Wheeljack

Just got a Ruger LCR9. The barrel is .3555 but the cylinder throat/mouth is just .358. From what I have read, the bullet should be .358. But I'm not clear as to which bullet to load. I have been using Berry's plated bullets, but they don't have a plated .358. Would their hard cast lead bullets at .358 be the best choice or should I look for a softer bullet? I haven't done a lot of reloading and am not familiar with what is available from other companies. Any help would be appreciated.

I don't remember seeing this before, the new Berry's catalog lists the bullets OAL and the (suggested) COL of the cartridge. This is what I have been waiting for. Great.

Superdude, that is a great article. Thanks.

Correct. I think I'm just being lazy asking for too much information instead of using the information available as a guide to build my own "perfect" round. Thanks.

They are right. So it makes all the posts with information on how many grains of this or that that they use, worthless. First, find out what length of what bullet fits your gun. Than you have a maximum COL, but is it the most efficient COL. Does it load most efficiently. Then start with the lowest charge you can and work your way up to the maximum charge. Then when you have all this data, minimum and maximum, go back and determine the charge that is most accurate. When you have collected all this information and not before, let us know the bullet you are using, it's length, the COL you have found that chambers best, in what gun and the power and charge for the most accurate shot. And I thought that just asking for the seating depth was enough to help.

COL is used in most data charts, but not the seating depth. Lyman does a good job in that you can see it uses a different COL for different bullets. We don't load a WC at the same COL as a RN. So what is important to me seems to be the seating depth. A change in depth is a change in the pressure of the round. Even RN bullets from different manufacturers have a different length. I think that if the COL is listed in the data, the length of the bullet should be included too. We buy bullets by weight and caliber, can it be so hard to include length in the description? Am I just over thinking this?

Lee dies. It's what I have. I insert the bullet in the seating die with just enough crimp, .378. The FCD with the floating adjuster removed, does not change the crimp but it does remove the coke shape of the shell. I crimp to .378 with the seating die and then I run it thru the FCD and the mouth crimp does not change, but the shell has a straight taper. Comparing it to a commercial bullet, the L&B bullets I have, they measure .374 at the mouth. I am getting a Ruger CLR in 9mm. They have a warning about bullets without enough tapper may move forward in the shell and jamb the revolver. There was a video on Youtube about this. Ruger's answer is to not use a brand of bullet that jambs the revolver. My answer, if this happens, is to use the FCD to increase taper. The FCD is able to crimp my bullets to .369. I hope I don't have to put that much tapper on.

Yes!

Wow! What is the first thing to do. What is the most important thing to do? What to do to take all things into concideration. 1. Is COL important for accuracy and pressure? From what I gather, find the maximum COL for the particular bullet you are using by measuring it in the loading chamber and set it back about .01 to .02. Now, does this length function in your magazine? 2. What is the seating depth and how does it compare to what you have been using. This is a combination of COL and bullet length. If compared to your favorite load the seating depth is less, then so is presssure and visa versa. So you may want to change the charge of power you have been using. 3. I have no idea why the data in the books gives us COL without mention of the bullet (except Lyman). The more important measure is surely the seating depth. It's a corporations way of being vague enough to prevent law suits. 4. Conclusion: each change in bullet shape, given even the same weight, requires a change in COL and charge. But that's what it's all about..the challenge. (dxxm, there is no spell check, so sorry for the misspells)

Pressure confuses me. A 9mm round may be at 30000PSI, a .357 at 40000PSi and the 38Spec at 16000. If I load a 38 into a 357 revolver, can't I load the 38 to a pressure of 40000? Is the only reason 38's are loaded so low is because the gun may be very old? If I bought a new S&W revolver in 38 spec. is it made lighter so it would only be safe with a 16000PSI round? It's almost as if the gun you buy should state the pressure it was built for. Are there any good resourses that explain these questions?

Am I crazy? The site does not give the diameter of the bullets. I cannot find cost of shipping. I guess if I placed a order the shipping would show up before I had to finalize it, but that still does not help me with the diameter. Many sites give diameters and a choice of diameters to choose from. Why would anyone buy a pig in a poke. That said, I guess you have had good results with these bullets, but I just can't buy that way.

See, Jersey does allow some guns, to honest people. The others just get what they want.