If it were me I’d seat them to the cannelure/crimp groove.

 

I agree with Firpo. Did both of those bullets come from X-treme? With that new Diamondback I got yesterday, I am going to get back to loading myself some .38 special and those bullets look very good to me.

The only full wadcutter loads I have ever seen have been flush with the end of the brass and crimped on the end of the bullet.

I looked in my Lyman #49 but they do not have any 148 grain wadcutters listed, the closest they have is a 150 grain and they show a 1.317 OAL. My Hornady #9 does have 148 grain bullets listed and they show 1.180 as the OAL. 1.160 and 1.180 are close enough that I would tend to think yours are just fine.

 

I agree with Firpo. Did both of those bullets come from X-treme?

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, both of those came from Xtreme:
https://www.xtremebullets.com/38-148-WC-p/xc38-148wc-b0500.htm
https://www.xtremebullets.com/38-148gr-WC-p/x38-148wc-b0500.htm

The prices seem a little high now - I picked them up during the Christmas sale - I think they were $36 and $38 per 500.

To satisfy my curiosity, I just made up 5 of each, crimped at the cannelure. The lead came out at 1.240" and the plated at 1.225" . I'll put 'em over a chrono and test for accuracy next time I can get to the range.

 

Weren't most factory wadcutters loaded flush with the case mouth? I think this was done to enable them to work in the S&W Model 52 pistols.

 

It mentioned that in my manual. I load them further out myself just cause I like it better and have never had any issues. Accuracy is amazing out of my S&W 586-3.

 

I just checked my Hornady manual and it Calls for a COL of 1.165”. That said, I’d still use the crimp groove.

 

I just checked my Hornady manual and it Calls for a COL of 1.165". That said, I'd still use the crimp groove.

My #9 showed 1.180!

Weren't most factory wadcutters loaded flush with the case mouth? I think this was done to enable them to work in the S&W Model 52 pistols.

As I mentioned earlier, every one I have ever seen were flush with the end of the case, but I don't know if it had anything to do with a certain gun, or not.

 

The S&W Model 52 was a semi automatic pistol chambered for 38 wadcutters only. They had to flush with the case.

 

38 special is pretty forgiving if being fired from a revolver. As long as the cartridge doesn't extend past the cylinder OCL doesn't matter much. A much bigger concern is the relationship between seating depth, and the powder you are using.
As a general rule, you want the bullet seated just touching the powder. Too much air space can increase pressure past where you want it. Compressing the powder is also not a good idea.
As different powders will have different volume characteristics, it's much more important to pay attention to where the powder fills the case to than worrying about the cannelure. As the manufacturer has no idea what powder you might choose, the cannelure becomes almost arbitrary.

 

Rimrock has a sale going now.

148 gr double-ended wadcutters, $41.50 for SIX hundred.

http://rimrockbullets.com/xcart/-38-357-dewc-148-gr-per-500.html

Also a New Years Sale. $100 order and above, free shipping 'til the end of January.

 

Thanks Alpo, I put that in my favorites since I have already spent WAY to much on guns and stuff this month, already!!

 

i'd like to see a loaded pic of those two projectiles Yep380. especially the jacketed one. They look quite different from the DEWC I load.

 

This is one I did with the Rimrock bullet, which appears to be the same mold. As you can see, I crimped in the groove, so the bullet sits proud to the casemouth.

 

Seating depth for wadcutters in 38 Special is almost irrelevant, except for the S&W 52. I don't crimp my WC loads anymore I just reduce flare as I would with my semi-autos (and even that isn't necessary). I have seated my DEWC everywhere from flush to 1/4" out of the case and as long as they fit the cylinder they shoot fine. I have a Lee standard lube groove mold and an old single cavity mold of ?? manufacture with one lube groove and a crimp groove (double ended) and seat both to the crimp groove...

FWIW, I have a load for my "House 38" which is a DEWC over a hot load of W231. I figger that would hurt a bad guy without going over into my neighbor's house...

 

I crimp mine, but that's for 357.

