Newbie reloader, critique first completed rounds

[Kalison]

So finally got some powder. Loaded up my first batch of .38 Special.

158 SWC starting loads.

Let me know if you see any problems. The C.O.L. calls for 1.475

All mine are coming in at 1.470-1.472. reason enough to re-calibrate the bullet seater?

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[novalty]

Nice job with those 38's!

 

[Riccur]

Shoot them one at a time until you are sure there are no issues.

 

[forestswin]

look pretty good, but they only appear to have a slight crimp, if any

see pictures in posts 23 & 26 of this thread for good crimps on 357 rounds:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/383490-first-time-seating-bullets-not-good.html
(credit Rule 3 for nice pic's)

also, test them in the chambers of your handgun for fit - before you call it good. If they fit fine in the chambers the COL doesn't matter much - you already have the SWC's seated correctly - with the top of the case just under the driving shoulder

who makes the bullets?

 

[Collo Rosso]

With SWC's in a revolver don't worry so much about OAL as getting the roll crimp in the crimp groove. Hard to tell from pic's but it looks like you could of seated the bullets a few thousands less and not had the roll crimp touching the rifling band.
If you learn something every time you reload your doing good!

 

[fatman73]

Nice job


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[Moe Mentum]

Roll crimp it into the groove, I can't tell if you have a good roll crimp or not, sometimes pictures are deceiving.

 

[Kalison]

Thank you for all the feedback!

I'll post another photo so you guys can see if the crimp is not enough.

If so, I am guessing another 1/4 turn or so to get it a little tighter.

I will also adjust the seated just a bit so its a little lower than the rifling rim.

The bullets are from Bumble Bee Cast Bullet Co. They are local here in Utah.

 

[Collo Rosso]

Crimping seems to be more art than science. It's to keep the bullet from moving forward under recoil and locking up the cylinder. Hard to say how much is needed but if it does that your O.K. You can take a caliper with you to the range and measure O.A.L. every round to see if the bullets are pulling out. When I loaded my first hot magnum rounds I did just that.
A second purpose of the crimp is to aid in powder burn. I was getting unburned powder with some magnum loads and it was suggested to tighten the crimp to raise pressure and get a more complete burn. It worked.

 

[series guy]

Those look perfect. OAL isn't really important in a revolver. The bullet design really determines overall length. Unless you're loading super heavy bullets for the caliber you won't have any problems.

 

[Kalison]

Crimping seems to be more art than science. It's to keep the bullet from moving forward under recoil and locking up the cylinder. Hard to say how much is needed but if it does that your O.K. You can take a caliper with you to the range and measure O.A.L. every round to see if the bullets are pulling out. When I loaded my first hot magnum rounds I did just that.


A second purpose of the crimp is to aid in powder burn. I was getting unburned powder with some magnum loads and it was suggested to tighten the crimp to raise pressure and get a more complete burn. It worked.

Excellent information! Thank you!

 

[forestswin]

they look good now - yep - I'd agree - add a little more to COL (don't seat quite as deep)
that should get rid of the little bit of case buckling - but what you have there now are good to go

you should be proud

range report and pictures of the target with the holes they make are required afterwards

 

[Rule3]

They look perfect, a few thousandths difference due to case length or bullet variation is not going make any difference. Look great, go shoot them!

Measurement of COAL does not matter as you probably did not trim the brass and are not using the Exact same bullet so where the case mouth and the cannelure meet up is going to vary. So just seat to the cannelure (as you did) and call it good. No need to over crimp a 38 target load. Full power +P or 357 maybe a little more but those are fine.

 

[rwsmith]

A .38 starting load...

A .38 starting load shouldn't need much of a crimp, though yours look like a nice taper crimp if you were loading rimless in a semi auto.

The nice thing about starting out with .38 is that they are easy and very forgiving to load for while you are learning the ropes.

If a bullet has a crimp groove or cannelure, you can't go wrong seating and crimping to this depth. It doesn't have to be seated in the crimp, but proper adjustments need to be made to compensate.

 

[Kalison]

I would like to thank everyone for their feedback!

I have learned a lot just by the few posts here already!

My next batch, I will be pulling the seating die out just a bit and giving the crimp just a little nudge for something more.

 

[MichiganScott]

Nice job. Second picture looks perfect. I wouldn't touch a thing.

The proof will be the size of the group.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Here is a picture of my 38 special die with marks for my crimps
from light to heavy.
You will notice that there is not that much room between the
light crimp mark on the far left and the heavy crimp mark on the far right.
I use four different crimps in all the lead and jacket bullets
that I have loaded over the years.

Hope this might give you an idea of how it works, as least with my die.

 

[Doubless]

I have been loading since 1980 and my loads don't look any better than yours. I think they are perfect.

I would add one thing: while it is true that crimping may help with holding a projectile in place, to me that is very minor. As was already stated, crimp helps with powder burn. The primary method of holding a projectile in place is brass tension on the bullet, and that is regulated by the sizing process.

If you have an inertia bullet puller you might use it to disassemble one round. It should take several hard licks to remove the bullet from the case, in my experience.

To sum, though: I think the loads look very, very good.

 

[venomballistics]

The C.O.L. calls for 1.475

All mine are coming in at 1.470-1.472. reason enough to re-calibrate the bullet seater?

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no problem there, though I'd give the seating punch a tickle to help deal with case length variance as the cases do a few more repetitions.
to put it in perspective your average is .004 short.
the human hair is often times larger than that.
it is as the load should be, and Ive seen far worse from factory ammo.

 

[Kalison]

Thanks again for all the feedback!

Sunday I will be testing out the loads and will provide a range report