wadcutters

[underlug]

How and how much do you crimp traditional .38 special HBWC loads?

Thank you

[Kingman]

same as anything else, but I use a roll crimp on pure wadcutters.

[underlug]

same as anything else, but I use a roll crimp on pure wadcutters.

That would mean .379 to me. I've read "light crimp", but, do not really know what that means.

Thank you

[Patrick Sweeney]

As little as possible, and not have them jump the crimp. The reason to use a roll crimp on flush wadcutters is their use by Bullseye shooters in 1911 .38 Wadcutter guns. Those guns are very picky, and the roll crimp improves their sometime spotty reliability.

[n2ipsc]

You don't say what you're loading it for, but, for my S&W 52, I use a taper crimp, and leave ~1/64" of lead "showing" above the case mouth - feed ramp seems to like this a lot more than brass' friction...

[Kingman]

Yes, the little as possible is what I use on the 52's. I love those guns but if you don't have a crimp it likes well it won't run for anything.

I never did get my hands on a 38 special 1911

[RePete]

If you are still unsure what "as little as possible" means, then look at a factory round.

Here is a pic of a fired brass (middle), a WW WC (left) and a LSWC I loaded (right) and the corresponding crimp.

Basically you want to just get the sharp edge off the loaded round.

Edited September 3, 2007 by RePete

[underlug]

If you are still unsure what "as little as possible" means, then look at a factory round.

Here is a pic of a fired brass (middle), a WW WC (left) and a LSWC I loaded (right) and the corresponding crimp.

Basically you want to just get the sharp edge off the loaded round.

Thanks all. Looks like I'll go .3799. Just for a Model 14. Nothing as fancy as a 52. But, someday I want to try a Bianchi revolver. I have loaded thousands of .38s in every configuration except a full wadcutter so any help is greatly appreciated.

[Allgoodhits]

How and how much do you crimp traditional .38 special HBWC loads?

Thank you

With a lot of experience on this topic, I find that the answer varies a great deal. Such variables as how hot is the load? A 148 gr WC must run minimum 810 fps ( better at 850 ) for Bianchi and that will require a heavier crimp than a 148 gr WC load running 675-725 fps from a revolver.

The reason is that with a revolver there is nothing to absorb initial recoil. Therefore, if the recoil is increased (hotter load) and if the crimp is not firm enough to hold the bullets, then the remaining rounds in the gun will actually lengthen. What happens is that the mass of the bullet in the non-firing charge hole is stable and the the gun and brass recoil back permitting the bullet to resist the movement. After several shots, it is possible that the 5th or 6th round (unfired) actually has an increased OAL. I have seen a load that has suitable crimp work well in a 6-8 inch gun, be a problem when fired out of a small frame short barreled alloy frame gun. This is one of the reasons that most revolver bullets have a cannelure grove to crimp into. Full wadcutters are often either seated flush with a slight roll crimp over the leading edge, or crimped into the lead slightly. Most .38s lead bullets are sized to .358 anyway so you are not crushing the bullet to any degree that likely matters. Look at any factory new loaded revolver ammo, and it reveals what most would say is over crimped. There is a reason.

Basic rule on loading for revlovers, especially cartridges which were designed for revolvers, i.e. .38spl, .357mag, .44mag is bullet weight up or hotter load requires more crimp than lighter load. Slower burning powders also require a firmer crimp than a fast burning powder. To put it another way, over crimping or under crimping autos is very detrimental to accuracy. With a revolver undercrimping is more detrimental, whereas one has to be really drastically over crimping to cause problems.

FWIW a good .38 spl 148gr WC load for Bianchi is 3.5 gr WW231 w/firm crimp if taper, or slight roll over front if roll crimp. It should run 850fps +/- . About 3.1 gr of TiteGroup works well too.

Martin

[oldtrooper]

Running a HBWC at 850fps stands the chance of blowing the skirt on the hollow base. If that splits you will see it where the bullet keyholes in the target and it will be out of your group. A solid base wadcutter often called a double ended wad cutter DEWC is better because of this.

[Allgoodhits]

Running a HBWC at 850fps stands the chance of blowing the skirt on the hollow base. If that splits you will see it where the bullet keyholes in the target and it will be out of your group. A solid base wadcutter often called a double ended wad cutter DEWC is better because of this.

I have found this to be true as well. Not all HBWC will be accurate at 840 fps +. In my guns, Hornady HBWC and SPEER HBWC hold up in the 850 fps range. DEWC are surprising accurate to around 900 fps (possibly higher) but I haven't found any to be accurate enough and NOT lead. The 850 comment was specific to his question (concern) for loading for BIANCHI which requires a hotter than normal load for .38 spl wadcutters.

MJ

[revchuck]

A solid base wadcutter often called a double ended wad cutter DEWC is better because of this.

This is a bit nit-picky, but solid-base wadcutters come in two flavors: regular and double-ended. The double-ended can be loaded either end up, since they're symmetrical, but the regular solid-based ones can't.

These pictures are from the Magnus Bullets website: http://www.magnusbullets.com/

Edited September 20, 2007 by revchuck

[TonyT]

I have always used the old "stanmdard" load of 2.7 gr. Bullseye. 148 gr. Remington LHBWC seated flush with a very slight crimp. Zero malfunctions with my S&W Model 52.