Hunters supply 158 grain lead flat nose

[Gram1289]

I know this topic has been covered extensively on these forums, but I still have questions. I’m reloading 38 special for my revolvers and lever action. If I crimp into the crimping groove, my overall length with be well short of anything I find published anywhere for overall length. Why is that? From my reading in these forums, crimping into the bullets crimping groove is appropriate, but with it being shorter overall, is that not going to increase my pressure? Should I keep my powder charged at the lower end of the spectrum? The rounds are cycling fine through the lever gun and obviously fit into the revolver cylinder fine. Or should I be crimping into the side of the bullet outside of the groove to achieve the published overall length for a certain powder charge?

[onelight]

Use the crimp grove but find load data for a similar shaped bullet and start at the bottom load and work up .It will raise pressure if you have more bullet in the case than the one used in the loading manual but with a little research and workup you can safely make it work.

[bmortell]

ya use data for a design that puts the base in the most similar position in the case. sometimes that could be just using data for a heavier design. or you can do some figuring and think the normal case volume from the bottom inside of the case to the boolit base is 1" and this design sticks down .050" more or in other words removes 1/20th of my case volume which is 5% so ill reduce charge by 5%. just as random number example. hard to figure exactly but you can get to within normal load workup pressures without too much effort.