Crimping wadcutter loads for .38 Special

[RainDodger]

Hey, guys -

I have lots of experience loading full wadcutter loads for revolvers, but I've always used cast lead wadcutters that have lube grooves and crimping grooves in them. Easy to set up and load.

I just picked up some factory-made Hornady hollow-base wadcutters and they're simply cylinders with no lube grooves or ANY grooves at all. No crimping grooves. In a box of 250, they're packaged in plastic bags - I assume that it is some kind of powdered lube that's on them. Anybody know?

So my question - you guys that are loading them... are you doing light roll crimps so the case just digs into the side of the wadcutter a bit? I noticed that the listed OAL would indicate that's what I need to do, since it looks like the projectile would extend from the case a bit.

Tell me how you're loading them...

Thanks.

Roger

 

[BCRider]

Those are the ones with the knurled sides that hold a skim of the lube?

I haven't loaded HBWC for a while but when I did the folks that were guiding me on my reloading said to load them a hair under the lip of the casing and to crimp only just enough to remove any flare or at most just produce the slightest inward curl you can get away with. This means that the bullets themselves relied on the neck tension. In practice that worked out just fine since these are always used in low pressure rounds with very light recoil so bullet creep is a non issue.

The ones I was loading had a small raised center "button" on the nose which let me seat them so the slight button nose was even to the mouth of the casing. That put the set back shoulder about .020 behind the lip of the casing so if there was any crimp that it didn't cut into the lead. I see the Hornady HBWC's don't have that little nose button shape. So I'd tend to be more careful to avoid any inward curl from the crimp.

 

[Sunray]

Shouldn't be a crimp for .38 WC target loads. Crimping isn't required and is detrimental for accuracy.
Hornady's hollow-base wad cutters are swaged and pre-lubed. Seated flush with the case mouth and no crimp.
Swaging is literally cold forming the bullet out of a soft lead wire using a big press. Makes a far more accurate bullet.

 

[hanno]

I load Speer HBWCs flush with the case mouth and crimp just enough to remove the flare (and since I'm using a Lyman M expander die, there is very minimal flare). The neck tension will hold the bullet in place.

From Hornady:

"Hornady® lead bullets are pre-lubricated and cold-swaged for total uniformity and balance. Our exclusive knurling system retains lubricant over the entire bearing surface to reduce leading in your barrel."
http://www.hornady.com/store/38-Cal-.358-148-gr-HBWC/

 

[mdi]

I often roll crimp my cast wadcutters, and I also taper crimp them. When I shot swaged wadcutters I just used enough "crimp" to remove the flare used to seat the bullets (just like semi-auto ammo). Light loaded rounds never "jumped" in my revolvers. Way back when I began reloading I tried roll crimping into the side of the bullet, but soon gave it up when I saw how much the bullet was distorted when I pulled one.

 

[BullRunBear]

Although it's been awhile, I've loaded many HBWCs over the years. Got the best results with the bullet about flush with the case mouth and a light taper crimp. No additional lube involved. No problem with leading or bullet jump. I can't recall that they were any more accurate than the solid WCs.

Jeff

 

[moxie]

Just remove the flare like many have said.

But, I seat a fingernail's thickness above the case mouth, so not quite flush. There might be a slight bevel on the end of the bullet to guide you. Seat to the edge of the bevel if there is.

 

[blue32]

Always loaded about a millimeter over the top with regular crimp for ease of reloading into cylinders. Equally good for 357 brass with +.1 gr. powder over 38spl.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Those bullets were designed to be loaded flush with the case mouth. Like said above, crimp only enough to remove the bell on the case mouth and if you want just an ever so slight roll crimp. You can also load the same bullets in a .357 Magnum case flush with the case mouth if you want.

 

[RainDodger]

Thanks everyone. Looks like there's a pretty good consensus. Onward, to the loading press!