A little help please- cartridge overall length .357 MAG

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I've been casting nice shiny .357 mag wadcutters. They weigh about 143 gr with 16:1 PB/SN. What's the proper cartridge overall length? It's a Lyman 358495. To be used with Ruger blackhawk & security-six revolvers

[Butler Ford]

No help here, just "thinking out loud" I don't think I remember any wadcutter that wasn't flush seated!!????

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all that I've seen looked like they were seated nearly flush but not quite

[dubber123]

I'd seat it to the top groove, and leave the front drive band sticking out of the case. I think that design has lube grooves on the bottom, and smaller crimp grooves up top. I always liked to get a full diameter band closer to the throats to help center it better in the chamber.

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Is there that much leeway? I'm kinda new at reloading for revolvers, I didn't realize I had so much disgression.

[dualsport]

My Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook gives a OAL for that boolit of 1.435" in a .357 case. The diameter will probably affect accuracy more than OAL, but it's a start. Seating deeper will increase pressures when you go to develop a load. Maybe read up here about measuring cylinder throats, that's the key. Surprisingly the 'potentially most accurate load' listed is a max charge, 16.3 gr. IMR 4227 for 1365 fps and 39,600 cup. I'm surprised to see a max load in that category. If it was me I would start out much slower.

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Thanks. I slugged the cylinders, the blackhawk is right around .358 while the security-six is a uniform .357 thtroughout.

[mooman76]

Seat it at flush or just above. Don't make much difference.

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Well thanks very much guys.