First Time Reloader...First Load

drklude · February 21, 2013, 11:23 PM

Been doing tons of reading on this site the last few months, as well as reading a few manuals. Finally worked up my first loads and wanted to get everyone's blessing before I go and shoot them for the first time.

I'm reloading .38 with PowerBond 125 gr. FP on top of 4.4 grs. of Universal and a CCI #500 SPP.

COL is 1.448'' with a variance of about .003 from round to round.

I'm using a Dillon XL650 with Dillon Dies.

I will be firing out of a .357 GP100 4''.

Does anyone see any glaring issues or concerns? I've only made 10 so far as a test batch before I start working up the load to the point where I am comfortable cranking out a few hundred at a time.

Thanks in advance for any and all feedback, so far this site has been a wealth of knowledge and I look forward to learning as much as I can.

AL45 · February 21, 2013, 11:57 PM

As long as the load came from a reloading manual you should be fine.

**Brian Pfleuger** · February 22, 2013, 12:10 AM

Looks to me like you're in between Hodgdon's starting loads for lead and jacketed 125gr bullets and also in between their published OAL for those two.

You should be golden, if a bit on the low side.

chris in va · February 22, 2013, 01:08 AM

Roll crimp them?

drklude · February 22, 2013, 10:22 AM

They were all roll crimped. I'm going to pull a couple to see how much it is cutting into the plating on the bullet. One concern I had is that the crimp is just barely touching the bottom of the cannelure.

Should I be worried about that?

**Brian Pfleuger** · February 22, 2013, 10:24 AM

Don't worry about pulling them. You're not going to hurt anything at that load level.
As long as the crimp is in the cannelure it doesn't matter WHERE it is.

edit:
Is it actually IN the cannelure?

drklude · February 22, 2013, 10:34 AM

Looking really close it seems that it is like .001 below the cannelure. If I went much deeper with the bullet then I would be below the posted COL. So I guess my issue is what is more important, the crimp in the cannelure or the COL?

**Brian Pfleuger** · February 22, 2013, 10:40 AM

Well, you can't really have a proper roll crimp unless it's in the cannelure.

Seat the bullet so you can crimp in the cannelure. Part of the reason you "start low and work up" is variance between bullets/seating depth, within reason.

You can sort of roll crimp outside the cannelure but it will require squishing the bullet pretty badly.

Those 10 you already have will be fine.

drklude · February 22, 2013, 10:44 AM

Good to know, I'll make the adjustments.

February 21, 2013, 11:23 PM	#1
drklude Member Join Date: January 30, 2013 Posts: 21	First Time Reloader...First Load Been doing tons of reading on this site the last few months, as well as reading a few manuals. Finally worked up my first loads and wanted to get everyone's blessing before I go and shoot them for the first time. I'm reloading .38 with PowerBond 125 gr. FP on top of 4.4 grs. of Universal and a CCI #500 SPP. COL is 1.448'' with a variance of about .003 from round to round. I'm using a Dillon XL650 with Dillon Dies. I will be firing out of a .357 GP100 4''. Does anyone see any glaring issues or concerns? I've only made 10 so far as a test batch before I start working up the load to the point where I am comfortable cranking out a few hundred at a time. Thanks in advance for any and all feedback, so far this site has been a wealth of knowledge and I look forward to learning as much as I can.

February 22, 2013, 12:10 AM	#3
Brian Pfleuger Staff Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Central, Southern NY, USA Posts: 14,453	First Time Reloader...First Load Looks to me like you're in between Hodgdon's starting loads for lead and jacketed 125gr bullets and also in between their published OAL for those two. You should be golden, if a bit on the low side.

February 22, 2013, 10:40 AM	#8
Brian Pfleuger Staff Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Central, Southern NY, USA Posts: 14,453	Well, you can't really have a proper roll crimp unless it's in the cannelure. Seat the bullet so you can crimp in the cannelure. Part of the reason you "start low and work up" is variance between bullets/seating depth, within reason. You can sort of roll crimp outside the cannelure but it will require squishing the bullet pretty badly. Those 10 you already have will be fine. __________________ Still happily answering to the call-sign Peetza. --- You do not HAVE a soul. You ARE a soul. You HAVE a body. -C.S. Lewis He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose. -Jim Eliott, paraphrasing Philip Henry.

February 21, 2013, 11:57 PM	#2
AL45 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2012 Posts: 105	As long as the load came from a reloading manual you should be fine.

February 22, 2013, 01:08 AM	#4
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 11,718	Roll crimp them?

February 22, 2013, 10:22 AM	#5
drklude Member Join Date: January 30, 2013 Posts: 21	They were all roll crimped. I'm going to pull a couple to see how much it is cutting into the plating on the bullet. One concern I had is that the crimp is just barely touching the bottom of the cannelure. Should I be worried about that?

February 22, 2013, 10:24 AM	#6
Brian Pfleuger Staff Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Central, Southern NY, USA Posts: 14,453	Don't worry about pulling them. You're not going to hurt anything at that load level. As long as the crimp is in the cannelure it doesn't matter WHERE it is. edit: Is it actually IN the cannelure?

February 22, 2013, 10:34 AM	#7
drklude Member Join Date: January 30, 2013 Posts: 21	Looking really close it seems that it is like .001 below the cannelure. If I went much deeper with the bullet then I would be below the posted COL. So I guess my issue is what is more important, the crimp in the cannelure or the COL?

February 22, 2013, 10:44 AM	#9
drklude Member Join Date: January 30, 2013 Posts: 21	Good to know, I'll make the adjustments.