wad-cutters

mnw45 · October 5, 2009, 03:14 PM

hi
i was wondering about seating of wad-cutters
i've been told they should be level with the case mouth but i've also seen them sticking out too
can anyone clear this up for me?

brickeyee · October 5, 2009, 03:40 PM

Wad-cutters go flush to a hair below flush for a roll crimp.

Semi-wad-cutters go so that the front of the full diameter portion is just above the case mouth.

Jim Watson · October 5, 2009, 03:46 PM

Depends on the bullet.
The factory match type hollowbase wadcutters are meant to be seated flush.
There are a lot of flatbase wadcutters with a front bearing band and a crimp groove, so they will show some lead ahead of the case mouth. They can be seated flush if for a S&W M52 or if you just want to.

QBall45 · October 5, 2009, 04:43 PM

Let me further the question...

What about Lee's tumble lube 200gr 45acp bullets? They have a long body & short nose.

It appears that if I seat em to the "normal" top of the body they end up below min oal. Does this pose a problem as far as pressure?

Up till now I've been seating them to min oal. Which works...but.

DavidAGO · October 5, 2009, 05:47 PM

I use a Lee tumble lube 148 gr wadcutter, I used to seat it flush but now I seat it where I crimp into the uppermost lube groove, leaving about 2mm of lead exposed. Shoots just fine.

David AGO

SL1 · October 5, 2009, 07:18 PM

MNW45,

While wadcutter bullets are desoigned to be seated flush with the case mouth, in revolvers, many of us decide to seat them out far enough to put the front of the bullet far enough forward to be in the chamber throat. I feel that this gives better initial bullet alignment and improves accuracy. (At least, that is what my own tests indicated many years ago.)

Seating the bullets out a little decreases pressure a little, so the beat accuracy load may be a little more powder than when seated flush. But, that is rarely a problem, since he accuracy load is usually a pretty low-pressure one.

SL1

October 5, 2009, 03:14 PM	#1
mnw45 Junior Member Join Date: September 3, 2009 Location: FL Posts: 10	wad-cutters hi i was wondering about seating of wad-cutters i've been told they should be level with the case mouth but i've also seen them sticking out too can anyone clear this up for me?

October 5, 2009, 03:40 PM	#2
brickeyee Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2004 Posts: 3,351	Wad-cutters go flush to a hair below flush for a roll crimp. Semi-wad-cutters go so that the front of the full diameter portion is just above the case mouth.

October 5, 2009, 03:46 PM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,537	Depends on the bullet. The factory match type hollowbase wadcutters are meant to be seated flush. There are a lot of flatbase wadcutters with a front bearing band and a crimp groove, so they will show some lead ahead of the case mouth. They can be seated flush if for a S&W M52 or if you just want to.

October 5, 2009, 04:43 PM	#4
QBall45 Senior Member Join Date: April 5, 2008 Location: South Central Minnesota Posts: 584	Let me further the question... What about Lee's tumble lube 200gr 45acp bullets? They have a long body & short nose. It appears that if I seat em to the "normal" top of the body they end up below min oal. Does this pose a problem as far as pressure? Up till now I've been seating them to min oal. Which works...but.

October 5, 2009, 05:47 PM	#5
DavidAGO Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2008 Location: Magnolia, AR Posts: 340	I use a Lee tumble lube 148 gr wadcutter, I used to seat it flush but now I seat it where I crimp into the uppermost lube groove, leaving about 2mm of lead exposed. Shoots just fine. David AGO

October 5, 2009, 07:18 PM	#6
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	MNW45, While wadcutter bullets are desoigned to be seated flush with the case mouth, in revolvers, many of us decide to seat them out far enough to put the front of the bullet far enough forward to be in the chamber throat. I feel that this gives better initial bullet alignment and improves accuracy. (At least, that is what my own tests indicated many years ago.) Seating the bullets out a little decreases pressure a little, so the beat accuracy load may be a little more powder than when seated flush. But, that is rarely a problem, since he accuracy load is usually a pretty low-pressure one. SL1