guy selling a used Lee factory crimp die for $10. I was unsure if it would be good to get.

Now I’m looking for a good video on taper crimping 38 special.

 

[murf]

Does 9mm ever need a roll crimp?

not in a semi auto. maybe in a revolver, but then you cannot use roll crimped rounds in the auto (the case mouth has to seat up against the front of the chamber so the mouth cannot be turned under). best to always taper crimp the auto rounds.

luck,

murf

p.s. let us know how your taper crimping goes. also, read the directions that came with the die before you do your crimping. there should be youtube vids on this also.

 

[dcarr]

I shoot 9mm in my blackhawk which is a revolver, I never roll crimp them and the taper crimp I bought is only lightly used to bring the flare back down. No sign of set back or anything like that.

 

[Cokeman]

I had trouble finding taper crimp videos. Lots of roll crimp videos. I’ll keep looking and will definitely read the instructions.

 

[dcarr]

no crimp videos but found the box for my 9mm taper crimp and instructions , see pic

 

[Walkalong]

I like the bold "DO NOT OVER CRIMP" in the instructions, even if it is talking about the Profile Crimp Die with roll crimp.

It takes very little contact to taper crimp.

 

[Cokeman]

The one on the left is crimped. The one on the right is not. Do I need to crimp more? The instructions with the die said to measure the case in the middle of the bullet and then make the crimp .001 thinner.

 

[dcarr]

Your pictures are fine I'm sure, on the best of days my eyes are not. They look identical to me. Someone will come along with more knowledge and better vision than me.
That said I'm very fond of doing a plunk test after crimping.If I wanted to know how well my crimp was I'd use the kinetic hammer or if at the range I'd remeasure col on others in cylinder after the first bullet is fired.

 

[TTv2]

The one on the left is crimped. The one on the right is not. Do I need to crimp more? The instructions with the die said to measure the case in the middle of the bullet and then make the crimp .001 thinner.

View attachment 948652

I think that's enough crimp for Berry's bullets. I did some last night for .45 Schofield and probably put more crimp on than needed and they don't look to different from yours.

Bring a pair of calipers with you and shoot a cylinder full, minus one round, and measure that one round to see if the bullet is getting pulled under recoil.

I did this a few months ago and it it took about 12 shots before the bullet started moving.

 

[Cokeman]

Yeah. It’s hard to see the difference in the picture. I can feel the difference running my finger over crimp. It measures .001”-.0015” narrower than the case just below the crimp. The die instructions say it should be .001”-.002” narrower than the section of the case where the bullet is. I hope it’s ok. I think it is.