Got my bullets from Oregon Trail/Lasercast--very helpful staff and quick shipping--and loaded up two batches of these, 3.2 and 3.5 grains Bullseye. I'm using a Dillon 550, and they advise that their crimp die is a combination of roll and taper. I get the impression that grokking proper crimp is a combination of experience and experimentation, and I know it's hard to judge from a photo, but whaddayas think of the attached pic? Alas work will prevent me from range trials for 5 weeks.

Many thanks in advance.

I hope I got it that time.

Attached Images

WC Closeup.jpg (119.5 KB, 196 views)

I have to load mine flush with a taper crimp or they won't work in my Model 52. If I seated them like you have they wouldn't chamber correctly and the gun wouldn't function properly. The gun shoots great once you perfect a load that works.

Thats a great light crimp for the Revolver models.......
I never owned a 38 Auto.

Looks good to me.

I usually don't crimp for LWC's. I just close up the belling. I have read that this is the way to go for LWC loads many times over the years.
But, you can seat those beveled bullets to just a bit proud of the case mouth, maybe 1/16" or so, and then close up the case mouth.
That will make it a whole lot easier to get them in the cylinder if you are using speed loaders.

I have loaded thousands of swaged HBWC's and thousands of my own cast BBWC's.....ran all of them over Bullseye....shot bullseye comp, and PPC comp for years....have loaded for revolvers and 52's as well.....I usually seated mine so as to duplicate factory loads, which was flush...and tightened the belling down to where the bullet was secure in the case. Easy to tell when you shoot a cylinder full of them...look at the 6th round before you fire it and see if the bullet shifted. I think what you have there in your pic will work just fine....wadcutters are inherently accurate and cutting a "rathole" in that X & 10 ring always gave me the "warm & fuzzie's".....good shooting.

Seat mine about an RCH deeper, with a tighter crimp. Used the Buffalo Bore wadcutters as my guide.

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I believe in the wadcutter.

I load mine as per factory, FLUSH-- I only use them in my MDL 52 so can only attest to that. I don't believe your loading would work in a 52, but should be fine in a revolver. JMHO.

Just don't do what I did a couple of decades ago.. load a WC flush over 5 grains of Unique for a revolver then fire it in a .38 wad auto. Blew out the case head, shattered the wood grips and stung the heck out of my 8 YO son that was shooting it. I kept that case for years, might still have it as a reminded to think ahead.

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Old paratrooper in NC

I load 148 gr DEWC from Rim Rock Bullets with 3.2 gr of W231. I use a medium/light roll crimp, into the grove (similar to your pictures) with good results. These are only for wheel guns. With Hornady HBWC I crimp flush and even lighter with 3.0 gr.

Those bullets seem to be DEWC bullets so you are seating them correctly, to the crimp groove. If they were HBWC bullets you would want to seat them flush to the case mouth with little to no crimp.

The crimp you used looks fine or you could add just a little more. Run your finger over the case mouth and if it feels like the case is even with the bullet it's perfect. I always like to crimp a bullet that supplies a crimp groove but it's not a must with wadcutters as long as you remove the bell.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Trooperdan: is that load just too hot? Does the 52 require reduced loads compared to revolvers? I'm not familiar with Unique specs.

ArchAngelCD: Thanks--I did that and it feels pretty smooth. It's just a little disconcerting to see that bevel (not quite the right term) at the case mouth--makes me wonder if I overcrimped.

All: Yup the bullets have crimping grooves so I was aiming to crimp there.

I have yet to have any problems when using the companys CANNELURE for the loads OAL;

with a very light to heavy crimp, depending on the type of bullet and if it is a target or maximum load for the weapon I am reloading for, per the manuals data for that load.

It is a great AID to reloaders just starting out............bullets without a cannelure need a little more information and knowledge to set up a load.

Good shooting.

Yes the M52 requires light full wadcutter loads only! A classic load is Bullseye powder 2.7 to maybe 3.2 grains and the 3.2 gr load is only for solid base wadcutters, the hollow-base will usually have a skirt separation if you go over 2.9 gr or so.
My mistake was making a revolver load that looked like and could be fired in a .38 SPL wadcutter gun, my gun was a Colt Gold Cup but the load was waay excessive for any .38 SPL auto.

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Old paratrooper in NC

All,

THANK YOU for the (as always) awesome input. Almost makes up for the cash hemorrhage you've caused... :----)

Does anyone think that the 3.5 gr Bullseye is too hot? Reading an Ed Harris article, it sounds like that is max for DEWCs and yup too much for HBWCs.

Pigirondan,

Are you basing the OAL RCH on eyeballing that tiny gap between the top of the case and the rear ledge of the crimp groove? How are you judging crimp? Just trying to calibrate my eyeballs...

I think 3.5 Bullseye is too hot for the M52... no reason for it. Your most accurate load is usually below 3.0 BE with a HBWC.

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Old paratrooper in NC

one of my old Alliant data manuals has 3.1 grs of Bullseye at
OVER 850 fps for the 38 spl..............and we all have heard what can happen to a HBwc at this velosity............

I agree with a 2.9 grain load for a standard target load velosity that you don't have to worry about.
My revolver load of 2.7grs of Bullseye, out shoots the factory Remington loads, big time.