Right crimp for Wadcutters

[Cliph]

I plan to load .38 Spc. and .45 ACP with LHBWC, LWC and plated WCs and HBWCs. Which crimping die should I use and does it normally come in a 3 die Tungsten Carbide set?

 

[shovelwrench]

You'll get a few opinions, I use a Lee factory crimp die, as do many others. It does'nt come with a three die set.

Ussually the seating die will also crimp. If you seat, then set it up to crimp you will most always have better results then seating and crimping in one step.

 

[model14]

Don't crimp. A lot of people, including me don't. Typical wadcutter loads are so light there is no need to crimp.

 

[shovelwrench]

I don't know guys, I've found my crimped rounds to be more consistent over the chrony.

 

[BUFF]

I get better results with crimping most handgun rounds, as well.

I decided how much to crimp by eyeballing factory ammo and then tinkering to see how much crimp affected accuracy.

R-P, W-W and Federal .38 Special 148 gr. wadcutter factory loads all have quite a bit of roll crimp.

 

[Mr. O]

I've loaded .38 HBWC and .45 ACP for nearly 40 years. I would recommend a light roll crimp over the shoulder of the HBWC, and a taper crimp on the ACP - crimping very important with the .45 or your bullet can set back in the case when the slide goes forward causing a malfunction.

 

[TSQUARED]

For the 38 Special 148gr.LHBWC I use a verylight roll crimp. The 45 ACP LSWC,s as ell as plated or jacketed bullets get a taper crimp. All the die sets I have seen for 38 Special come with a roll crimp die while the 45 ACP sets come with a taper crimp die.

 

[Erich]

I generally crimp them heavy, but then I load my TVB hardcast WCs hot.

Very minimal crimp on swaged HBWCs, the rare times I roll them up (as evidenced in this photo with a Police Positive Special from the '20s):

 

[Steve C]

If its a solid base wadcutter with a crimping groove I'll crimp it like any other lead bullet with the case mouth rolled into the supplied groove. How much crimp is needed is depending upon the load as solid wadcutters can be driven as fast as any other solid bullet.

For HBWC bullets I seat them flush and do a slight roll crimp over the nose of the bullet. This aids in loading especially if used in speed loaders as the slight bevel of the case mouth doesn't hang up when chambering.

 

[SW CQB 45]

Originally posted by Steve C:
If its a solid base wadcutter with a crimping groove I'll crimp it like any other lead bullet with the case mouth rolled into the supplied groove. How much crimp is needed is depending upon the load as solid wadcutters can be driven as fast as any other solid bullet.

For HBWC bullets I seat them flush and do a slight roll crimp over the nose of the bullet. This aids in loading especially if used in speed loaders as the slight bevel of the case mouth doesn't hang up when chambering.

Steve or anyone else,

dont meant to add to this thread but it seems appropriate.

are you separating brass by length or including +P or +P+ brass?

the reason I am asking,

I used range p/u brass and I load my 38 (148gr) lead wadcutter almost to the point of flush, just a tad higher because of case length differences, the bullet might sit higher or lower on the brass.

I am an anal type where I check each primer before rotating my 550 and as each powdered case rotates by, I look down the case to make sure it has a powder charge. with 38s, I have to look closely as 3.1 of 231 can be difficult to see.

I am just wondering if I should start to separate by headstamp due to case density differences (or wall thickness) which IMO affects case stretch, and OAL.

I loaded 100 hundred last night and I saw one with the slug near flush and I had three rounds that would not drop in my case gauge and they appears to have a shiney raised area in the middle of the case length after giving them a thumb push and they fell in.

I do bullet crimp by feel and sight. My intent is to make sure the bullet does not move during recoil or by a rough/fast reload. I agree that it speeds reloads.

sorry for highjacking

 

[Erich]

I separate by headstamp.

 

[Steve C]

are you separating brass by length or including +P or +P+ brass?

For general practice ammo I generally use mixed range pick up brass. Since .38 spl +P brass is exactly the same as standard .38 spl there's no need to segregate it either. I've never found any significant differences in length in any .38 spl brass to warrant trimming. I do have some Remington brass that's kept segregated since its pretty easy with a revolver since it comes out of the box tray loaded and goes right back into it after firing. The Rem brass is a bit thinner than most of the other brass making it easier to load lead bullets with no case bulges.

 

[SW CQB 45]

I did not know +P brass was the same.

OK. how bout brass marked +P+?

Steve and Erich, thanks.

 

[gregintenn]

I seat and crimp all in one step with the seating die provided in a three die set. I have had great results to date. It is a kind of "sneak up on it" exercise in setting the die up for this process. It is also important to have all the cases trimmed to the same length. I've noticed that straightwalled handgun cases don't need as much trimming as bottlenecked rifle cartridges.

 

[H Richard]

Wadcutters I taper crimp, all other (cast) bullets get roll crimped.

 

[HAWKEYE10]

i loaded some 38s today and taper crimped them. i shot 3 rds. and checked and looked at the other 3 and the bullets started to come out. came home cranked down on my lee factory crimp die and measured, no change. i then went to my seating die and role crimped them. i am useing Berry's plated bullets and they have no role crimp ring. i will go tomorrow and test.

don