reloading for Smith and Wesson

[buggybuilder]

I have never reloaded a cartridge for a revolver. What I need to know is: when reloading for a wad-cutter bullet, do I seat the bullet so all the grease grooves are inside the brass and only about .060" is protruding from the case? Or do you load them out as far as possible like a rifle bullet? I will have plenty of room for the powder either way 'cause I'm using only about 6 gr. or less of Unique.
Thanks for any help.

buggybuilder

[Nobade]

It depends on the style of wadcutter. If you're using regular cast grease groove ones, they normally have a crimp groove you can seat them to. If using hollow base ones, just seat them flush with the case mouth and a light roll crimp over the edge.

I suppose you could seat the cast ones out if they will fit in the chambers, but be aware that in every case I have mentioned, the amount of powder you use will be considerably different. If you are using a load book, note what overall length they worked up the loads for and follow that. In a 38 a little difference in seating depth will make a large difference in pressures generated.

-Nobade

[buggybuilder]

My mould is an Ideal 358495 if that would help.

[dbosman]

That design should be seated with the shoulder even with the case mouth, then a light crimp. The button protrudes.

Where you might read about seating pistol bullets out is Elmer Keith's design that had two crimp groves. The lower grove was used for Hot .38 Special loads. The same load in .357 mag cases used the top crimp grove.

[John in WI]

Hi Buggy,
I recently started a thread on .38 wadcutters and a lot of good information came out of it. I wanted to know about making fairly hot WCs, and how I was concerned about how little room they left in the case. Several members said that they seated to the first grease groove, which puts the shank of the bullet into the case about the same distance as a semi-WC. I haven't tried it yet and can't vouch for the results. All of my target/plinking WCs were seated to the crimp groove over a fairly wimpy load of Unique. (even wimpy WC loads can do amazing damage to water jugs and phone books!)

I see you're near Horicon. I grew up in New Holstein, just down the road. Crazy amounts of wild life out there (if you can handle the mosquitos).

[runfiverun]

run a trial from flush to using the boolits to center things in the throat.
I have a swc boolit that shoots much more accurately in 38 special brass with that looong jump, than it does in 357 brass.
I also have a full wadcutter that wants to be centered in the throat with 357 brass.
it also shoots very well when pushed hard from the same position.

[44man]

Boolit jump to the cone just does not mean a thing in a revolver. There are good suggestions given here but I have not shot a wad cutter for about 60 years so I will be little help.
It is still trying, to see what you get. The only answer is the target.

[bobthenailer]

For your lyman 358495 WC bullet they list the correct COL @1.310 loaded in 38 special cases.
And 1.560 col for the 357 mag case

[TenTea]

For your lyman 358495 WC bullet they list the correct COL @1.310 loaded in 38 special cases.
And 1.560 col for the 357 mag case

Thanks for all the info guys.
I'm about to begin casting with the same mold and will soon be working up some mild target loads.
...off to search for John's wadcutter thread!

eta: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?193380-Can-anyone-recommend-a-zippy-148gr-38-WC-load

[palmettosunshine]

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff1/palmettosunshine/IMG_20130101_165910.jpg (http://s237.photobucket.com/user/palmettosunshine/media/IMG_20130101_165910.jpg.html)
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff1/palmettosunshine/IMG_20130101_155616.jpg (http://s237.photobucket.com/user/palmettosunshine/media/IMG_20130101_155616.jpg.html)

When seated flush, sprue up, like the one on the left in the first pic these Lee 148 WC are deadly accurate. When seated to the first groove (on the right, 1st pic) with the button up these keyholed at 7 yards and had the accuracy of a scattergun. These were in .38 special brass with both Bullseye and TrailBoss (don't have my load data in front of me). Both fired from a S&W 638 and a Model 65-3. The flush mounted ones were a nice, neat round hole in the paper. The others looked like my 6 yr old hit the target with a stick. Guess which ones I'll be loading from now on.....

[ddixie884]

6gr of Unique powder sounds like a lot, unless you are using .357 brass.