The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Can I crimp 38 Specials below the cannelure?

valleyforge.1777 · April 7, 2013, 06:41 PM

Can I make 38 Specials that are 1.5 inches COL if it would require me to crimp just below the cannelure? I am going to be loading some 38 Special brass using 125 grain JHP Montana Gold bullets over Titegroup powder. I have tons of once used 38 Special brass, probably around 7,500 of them. But I want to make the COL 1.5 inches instead of the more traditional max COL of ~1.45 inches so that I can load and fire these in a lever rifle that hiccups while loading anything but my longest factory 38 Specials (Remington UMC 125 grain FMJ that come in around 1.481 by my measurements). I need to go a little longer than that to get the rounds to load reliably and smoothly. To do that, I'd be crimping just below the lower edge of the cannelure. Is that OK?

Ps. These are for a lever rifle. I don't know if these will chamber in a 38 Special revolver, but I don't really care.

April 7, 2013, 06:41 PM	#1
valleyforge.1777 Senior Member Join Date: June 2, 2011 Posts: 177	Can I crimp 38 Specials below the cannelure? Can I make 38 Specials that are 1.5 inches COL if it would require me to crimp just below the cannelure? I am going to be loading some 38 Special brass using 125 grain JHP Montana Gold bullets over Titegroup powder. I have tons of once used 38 Special brass, probably around 7,500 of them. But I want to make the COL 1.5 inches instead of the more traditional max COL of ~1.45 inches so that I can load and fire these in a lever rifle that hiccups while loading anything but my longest factory 38 Specials (Remington UMC 125 grain FMJ that come in around 1.481 by my measurements). I need to go a little longer than that to get the rounds to load reliably and smoothly. To do that, I'd be crimping just below the lower edge of the cannelure. Is that OK? Ps. These are for a lever rifle. I don't know if these will chamber in a 38 Special revolver, but I don't really care.