Lee 358 148 WC data

[Boho]

Hey guys a Little help
I'm making up some 38 spec loads for my dad. I have always used the Speer WC #4605 for his loads. Last summer I couldn't find any WC's, so I bought a Lee mold and a friend cast 500 for me. I set up to seat them and the cannelure on the Lee WC is higher on the bullet causing a deeper seating and a shorter OAL than Lyman 49 or Speer 12 data I have. The one I put together while setting up is 1.255 in order to crimp in the top cannelure. I load these with red dot and bullseye, so if you have Lee data with OAL and charges I sure could use it!

 

[Jesse Heywood]

I seat just short of the end band and use loads out of the manuals. Red Dot and W-231 give great results.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The OAL in the manual is useless to you unless you are using the same exact brass, trimmed to the same exact length and the same exact bullet they used when developing the load data. they are not telling you what your OAL should be, they are telling you what the OAL is for the load they developed. When you crimp into the supplied crimp groove you are crimping in the correct spot for that bullet.

 

[rcmodel]

The correct OAL for any revolver bullet is seated to the crimp groove, whatever that is?

I don't even bother to measure OAL on revolver loads.

If you seat them to the crimp groove and crimp into it?

That Is the correct OAL for that revolver bullet design.

rc

 

[Boho]

Appreciate the response guys. I'm still a little concerned that I have seated this wadcutter like .030 deeper than any data I have for pretty fast powder. This is also a snub nose .38 so I load the lowest charge for data from a 4" test barrel. Would you back off a tenth or two since it is seating deeper?

 

[rcmodel]

No.

You say you are already loading a start load.
That's what starting loads are for.

Don't reduce it any further.

rc

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I agree, don't reduce the load any further! It's not the COAL that's important, it's the depth of the bullet in the case that changes case volume. The difference in depth is compensated by the position of the crimp groove.

Also, what does the length of the barrel have to do with anything. They are only telling you they used a 4" barrel so you can estimate the velocity you will generate when using a barrel of a different length.

 

[kelbro]

No real cannelure on that bullet and multiple crimp grooves. Seat to the last crimp groove and find your load between 2.6-2.9 gr of bullseye. Your dad will be a happy man.

 

[Boho]

Thanks guys!