Does anyone load 38 wadcutters with the lead exposed. Loaded to the same COL as a Semi wadcutter?

I reload 148 grain full wadcutters for my Model 52, and I always seat the bullet flush, or *just* below the cartridge rim. They always cycle perfectly in my Model 52, so I take that to mean that I'm doing something right.

Mike

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SWCA (BOD) 2721, SWHF 388

Also load my wadcutters flush or slightly recessed with roll crimp for my Colt Mid Range. Suggestion, try several types of bullets.

I have loaded 45Colt and 38 Special, both with Lyman Button Nose WCs set out like a conventional bullet. Shot in 25-5 & 14. They didn’t shoot as well as the flush loaded at Target velocities. They loaded as conventional bullet of equal weight.
I loaded the Button Nose WC crimped over edge which leaves “button” a little proud. To proud to run in 52. I just loaded 250 DEWCs crimped over edge. I’m leaving them for K38 too. They weren’t loaded in WC cases. I
just got box of HBWCs Hornady that I’m going to load in WC brass after it’s all trimmed and burred. This will be my first loads squeezed up for 52.

I assume you're talking about loading wadcutters for revolver use. I've seated them out hoping for better accuracy in comparison with flush seated wadcutters. I think my results were inconclusive as far as accuracy, but it certainly won't hurt to try it in your gun. Make up a dummy or two to make sure they will fit your cylinder okay if you seat them way out.

No, the gun in question is a semiauto target pistol. It is designed specifically for the use of full wadcutter bullets.

I reload .38 HBWC's for revolver use. I am lazy and don't trim cases. I seat HBWC's about 1/16th in. proud of the typical case mouth to ensure I don't squash the occasional stretched out case. HBWC's, and all bullet types, have a considerable jump from cylinder charge hole across the forcing cone. Can't see where bullet seating depth has any effect on accuracy.

Some comment as mike. I seat mine flush.

Pardon me. I wasn't aware it was a semi-auto. When I had a 52, I seated them flush, had to for it to work, OAL= 1.16".

Wadcutters, or semiwads as well, come with a crimping groove (cannelure). They are to be seated as required, not at any arbitrary depth. If loaded as intended the results should meet anyone's requirements.

If you seat a WC flush you aren’t going to be crimping in any groove. Many other style bullets do have a crimp groove.

Most "Full" wadcutters are of the 148 gr HB or BB style, while

a Semi wadcutter is usually found on the larger 158 lead bullet style.

I have tried a 148 gr at a OAL of 1.26" but it did not work out.

The OAL on a 158 Lwc is dictated by the makers mold, which can be different.

Do have a picture or number on that Semi bullet ?

Let's review something everyone knows. If you seat wad-cutters "out," particularly as far out as SWC, you'll be altering the pressure. Probably a little less pressure and that might make for poorer performance and likely lower velocities.

I seat WC so they protrude slightly from the case mouth, about 3/32nds from the cutting edge of the projectile. Most of the WC I use have a cannelure at that place; they aren't flush but pretty close. Performance has been excellent across a wide variety of revolvers (don't own a semi-auto .38 Special).

That 3/32nds of an inch is generally about where SWC get seated on my bench but there's a little less projectile in the case due to there being a little more projectile out of the case (depending somewhat on the design of your chosen SWC).

With this seating depth I feel pretty good about using published WC loading data which is probably calculated for flush seating. If you're gonna leave 'em out much further pressures may vary from the published info (which may, or may not, make much practical difference to you).

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Ordnung muss sein
SWHF #789

I too experimented with DEW seated from lube groove, as long as cylinder would allow, to flush, light roll crimp to no crimp and for me not much noticeable difference if any. I settled on a 150 gr DEWC button nose seated to the crimp groove with a very light roll crimp. (I also had a "house gun" load of the 150 DEWC over max loads of W231 for about 875 fps in my 3" 38 Special. Accurate out to 15 yards, didn't test at longer ranges, and I expected good tissue damage)...

Yes. For my Rossi carbine. They shoot straight, too.

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Some wadcutter’s have a crimp groove and are designed to “stick out some”. Called button nose wadcutters, I believe. They are very accurate in revolvers, don’t know if they would work in a M52.