 

As for "not crimping wadcutters", the first pistol I bought was an 18 ounce 357. I bought "reloaded wadcutters" at the pawn shop (50 in a paper lunch bag for $3.00, fifty cents of which was a deposit on the brass) and Remington 158 grain SJHP magnums. Two magnums and three 38s in the cylinder. Fire the two magnums and the cylinder would not turn.

The recoil of those two had caused the (uncrimped) wadcutters to walk forward so far they were sticking out the end of the cylinder, hitting the side of the barrel and preventing movement.

Had to push them back in the case with a pencil, so I could open the dang cylinder.

I crimp EVERYTHING.

 

Thanks, I like the look of that, and yes.. I crimp anything that calls for a crimp.

 

Yup, if it has a cannelure, crimp it.

 

Thanks, I personally like the last two, I like cannelures and crimp grooves..i hate locked up actions from bullet migration, or 'fell into the hole' from not enough neck tension.

 

I agree with howln, a tad more crimp on the two on the left.

 

It has been a lot of years since I've done a WC in my 38. But were my favorite bullet at one time. As I remember the mold I had threw a bullet with a crimp bullet's so inexpensive groove around the bullet just below the top of it.

Got question if it's alright. How are those bullet company's selling those bullet's so inexpensively? I'm sitting here thinking that you couldn't buy enough lead to do 500 124gr bullet's for what they are asking. I keep coming up with about 10# of lead to make them? What's lead going for a pound?

 

I vote for the two on the right.

 

8.9, actually. Pure lead is less than a buck a pound.

Sooo - 9 dollars worth of lead.

 

Now look what ya went and made me do. Kind of funny looking if you ask me but I'll give them a whirl and see what's what. I have no idea why anyone would want to push a HBWC 1250fps but okay?? These guys are going to get around 3 grains of W231 and head down range at a blistering speed of 800fps.

 

Load mine flush or 1/16 out.Saw some photos online of a totally blown apart S&W .38-the article said the guy used a normal(?)2.5gr of Bullseye BUT wc were an 1/8 of inch below case mouth.How do you do that unless use wrong stem or ???

 

You do it by not paying attention.

 

Buildup of bullet lube and lead shavings on the bottom of the seater plug.

 

I shoot a ton of these. 148 grain HBWC. Seat almost flush. Wee bit O Bullseye.

 

So guys, I shot these today (and shot my chronograph, see other thread, lol).

Gun used was a S&W Model 38 snub with a 5 round cylinder. Here's the data...

The almost flush lead rounds averaged out at just a hair over 700fps. This data is from the first string of five. I shot the chrono on the first round of the second string. After that, the chrono still worked and reported similar averages on the next 3 cylinders - so I believe the chrono was still accurate.

5 cylinders of copper plated, all loaded flush, shot at an average of 600fps. These felt softer shooting as well.

Both the lead and copper were loaded with the exact same load of powder. I'm curious why the 100fps difference?

Both the lead and copper plated that were seated longer (to the cannelure) were consistently 50fps slower than the flush seated rounds - the copper was shooting around 550fps.

There was no distunguishable difference in accuracy for any of the rounds. I was standing and using single action action.

 

GDMoody, I have loaded and fired thousands of .38 Spl/ Wadcutters, both DEWC and HBWC, and never used any other load but 2.8 Gr. of Bullseye. It works great in everything from my !2' Barreled .357 Mag. Taurus Target Hunter revolver, my Model 28 S&W, Charter Arms Snubby, and my "Windicater" .357 Mag. One thing I always do tho, is to use a "Walter's Wad" vegetable fiber wad pushed down over the small Bullseye charge, to keep it right next to the primer hole. Since the .38 Spl. was originally a Blackpowder load, you have the long case with a LOT of extra space in it, which could cause detonation-- bad news! I always also crimp the case right over the edge of the bullet, never had a problem. Your MV should be running around 650 fps, depending on barrel length.
I use the same recipe/procedure with .357 Mag. cases, and push the fiber wad down over the powder charge with a 1/4 " wooden dowel, with a rubber cap on the end, it saves your palm, after doing a box or more.
The Walter's wads are available from Midway, for around $16./1000
That recipe makes me look good, and I can get 10 bulls on a 4" target at 25 yards, from a rest with it, and that's with 80 year old eyes! Usually 6 of the rounds are in the "X" ring--