Wad cutter seating depth, what's correct?

[Moptop]

Okay, I've started casting some of my own bullets. I'm starting with a .38 148gr wad cutter and want to know the "correct" depth to set the bullet in the case. I've heard several different thoughts on this over the years. It would be great what's the right way since there are pressure issues to consider in this.

Thanks all!

[jwr747]

HBWC and BBWC are seated to level with the case mouth. this is standard for "target" ammo. jwr

[trickyasafox]

depends on the wc style, some have a groove that allows about a 16th of the bullet to show above the mouth.

http://www.fototime.com/97E0A1D402A0BD4/standard.jpg
above is a link of a photo depicting what I mean- see how it has those two cannalure marks. . .one on each end? those are what you crimp into.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...C_-_SB_-_2.jpg

this link is the other style that goes flush. My experience is that cast wc are usually seated just above flush, and swaged are seated flush- but I'm no expert.

[JW6108]

I cast the Lee 148 WC (with a flat nose) and I've always seated them flush with the case mouth and then apply a taper crimp. The Speer Manual says to seat their 148 WC, again with a flat nose, flush with case mouth . Hornady WC's have the slight raised nub in the middle of the bullet nose, so they recommend seating theirs to an overall length of 1.165 ; the trim-to length listed is 1.145 . So, it depends on which style of bullet nose you have.

All I have is a single stage press, so this is how I seat/crimp (sounds odd, but it works fine):

Screw in the taper crimp die (pre-set to desired amount of crimp).

Put a cartridge with bullet ready to seat on the shell holder.

Position the smooth part of a file (nearest the handle) flush with the bottom of the die. Any smooth and flat piece of steel of similar thickness can be used.

Raise the ram and let the bullet be seated flush by pushing against the file.

Move the file out of the way, raise the ram and taper crimp normally.

That's it. I have put together thousands like this. Just a couple of things to watch for in flush or deep seating .38 WC. Case lengths should be uniform (as with everything else) to get a uniform crimp; this is to improve accuracy. Also, cases that are +P marked are made slightly thicker (hence, stronger), so a WC seated deeply will bulge them in varying degrees, sometimes enough to bind slightly as they are chambered. The amount of bulging varies, so you might find this is something you may or may not be able to live with. I segregate +P cases and save them to use with SWC or other bullet types that are not seated as deeply. Have fun.

[Moptop]

This is the WC that I'm casting. It's a Lee tumble-lube 148 gr.
Thanks

[zxcvbob]

I would crimp that one lightly into the top groove.

[Jim Watson]

I'd seat it flush with the case mouth, sprue end down, with a roll crimp over the bevel.
At least that is the way I loaded the double ended Lyman bullet when I could get them.

The old H&G #50 (and copies) has a crimp groove just like a semiwadcutter and is loaded with the front band out of the case.

[Floppy_D]

I load tincans (DEWC) flush to the case, with a slight taper, just as JW6108 does. Great target load.

[Walkalong]

I agree with Jim as far as those bullets go. I am loading plated DWEC's. I seat them just short of flush and just give them a light taper crimp. They just don't like a roll crimp over the front edge.

Nice looking bullet, by the way.

[Moptop]

Thanks everyone for the input on this. Now it looks like I'm going to have to add a taper crimp die to my collection. That's okay, it gives me a good excuse to go to the gun shop and maybe find something else that needs to follow me home!... like that little Baikal .380 I've been spying.

[zxcvbob]

Do you have a set of 9mm dies? You can use a 9mm die to taper crimp .38 Specials by screwing the die way out -- you don't even need to remove the lock ring and mess up the 9mm setting, just temporarily add a second lock ring below it.

[Moptop]

Zxcvbob, thanks for the suggestion. Yes I do have 9mm dies. What a great idea.

But there goes my shopping trip!

[AzShooter1]

Impressive looking cast there. You did real well. I would seat it flush with the top of the case. Should be a fine shooting bullet.

[Vern Humphrey]

This is the WC that I'm casting. It's a Lee tumble-lube 148 gr.
Thanks

I've cast and shot a gazillion of those. Always seated them flush with the case mouth and taper crimped. In my Colt M357, loaded ahead of 2.7 grains of Bullseye, they shoot clover leafs at 25 yards.

[Moptop]

AzShooter1, Thanks for the cudo's. Actually that was my first round of casting so I think I did pretty good. I've done some aluminum sand casting and fooled around with fishing weights in the past so I had a pretty good idea of what to do. I'll be ordering 2 other moulds from Grafs this week, a .38 158 grn round nose and a 9mm 124 grn round nose. That will sure bring the the "cost per round" quite a bit.

Thanks again