Taper crimp/Roll crimp......??s.

[Mikej]

I'm loading .38 special with 125gr hp. I just used up the speer bullets, with a cannelure, and the Raineer bullets I'll be using have NO cannelure. Common sense tells me, or I read some where, that I don't want to do a roll crimp on a bullet with no cannelure??

I'm guessing since I have only used the (used) Hornady .38/.357 die set with a roll crimp that I can simply back of the die in the press and will have a taper crimp?

Gurus?

Thanks.

Mike

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[Greenbug]

Your Hornady dies are either taper crimp or roll crimp, not both. If they are for revolver cartridges like the 38/357 they are most likely the roll crimp type. Taper crimp dies are usually found on dies for semi-auto pistol calibers like 9mm or 45 ACP. Your Rainier bullets are most likely a copper plated lead bullet and using a roll crimp on these type of bullets is fine and works well. Jacketed bullets without a cannelure or crimp grove are the ones you want to avoid using any type of crimp on as the crimp can indent into the surface of the jacket and cause accuracy problems as well as pressure problems. Try loading a few up with the roll crimp and without the roll crimp and see what the difference is when you shoot paper. Generally revolver cartridges are crimped fairly firmly to keep the bullets from sliding out of the end of the case under recoil. If they slide to far out they can lock up the rotation of you cylinder and temporarily disable your wheelgun. I load the same bullets for my 38/357 and I use a moderate roll crimp to hold them in place. A good consistant crimp will also give you more consistant ignition and translate to better consistancy in velocity and grouping.

Try out both ways to see what works best for you, or just use the roll crimp on your copper plated Ranier bullets and save yourself the hassle and frustration of your bullets sliding out the end of the case under recoil and locking up your revolver.

 

[nrc]

Roll crimping the rainier bullets won't hurt anything. Just be careful not to set the crimp so hard that it wrinkles the brass, or distorts the bullets. With a 38 a ligher-than-average-crimp (of either type) is fine. You aren't dealing with particularly heavy recoil.

Taper crimping (handgun cartridges) is typically reserved for rounds that headspace on the case mouth (like the 45acp, 9mm, noted above).

 

[Mikej]

Thank you gentlemen.....I guess I could have consulted the Rainier site before asking here. I'd bought 500 Zero JHP from a member here and also had a 100 box of speer, in my thinking ALL .38/.357 would have the cannelure. Learning every day I guess.

NRC....Yes, I have become aware, after folding a case here and there, of fine tuning the crimp on .38 revolver rounds!

Mike

 

[deadshot2]

If you want, you can always add a cannelure with a Corbin HCT-1. Great tool for those that make their own bullets for AR-15's out of .22 brass.

Hand Cannelure Tool

As Corbin prices go this tool isn't bad at under $150.

Of course it all depends on how many bullets you want to put a cannelure on.

 

[Throckmorton]

I have done as u asked in the past..backed off on a roll crimp die to perform a taper crimp and it worked fine.As far as Im concerned,roll crimping is for cast lead bullets with a crimp groove,and taper for every thing else. imho,ymmv,etc

 

[Mikej]

I have done as u asked in the past..backed off on a roll crimp die to perform a taper crimp and it worked fine.As far as Im concerned,roll crimping is for cast lead bullets with a crimp groove,and taper for every thing else. imho,ymmv,etc

Roll crimping the .38s without the cannelure is considerably more sensitive. I have not been seperating head stamps so the mixed cases are measuring within .004, still well withing specs according to the book. With out the cannelure present a case that is .003 longer wants to fold the slightest bit, and I'm not sure the shorter case wil get enough crimp. The bullet manufacturer states their plated bullets are of a softer material so they should be roll crimped, but i can feel quite the difference in the way the press comes down, between .0025 +/-. I will either start seperating head stamps, or consider trimming?

I'm not shooting HOT HOT loads or magnum, only 125hp punching paper so maybe the whole reason for crimping in the first place is moot in my case.

Still learning.

Mike

 

[deadshot2]

I will either start seperating head stamps, or consider trimming?

Sorting by headstamp won't really help the crimping issue. If you are roll crimping it's highly recommended that you either trim or separate the cases by "length". Roll crimping is far more sensitive to different case lengths than taper crimping. A long case gets too much "crimp" risking case bulge and a short case doesn't get enough to provide full benefit. I used to just trim all my revolver cases, period. Took about the same amount of time as sorting and measuring, not allowing for time to actually trim.