My Plan - plated bullets without cannelure

[38SPL HV]

To approximate the velocity of factory 38 Spl +P 125 gr sjhp from my J frame 642 Airweight, I purchased Berrys plated 125 gr HP bullets and intend to load them over 6.0 grs Unique in 38Spl +P cases.

Since these bullets do not have a cannelure, I intend to crimp them with my 38/357 Redding Taper Crimp die to stop bullet creep in the Airweight.

I do not have much experience with taper crimping 38 Spl +P using plated bullets. Do you think a taper crimp will be sufficient for this +P loading in the Airweight?

 

[colt_saa]

You should be just fine with a taper crimp die for 38 Special, even in the alloy framed snub nose.

 

[stansdds]

Let us know how and what works out for you. I tried Rainier plated 158 grain truncated cone bullets in 357 Magnum brass, loaded to 38 Special +P velocity. I tried roll crimping and taper crimping and neither proved to be a solution to bullets creeping out of the cases under recoil.

 

[mikld]

I would say try it and see. If you already have the tools and components, what's to lose? Light revolver, upper loads, slick sided bullet w/o cannalure? Try a few...

If I'm going to purchase bullets for a specific purpose (SD?), I would just buy jacketed bullets for a few pennies more. But I don't count costs for my reloading...

 

[fredj338]

May or may not work. The issue with plated is over crimping destroys the plating integrity & often ruins accuracy but at contact distances, not likely an issue.

 

[Sevens]

If I were doing this, my big concern would lie with the light weight of the revolver and the chance that other rounds would creep forward under recoil. To test, I would take a few random rounds and mark them with a Sharpie. Load up five, one being marked. Shoot the four rounds that are NOT marked, do not shoot the marked round.

After those four, measure the COAL of the marked round and see if that round crept under recoil. If no, load that marked round up again along with four other unmarked and repeat the test.

Do the same test with other marked rounds until you are confident that none of them will creep.

NOTE: if you are not using very similar brass with similar case wall thickness, you may find yourself with ammo that ties up the revolver. While this may not be "life or death" if it's only practice ammo, it sure can mess up a good range day if the revolver gets tied up.

 

[Beauetienne]

What he said. Not complicated.

You should be just fine with a taper crimp die for 38 Special, even in the alloy framed snub nose.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Those smooth walled bullets should be ok with standard speed loads for practice but if they are for SD work

and you want a Full Load and maximum fps, I would buy a box of JHP that have a cannelure, so there will be no bullet jump that might cause problems.

The Berry JHP target bullet 9mm does great in my pistols at 1020fps.
Good luck.