Pistol bullets with cannalures.

[1sailor]

With revolver bullets I've always crimped into the cannalure. I was looking at some 9mm HST bullets by Federal and noticed the cannelure. I can't imagine that they are crimped into the cannelure. Do they just get a normal tapered crimp and pretty much ignore the cannelure as long as the OAL is correct?

 

[Pisgah]

I don't know abut those particular bullets, but I pretty much ignore the cannelure on any bullet as long as the length is correct.

 

[Scharfschuetzer]

Perhaps the cannelure is to help control expansion. I'd certainly continue to taper crimp at the proper OAL for your pistol. For a revolver though, that cannelure is perfect for a roll crimp.

 

[Collo Rosso]

If the bullet doesn't have a crimp band, I taper crimp. O.A.L. isn't as critical in a revolver as it is in a semi-auto. I've found if I seat to the middle of the cannelue, my O.A.L. is fine with bullets meant for revolvers.

 

[WR Moore]

Waaaaay back when, the cases of ammunition intended for semi-auto handguns were cannelured at the base of the bullet to help minimize/prevent bullet setback during the feed cycle.

Somewhere along the line, some bean counter realized that improvements in manufacturing meant they could eliminate that feature in a lot of ammo and save some money. BUT: they expected that the round would only feed into the chamber about 4-5 times. After that, and sometimes before that, bullet setback is often an issue. Some manufacturers still provide that cannelured ammunition.

You should apply a taper crimp to semi-auto pistol bullets that have a cannelure, in or out of the cannelure, just don't overdo it. You still need that case mouth to engage the chamber. The cannelure is probably at the correct place for whatever the common cartridge is for that bullet and was probably intended for duty use.

 

[Nevada Ed]

+1 with the above post with auto ammo.

The old Speer 125gr jacket bullet came with a "Can" on it and it
was a round nose design, not a HP.

Makes me think it was used for Military use and that that feature was need for that type of ammo.

It is a great way to set a OAL of a bullet, even if you don't roll crimp the load.

In a 38 a heavy crimp will add fps in a load.
I wonder what a heavy copper jacket with a cannalure and a smooth wall would do against one another with their heaviest crimp possible with a full load of Unique or HS-6 powder?

Does Speer or any other company still make a jacketed 9mm with a "Real" deep cannalure, any more?


I guess lead would work if no copper bullets were available for the test...........

 

[andyo5]

Bullets to be shot in a 9mm semi auto should never be roll crimped. Taper crimp is what to use. No need to confine your length by using the cannelure for semi autos.

 

[mikld]

9mm is taper crimped and not readily noticeable...

 

[Just another 22 shooter]

I've loaded a lot of the HST bullets in 9mm. Just load to an OAL that suits you gun's chamber. As I understand it, the cannelure on the HST 9mm bullet is to help keep the core with the jacket during expansion.

 

[1sailor]

Thanks for all the responses. I think that some of my responders misunderstood my question. I completely understand that you don't roll crimp 9mm. That's why I said "I can't imagine that they are roll crimped...". The cannelure is there apparently to help control expansion. I was mostly interested in finding out if the cannelure needed to be taken into account in any way. It seems as though it is just basically ignored and the round is taper crimped just like any other 9mm. Again, thanks for the responses.

 

[Dieseltech56]

HSTs are definitely crimped to control jacket separation from the lead core. They are not supposed to be crimped in the cannelure

 

[WR Moore]

HSTs are definitely crimped to control jacket separation from the lead core. They are not supposed to be crimped in the cannelure

Methinks you confused your terminology. "Crimping" can't/doesn't have any effect on preventing core/jacket separation, having disappeared when the round was fired. Any remaining jacket/core distortion disappeared when the bullet was driven through the barrel.

OTOH, I did learn something. After checking several sources, in this particular case, the cannelure actually is intended to lock jacket & core together, preventing core/jacket separation. This is not typical. However, I expect it's cheaper than the typical core/jacket bonding systems. Wonder how it compares cost wise with the Gold Dot?

Preventing core/jacket separation isn't really controlling expansion, it's just keeping the bullet intact. This is supposed to be a big deal in glass penetration.

 

[mikld]

I read Dieseltech56 post to mean the crimp, meaning the "crimp" on the bullet's jacket is aka cannalure and it's job is mainly to prevent separation. I can't see how anyone would confuse a crimp, as applied to a cartridge case would be used to stop, reduce core/jacket separation...

 

[Dieseltech56]

Yes by crimped I mean they use a cannelure to crimp the jacket to the core. If you notice the cannelure is much deeper and wider than one you might see on a revolver bullet