I realize the the Model 52 is a special case.
My original post was intended to be relative to revolvers. I did not consider the other weapons, such as the Rossi 92, That may use them.

so how about 45 long colt?

The 45 colt has lead semi wadcutters and RN bullets as well as
Jacket semi, FN and JHP bullet designs, in my manuals.

No HB or BB full wadcutters, of any kind, that I can find.

Moulds are & have been made for 45 wadcutters even HB . Matt's Bullets has 4 or 5 designs quite reasonably priced . See what gun likes prior to buying a mould or buying a bunch . Good guy doesn't use **** lube & super hard alloy either , will custom size etc . Cast some good bullets too .

For the 38 Special I use 2 different WC bullets as available.

The DEWC gets seated to the top crimp groove with a very light roll crimp which exposes very little lead. That's where that bullet is meant to be seated by the manufacturer.

The HBWC gets seated flush to the case mouth like it was intended.

I guess you can experiment with seating depths but IMO those bullets were designed buy people who know a heck of a lot more about bullets than I do.

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SWCA #3437

FAEC64A3-5FC4-4A00-9E04-21EFF2CE7F4E.jpgFound this pic of my most common 38 Spl. loads. My 19 love the 3 “ normal” ones and Colt Mid Range likes the flush crimped one.

Someone say wadcutter? Here’s my .357 Magnum cartridge trying to act like a .45 Colt.

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SAECO 453 is a 235 grain wadcutter. I use it in a 45 ACP, but you should be able to load it in the 45 long Colt also.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

It depends on the wadcutter design in my experience. The wadcutters from MBC had a small groove near the top so it would stick out, while the Hornady bullets were meant to crimped over the top. The MBC bullets were honestly too hard and literally bounced off of steel targets, while the Hornady disintegrated upon impact and had much more consistent velocity.

Yes ... Lyman #358432 is a full wadcutter design with a crimping groove located where the crimp groove on a SWC would be located .
It was made in two weights 140 grain and 160 grain .
I load the 160 gr.
Lyman no longer produces this mould ... I had a used single cavity off E-Bay ... when I discovered all my 38/357 revolvers shot this bullet accurately and to the fixed sighted revolvers POA = POI with this 160 grain bullet ... I started looking and found NOE Bullet Moulds makes a re-creation / improved version in 4 cavity aluminum ... I bought one so fast it made my head spin .
Now it's about the only bullet I load ... I don't know why it is so accurate but the holes just like to cluster close to each other ... I've used 700X, Bullseye , Red Dot , HP-38 , Accurate #2 and TiteGroup ... and every powder gives excellant accuracy ...which is very unusual ... it's one of those designs that likes to shoot and isn't picky . Check it out at NOE...
www.noebulletmoulds.com
it is mould # 360-160-WC PB (360432)
If you like cast wadcutters , this one is worth a look-see.
I got a solid point mould but it also comes in convertible flat point , cup point and hollow point pin set up ... like 3 moulds in one . I just target shoot but the cup point and/or hollow points would make awesome hunting / defense loads !
Gary

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NRA Member

What are you looking to gain by seating longer than normal?

I am sure you already know that seating any projectile longer than it was intended to be drops chamber pressure and requires more powder to achieve the same velocity as the known data.

There is a wide selection of wad cutters available for the 38/357 revolvers. However most are not commercially available so you have to cast your own

These projectiles range in weight from 75 grains all the way up to 165 grains. Some are specifically designed to be seated long while others are intended to be seated flush.

For those folks that do not or can not cast their own projectiles Matt's Bullets offers lead wad cutters in many calibers, weights and designs. There are 14 wad cutter choices for the 38/357 revolvers listed on Matt's website


Ed,
Absolutely both hollow base and solids have existed for the 45 for decades. Like I mentioned above regarding the 38s, these usually require one to do their own casting

While I do not own a HBWC mold for the 45, I do have one for my 41 Magnums

Here are Matt's Bullets offerings for the 45. By no means are these the only designs that exist, Matt just makes these three easy to get for the non-caster

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"Acta non verba"

I am just a low shelf reloader and only buy bullets from the store or a few from the net.

I don't make my bullets or bother with any type of "Cast" bullets
since I started back in 1968 ?

Speer, Remington, Hornady & Winchester have enough bullets for me to play with.

These are from Accurate molds. I think this is what you are looking for.

Stu

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