wadcutter reloading

[DixieLandMan]

I have a lot of wadcutter bullets that I want to reload. I have Lee dies and presses. My question is "Is there a special seating die?" I mean the projectile is in the case itself so how can you load the round?

Thank you!

[carver]

Read the info that came with the dies. Lee dies will load wadcutters just fine. Crimp at the crimp ring.

Many pistol does come with different seater plugs for RN, flat point and others. Just make sure you have the proper seater plug installed and start seating them make a dummy round and eat the bullet then adjust the die then do it again. I do that till I have the seating depth and OAL that I want.

[Frogtop]

Easy peasy. I find that the pointy bullets are the most sensitive to the shape of the seater plug. For DEWC I crimp of the edge of the bullet as they don't have crimp cannalures. I try to avoid over crimping here as it would be easy to do.

[DixieLandMan]

Is the seater plug the same one that I use for my regular bullets? i found the load info yesterday when I was looking at the manual that came with the dies. I also make a few dummy rounds before I get my case length right.

[carver]

If you are making wadcutters for a pistol the OL is not that critical. Crimp in the crimp ring. There are several different types of wadcutters, what are you using, and what gun will it be shot in?

[DixieLandMan]

I forgot the grain weight but they are lead, DEWC and they will be shot out of a .38 Special. I'll have to weigh them tonight. I guess the real question here is with the seating die, do you screw it down all the way? With the JHP's that I just loaded, it took a few dummy rounds to get the OAL right. Guess I have to try and make some dummy rounds for this one too. I have no problem with that.

[DixieLandMan]

I finally realized what I needed to ask how to do. How do I seat the projectile into the case if it is a wadcutter round that has to be flush with the case?

Thank you!

[oldgunfan]

I seat them so that there is about 1/8in to a 1/16th from being flush, It's allways worked for me.

[Frogtop]

Originally Posted by oldgunfan

I seat them so that there is about 1/8in to a 1/16th from being flush, It's allways worked for me.

I seat them flush with the seater plug and crimp over the edge. My RCBS 38/357 dies came with three seater plugs for the various shaped bullets. I use the one for flat nose that works well with the WC. AS Oldgunfan said you can leave a bit out and the soft lead of the WC will allow the crimp and a mininal will suffice for WC loads. Keep at it, keep asking questions; that's the way I learned and I still ask, read, etc.

[carver]

Originally Posted by DixieLandMan

I finally realized what I needed to ask how to do. How do I seat the projectile into the case if it is a wadcutter round that has to be flush with the case?

Thank you!

Keep at it, you'll get down in a short while. Yes you have to change the seating depth every time you swich form one type of bullet to another. I buy the .38 caliber 158gr DEWC 1,000 at a time. Once you get to reloading them you will find that they make excelent practice rounds that are a lot cheaper than store bought stuff.

[Frogtop]

Originally Posted by carver

Keep at it, you'll get down in a short while. Yes you have to change the seating depth every time you swich form one type of bullet to another. I buy the .38 caliber 158gr DEWC 1,000 at a time. Once you get to reloading them you will find that they make excelent practice rounds that are a lot cheaper than store bought stuff.

This is exactly the same thing I load for practice and is fun shooting as is not that loud and recoil is almost non-existent. You save money on the bullets by buying bulk swagged WC's and it takes very little powder, especially if using something like Red Dot or another shotgun powder. Load these light with powder following the manuals, otherwise you will have to learn another technique called "how to remove lead from a pistol barrel". Not a fun way to spend an evening.