I want to load some Laser Cast 38 cal. 148 gr WC DBB but don't know where to crimp. Both ends of the wad cutter are the same with a crimping groove. Should I crimp there or seat the bullet even with the brass and slightly roll crimp? I have always loaded SWC and never any of these target WC. Thanks for any help.

Muddy Flats

They seem to work with some of the wadcutter protruding of crimped flush with the top of the wadcutter. I don't use a real hard crimp on these as their shot at low velocity so the crimp just needs to be consistent to keep them from pulling out of the case. Also the less crimp the more shooting from that particular case your going to get before the neck starts splitting. I think I'm pushing them about 700 fps from my 2 inch snubby.

Muddy, you can load them either end up, and just turn a slight crimp into the top groove, as Bob says. The classic load for double-enders is 3.5 Bullseye. That's a titch higher than the 2.7 gr load used for hollowbase WCs, but performs the same. Enjoy!

IME, if the crimp groove is sufficient for a mild roll crimp, I would crimp there. Have loaded .38 cal. WCs with a very anemic crimp groove so with these, I seated the bullets flush with the casemouth and finished it with a mild roll crimp. In either case, the bullets still shot very well. Perhaps one method was better than the other but I couldn't tell.

However, it does depend on what kind of pistol you are using. A revolver will let you use the crimp groove, while a semi-auto will require crimping over the top of the bullet.

I'm shooting a S&W model 67. Mainly interested in target shooting indoors. Will probably load these 148 gr WC with 3 gr of Unique. Recoil shouldn't be a problems with these mild loads.

That sounds like a good load. I really enjoy shooting the little snubby with those light loads and it's surprisingly accurate for a two incher with fixed sights. I do the same thing with a tumble lube .410 Kieth style wadcutter in my 41 mag loaded to around 800 fps. Great plinking loads and fun to perforate a bunch of pop cans.

However, it does depend on what kind of pistol you are using. . .
Right on! Haven't seen a .38 semi-auto in such a while I don't even associate the .38 with them anymore.:o

The Unique load you suggest wouldn't be my first choice. I have found Unique works best in its pressure operating range, and I think that 3 grains would be too low. This could result in poor ignition and perhaps inconsistent results. I have to admit that I haven't used the load, but I have used Unique (sorry, I cannot get the underline to turn off), in other cartridges, inlcuding .38 Special, and always at a higher pressure level. For .38 WC loads, you might want to consider faster burning powders such as Bullseye, 700-X, 231 or similar.

To get rid of unwanted fonts, click the Edit button, then look for square brackets. Delete the square brackets and anything inside them, then Save. An underline starts with a square bracket, u, square bracket and ends with square bracket, /u, square bracket.

Bye
Jack

Right on! Haven't seen a .38 semi-auto in such a while I don't even associate the .38 with them anymore.:o

Marshall, come on over if you want to associate with a S&W 52. If I'm not shooting it, I'm dreaming about it.

So THAT'S why you always remember .38 WCs are also for a semi-auto! Does it make a difference whether you roll crimp or taper crimp the case mouth? Would think that the S&W 52 would feed all commercial .38 WCs with mild roll crimps on the case mouth. Thanks for the invitation, it would be a pleasure to shoot with you.

I only use roll crimp, and haven't found a wadcutter that I couldn't use. The magazines seem to be the fussy part about the S&W 52, case length is critical, not crimp. Some flat nosed wad cutters like the Hornady HBWC need to be seated below flush if you want to crimp, otherwise flush seat and just remove the belling of the case mouth. Button noses can't extend past the case mouth. My wife prefers the appearance of a bevel based seated forward and crimped on the bevel compared to a fully seated button nose. At least she doesn't complain about the color of the lube as she does about my sartorial coordination.

My .38 Special WCs are a bit simpler. Slight roll crimp or remove the belling of the casemouth with a flush seated, swaged HBWC, stuffed w/2.7 gr. Bullseye for a S&W model 15. Standard fodder for a revolver, plenty accurate and very easy on the recoil. My wife loved this load until she got her own SIG P228 9mm. Now she shoots 115 gr. FMJ and all I get is to do her reloads and clean her gun.:mad:

Here's what I ended up with for my .38 special target load. I am using 148 gr WC DBB. These are double ended with a crimping groove on each end. I used a slight roll crimp in that groove that gave a little of the bullet beyond the case mouth. The Unique in 3.2 and 3.7 grains did not give consistent results with the chronograph. Groups were average with velocities around 749 fps. The best load was with 2.7 gr Bullseye. It placed six shots in a 3 inch black at 25 yards. Thanks for all the response to my initial question.

i have loaded the hornady hbwcs in .38 spl cases over 2.7 grs. of bulleye and it does a good accurate load... as for crimping that type of bullet i use lee speed dies and they have a modified taper crimp that goes into a roll crimp if you want so i just tighten the die until just before the roll crimp... another thing i would add is be sure your crimp whatever it is is consistant from case to case ... it has something to do with accuracy too..... oh i crimp with a tight taper on the hornady bullets because they are knurled and not grooved for crimping as you are talking about.... but the method i spoke of with work good too......

Like a lot of the guys here, I use 2.7 gr. Bullseye in .38 Sp. and 3.0 gr. Bullseye in .357 cases with the 148 gr. HBWC (usually Speer). I try not to crimp at all with these loads. As has been mentioned already, I think Unique is too slow and might be erratic with the 148 HBWC in a very light load.

My loads with Bullseye are extremely consistent and accurate at short distances (25 yds.). They crono about 650 f/s out of my 6" Colt Python with maybe 15-20f/s extreme spread. In bright sunlight, I can (or could when eyesight was good) often see the bullet in flight. There's practically no recoil and the bullet stays seated very well without any crimp what-so-ever. I think the non crimp makes for more consistent bullet/case tension and Bullseye certainly does not need the crimp for ignition purposes. That's why I recommend no crimp.

Rev

P.S. - After rereading this post, I think I should have said "no visible crimp" instead of "no crimp what-so-ever". We all are aware that the belling of the case mouth has to be gone in the finished round. Sorry for the correction.

Rev

I think you got there without much help from us, but you did get there. Good on ya.

You can boot that 2.7 up the 3.5 B'Eye for the double-enders and gain a little speed with no loss of accuracy - usually.