Wadcutter help needed

[elpac3]

OK - after 40 years of shooting PPC with thumb busters with 158 gr SWC's I am ready to venture into the world of semi auto's.

I recently inherited a S&W 52-1 and having fired factory loads through the gun have an itch to reload for it. This is a case mouth flush, 148 gr wad cutter only gun. Finding no HBWC on any shelves (or any other wad cutters for that matter), I purchased some 148 gr DEWC from Rim Rock bullets (who make my favorite 170 SWC for the .357 and 260 SWC for the .44) and will be loading them over 2.8 gr of BE.

I am having a little trouble getting a flush mouth seat with a good taper crimp. Have a Lee taper crimp die and followed the instructions (I think - although according to the wife I have never followed instructions ) but am still having problems getting a good solid crimp. After crimping, the bullets can still be pressed into the case and do not seem to want to hold.

Need some advice from minds greater than mine.

 

[Nevada Ed]

If you can get the Bell of the case to zero.............
all you need is just a touch more crimp.

The hbwc does not need a heavy crimp for target loads.
I actually use less than these factory loads.

 

[arjay]

Some use a mild roll crimp,others recommend a 9 mm taper crimp.There are some old threads on reloading for the 52 here.A google search will bring them up.

 

[Engineer1911]

I used DEWC with a roll crimp and military brass. My reloads were "brisk" enough to eject empty brass about 3 to 4 feet from my hand when they hit the floor. Commercial brass would reload about 3 or 4 times and split full length in the middle of the case. Mil brass reloaded for ever, but the military was still using revolvers in the early 1980s.

Factory ammo ejected brass 6 to 7 feet.

 

[boatbum101]

I still shoot a 52-2 . I can tell you my loading techniques & what works for me . First get 1 lot of either new or 1x fired brass ( I use R-P ) . Trim all to 1.145". This allows the same crimp on all rounds & lets you leave .010 lead proud of case mouth ( if they'll feed thru mags ) . I use Fed 100 primers & cases are FL resized . I also taper crimp ( Redding crimp die ) to .369 @ case mouth . I prefer Remington or Zero 148 HBWC bullets . One of the following will give you an acceptible load : 2.7 - 3.0grs Bullseye , 3.1 - 3.2grs W231 , 2.7 - 2.9grs WST , 2.9grs AA#2 or VVN320 , 3.6grs VVN340 . Best for your pistol can only be determined with careful testing , preferably from a Ransom Rest or from sandbags @ 50yds . Mine prefers the above W231 load followed very closely by the VVN 340 load . 50 yd offhand targets attached . Target #1 is VVN 340 & the other 2 are the W231 load . Also attached a pic of my 52 . Hope this helps .

 

[elpac3]

Thanks all

Spot on advice. Went back and resized my cases, added just a touch of flare to get the bullet in the case then taper crimped. Works like a charm.

My mistake was using the same technique for the 148 WC as I used on the 158 SWC.

Of course, the proof will be at the range to see how they shoot.

 

[noylj]

In my three M52s, any thing BUT a HBWC has been a waste of time.
The best bullet has been the Remington HBWC and they are "dirt cheap" from Midway. They are "messy" with a graphite grease lube, but they don't lead and I can put up with some oil on my fingers for the accuracy I get.
After trying LOTS of variables, I settled for the following:
1) Unsized cases
2) Redding Profile Crimp die
The cartridges do not drop in the barrel, but I can press them in. The momentum of the slide chambers the rounds. Groups, if I can do my part, are 1.5" or less all day at 25 yards.
Best powders have been AA2 and Red Dot. I haven't tried Bullseye, as I was dissatisfied with it back in the '70s and just never bought any again.
Velocities must be kept below 800fps and should be 725-750fps. If you go any higher, the skirt will separate from the rest of the bullet and you will either get two holes in the target or the skirt will stay in the barrel.
A bullet sized to 0.358-0.360" is best, and the Remington is 0.358" at the nose and 0.360" at the skirt.