Cartridge Overall Length -- Barry's bullets

[khpe]

Hei,

How did I decide the "Cartridge Overall Length" on my Barry's plated bullets without canelure or crimping grove.

I have
.38 spl 158gr RN
.38 spl 125gr HP

Weapon is 4" S&W M10

Also. -- Have you any tips of type of crimp on the Barry's bullets. I have Lee FC roll crimp die, Lyman taper crimp die, Redding Profile crimp die, and RCBS seater/taper crimp die. -- Usage: shooting range plinking.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Any crimp on a plated bullet should be slight so as not to damage the plating. While I never have used plated bullets in the 38spl I have used them extensively in automatic cartridges, 9mm, 40S&W and 45ACP.

Here is a picture of a Ranier and Berry 230gr 45ACP side by side. The Ranier had been loaded. You can see the taper crimp impression in it. No bullet set back is going to happen with that kind of crimp.

On the matter of OAL, find a bullet that is similar in profile and bullet overall length and use it for comparison. The OAL is not as critical as how much of the bullet is in the case. That's called seating depth. The picture also shows a difference regarding that when using the same weight bullets from different manufacturers.

Hope this helps.

 

[Missionary]

Good morning KHPE
Me I would get me a fired case, knock out the primer, and insert one of those cast bullets. Seat it long and try it in your cylinder. Then just keep seating the bullet deeper until it just bumps your forcing cone inside your cylinder. You will need to try it in all the cylinders to be sure they are all the same.
Now you know the MAX OAL for that bullet in that revolver.
With you Lee factory Crimp you can put the squeeze to it anywhere.
MORE important is that the bullet is large enough diameter to FILL the chamber mouths on firing. If it is undersized you have a problem.. especially if it is so called HARD CAST. Just take a few and see if they are a tight fit getting pushed through the cylinders. If they easily pass I would contact the seller.. you NEED fatter bullets.
Me I cast my own from 50 /50 Wheel weight & pure lead. I size them .001 - .002 over my cylinder diameter and never have leading. They expand on contact. Overly hard bullets are near worthless to me unless I am pushing them with a real good smack in the base.