Need help with .38special load

[Merlin1274]

Ok guys I need help and this seems to be the right place for it.
I am reloading for my Taurus md 65 .357
I am reloading some .38 special loads for it at the moment.
I ordered some lead RNFP with the bevel crimp. Now if I seat the boolit to my Lee Manual specs its does not even go into the bevel. If I seat to the bevel like on do on my 45 Colts then its a good bit shorter then what the manuals say.. I am putting it ontop of HP-38. Manual says 1.440 and if I seat to bevel I am at 1.345
Any one here reload this type boolit and do I seat the bullet to the botton of the bevel or to the top like its supposed to be.. I mainly reload standard Auto rounds.. So this is new territory for me. I did the 2 in the pic for reference with a boolit..
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e119/merlin1274/Jimmy/Mystuff/IMG_20121204_193744.jpg

[Lonegun1894]

Since you said you are shooting these loads in a .357, I would load to the top of the crimp groove and crimp as normal for the sake of good crimp/powder burn/etc. Now this is all without knowing you boolit weight or powder charge since you didn't list those, so take it for what it's worth. As you know, seating the boolit deeper than specs call for will raise pressures, which I would be concerned with if you were to shoot these in an actual .38 Special, but with the added strenght of the .357 revolver you're using, I wouldn't worry about it if you're using a .38 Special powder load and as little OAL difference as your picture shows. I would personally just shoot them and not worry about it since mine are all .357s, like you're using. In fact, I won't allow a .38 in the house due to all my .38 cases being loaded above and beyond what I would trust any .38 to be safe with, and I make sure all my friends know not to use MY .38 loads in anything but a .357.

[Merlin1274]

Sorry about the missing info.. I am wanting to make plinking loads with 4.0grains or so of HP-38 with 125gr LRFN boolits.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Crimp it properly in the groove with the top of the case filling all of the crimping groove, you should have no problem with the pressure in your load. Crimping the boolit below the groove may cause you some problems chambering the cartridge in your revolver. I have one load I seat .10" deep, it's a .44 mag. When seating .10" overly deep I cut back one full grain of Unique, from 10 gr to 9 gr to attain the same 1150 fps. You are no where near those kind of pressures. I would seat the boolit fully in the groove and not cut back on your powder. Really, you should seek a heavier boolit, say at least 145 gr.

[Merlin1274]

Thanks for the help fellas.. Will seek out heavier boolits.

[ReloaderFred]

If you're just loading plinking loads, the 125 gr. bullet will serve you just fine. My favorite .38 revolver plinking load is with a 105 gr. bullet over Bullseye, but I also cast and shoot 125 gr. bullets for this purpose.

With a revolver, the crimp groove is the correct place to judge the seating depth. With your powder charge, you won't have any problems with pressure. The .38 Special is one of the easiest rounds to load, so enjoy your plinking load and revolver.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[atr]

Hey Merlin
yes, use the crimp groove. forget the max min measurements
I shoot a 125 gr in my 38 spl....its a great plinking load,,,and easy on powder...you can also drive it pretty fast and its shown good penetration in my pine boards. If you go for a heavier cast try to find a 158gr semi-wadcutter with a plain base.
atr

[Merlin1274]

Thanks for the help guys..

[gwpercle]

Here is a little tip you may not have picked up on. Seat the boolit to the correct depth, just a hair below the top of the crimp groove, then crimp in a seperate step...this eliminates any lead shaving as sometimes happens when seating and crimping in one step.

gary

[Merlin1274]

Here is a little tip you may not have picked up on. Seat the boolit to the correct depth, just a hair below the top of the crimp groove, then crimp in a seperate step...this eliminates any lead shaving as sometimes happens when seating and crimping in one step.

gary

That is how I did them. Roll Crimp is the Lee Factory die.. I set the Bullet seat die so it does not crimp. I messed up the first one not paying attention to that.. I really appreciate the help..

[JLDickmon]

some of the older cartridges SAAMI OAL's assume a round nose bullet, or at least a SWC with a narrow meplat and a long ogive..

don't sweat it.
Crimp it in the groove.
Use data for a similar weight LRN.