flat nose soft point = wadcutter

kestak · September 27, 2007, 02:55 PM

Greetings,

Stupid question: When I look at the reloading books and OAL data: Is flat nose soft point the same as semi-wadcutter? If not what measurement should I use?

For example the min/max OAL for 357 mag is 1.540/1.590. What should it be?

Thank you

cdrt · September 27, 2007, 05:55 PM

They're not the same. Any measurement of OAL will depend on the specific bullet. It would probably help you to use the specific mfg reloading book for whatever bullet you're trying to load. Speer manual for Speer bullets, etc.

And it depends if the bullet has a crimp goove, etc. to determine how deep it should be seated.

Make sense?

kestak · September 27, 2007, 08:10 PM

Greetings,

I am sorry, but I am not sure to understand.

There is a crimp groove on the bullet. Do I simply put the end of the case in the middle of the groove?

The bullets are Zero brand name bullets. I did not find any reference to them.

Thank you

TWB · September 27, 2007, 11:00 PM

Not a stupid question at all. I wondered that, too, and at first set my die using a commercially loaded round with the same bullet I was loading. I did this a time or two, and I've never measured OAL on .38/.357. Nowadays, I also use the crimp groove to set the length and have never had any problems of any kind.

Yes, put the end of the case at the crimp groove. Most, if not all .38/.357 dies are crimp dies. When you have the end of your case at the groove, crimp it into the groove.

If you go to this page: http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/...S/GUNBLST.html, about 1/2 way down the page, there is a drawing showing the shapes of four bullets. The flat point has the same overall shape as the hollowpoint drawing...the point just isn't hollow on the flatpoint. There is a drawing of a semiwadcutter next to it.

Hope this helps.

twb

**44 AMP** · September 27, 2007, 11:45 PM

One of them anyway, is that you only need to worry about O.A.L. when you start to stick out the end of the cylinder.

Correctly seating the bullet so the case crimps properly is more important than matching a certain O.A.L., as long as you don't tie up your gun.

O.A.L. is critcal for magazine fed guns and guns with a integral chamber at the back end of the barrel, so your round not only feeds, but does not get jammed into the rifling, which is never a real good thing. Revolvers have a little leaway in this area, but if the end of your bullet sticks out the front of the cylinder too much, you will jam the revolver. Basically, anything less than that can be made to work.

Without a good crimp, bullets will work their way forward from recoil. With lighter recoiling calibers, a snug bullet fit in the case may be enough to work fine, or a very light crimp, but for heavy bullets in heavy loads that generate more recoil a heavy (strong) crimp may be the only way to go.

Most revolver dies roll crimp the case. If there is no groove on the bullet for the case to crimp into, it can bulge out. Too much bulge and the round may not chamber. Cases need to all be the same length (in any given batch), so the crimp is uniform.

Hope this helps

kestak · September 28, 2007, 05:18 AM

Greetings,

Thank you for the answers! I understand the thing now. I'll make the end of the case to be on the groove and make sure it is not longer than the longest 357 commercial bullet that I have. I kept one of each brand/kind I bought since a while.

Thank you

September 27, 2007, 02:55 PM	#1
kestak Senior Member Join Date: June 13, 2007 Location: Augusta Georgia Posts: 157	flat nose soft point = wadcutter Greetings, Stupid question: When I look at the reloading books and OAL data: Is flat nose soft point the same as semi-wadcutter? If not what measurement should I use? For example the min/max OAL for 357 mag is 1.540/1.590. What should it be? Thank you __________________ abundans cautela non nocet

September 27, 2007, 05:55 PM	#2
cdrt Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2007 Location: The Lone Star State Posts: 255	They're not the same. Any measurement of OAL will depend on the specific bullet. It would probably help you to use the specific mfg reloading book for whatever bullet you're trying to load. Speer manual for Speer bullets, etc. And it depends if the bullet has a crimp goove, etc. to determine how deep it should be seated. Make sense? __________________ Navy Vet, SWIFT Boat OIC, Distinguished Pistol Shot #1399 USS JOHN S. MCCAIN (DDG-36)

September 27, 2007, 08:10 PM	#3
kestak Senior Member Join Date: June 13, 2007 Location: Augusta Georgia Posts: 157	Greetings, I am sorry, but I am not sure to understand. There is a crimp groove on the bullet. Do I simply put the end of the case in the middle of the groove? The bullets are Zero brand name bullets. I did not find any reference to them. Thank you __________________ abundans cautela non nocet

September 27, 2007, 11:00 PM	#4
TWB Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 2007 Posts: 145	Not a stupid question at all. I wondered that, too, and at first set my die using a commercially loaded round with the same bullet I was loading. I did this a time or two, and I've never measured OAL on .38/.357. Nowadays, I also use the crimp groove to set the length and have never had any problems of any kind. Yes, put the end of the case at the crimp groove. Most, if not all .38/.357 dies are crimp dies. When you have the end of your case at the groove, crimp it into the groove. If you go to this page: http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/...S/GUNBLST.html, about 1/2 way down the page, there is a drawing showing the shapes of four bullets. The flat point has the same overall shape as the hollowpoint drawing...the point just isn't hollow on the flatpoint. There is a drawing of a semiwadcutter next to it. Hope this helps. twb Last edited by TWB; September 27, 2007 at 11:08 PM. Reason: edited for (I hope) better clarity

September 27, 2007, 11:45 PM	#5
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,791	The beauty of revolvers... One of them anyway, is that you only need to worry about O.A.L. when you start to stick out the end of the cylinder. Correctly seating the bullet so the case crimps properly is more important than matching a certain O.A.L., as long as you don't tie up your gun. O.A.L. is critcal for magazine fed guns and guns with a integral chamber at the back end of the barrel, so your round not only feeds, but does not get jammed into the rifling, which is never a real good thing. Revolvers have a little leaway in this area, but if the end of your bullet sticks out the front of the cylinder too much, you will jam the revolver. Basically, anything less than that can be made to work. Without a good crimp, bullets will work their way forward from recoil. With lighter recoiling calibers, a snug bullet fit in the case may be enough to work fine, or a very light crimp, but for heavy bullets in heavy loads that generate more recoil a heavy (strong) crimp may be the only way to go. Most revolver dies roll crimp the case. If there is no groove on the bullet for the case to crimp into, it can bulge out. Too much bulge and the round may not chamber. Cases need to all be the same length (in any given batch), so the crimp is uniform. Hope this helps __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

September 28, 2007, 05:18 AM	#6
kestak Senior Member Join Date: June 13, 2007 Location: Augusta Georgia Posts: 157	Greetings, Thank you for the answers! I understand the thing now. I'll make the end of the case to be on the groove and make sure it is not longer than the longest 357 commercial bullet that I have. I kept one of each brand/kind I bought since a while. Thank you __________________ abundans cautela non nocet

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