Truncated Cone and Semi Wad cutter

BarbreJ · November 14, 2010, 10:02 PM

I am buying my gear to start casting, and looking to buy a mold. To me the Truncated cone and Semi Wad cutter look the same. Can you tell me the difference and why a guy would pick one over the other?

Thanks,
John

GP100man · November 15, 2010, 08:03 AM

Here`s a pic of some of the bullets I cast

The trunicated 1 is 2nd from the left ,the rest are swc or rnfp

The trunicated is usually reserved for auto loaders but not entirely & auto loaders can shoot swc designs ,according to ramp angles & polishing .

I use the trunicated for speed loaders, it helps to have a pointed bullet stuffin 6 at the time !!!

jmortimer · November 15, 2010, 09:24 AM

The SWC will have a wider meplat - i.e. "nose"

Rangefinder · November 15, 2010, 10:01 AM

SWC has a front drive band at the base of the nose in order to help with the "paper-punch" effect of a clean, round hole like the WC was meant for. A truncated cone has no lip transition between the nose and the body.

SWC---nose angles down into a sharp lip of the front drive band. Cuts a nice hole in paper and is a bit more "attractive" than a soup can to some. makes a nice general-purpose target load.

TC---no lip, just straight transition from nose to bullet body. Less drag through the air, but not a clean round hole in paper.

dahermit · November 15, 2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

why a guy would pick one over the other?

The problem I have with the Lyman 121 truncated cone is that they are difficult (for me), to get a grip on to use in the hand loading process. The cone is angled enough that they slip from my opposing fingers.

BarbreJ · November 15, 2010, 04:14 PM

Thanks, i tried searching it but my google-fu was lacking. I am shooting .40 and I will try the SWC first. Bought my first WW today. .50 cents a pound from the scrap yard and they came with a bucket (you can't have to many 5 gal buckets!). Never really thought about how much would fit into a bucket, but this was half full and weight 74 pounds.

Thanks again,
John

DiscoRacing · December 13, 2010, 06:51 AM

I started loading for .40 first also....and I got the TC mold...not legitimate reason...other than the fact that I like the looks of the ammo when finished with the TC over the SWC.

Rangefinder · December 13, 2010, 11:08 AM

^^^Right there with ya---I don't give a hoot how cleanly round my holes are on the paper--so long as there are holes on the paper

. I just like the look of the TC better. Funny how that works, isn't it?

bigwrench · December 15, 2010, 11:07 PM

Some guns will not reliably feed SWC but will eat TC all day long. In contrast any gun that will feed SWC will run just about anything. I would by a box, load a few and try them before I spent the $ on a mold.

BarbreJ · December 17, 2010, 05:21 PM

Thanks again guys. I figure I will go with the TC based on your comments and I do like the look of them better as well. I will buy a box of SWC and see if she can handle them, but I have never seen them for sale before.

Looks like it will be after the new year before I get my allowance back to buy the rest of my gear.

John

DiscoRacing · December 17, 2010, 07:48 PM

Keep us posted...Id be lost if I couldnt cast for a week.

November 14, 2010, 10:02 PM	#1
BarbreJ Member Join Date: June 5, 2010 Location: St. Louis Posts: 59	Truncated Cone and Semi Wad cutter I am buying my gear to start casting, and looking to buy a mold. To me the Truncated cone and Semi Wad cutter look the same. Can you tell me the difference and why a guy would pick one over the other? Thanks, John

November 15, 2010, 08:03 AM	#2
GP100man Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2007 Location: Tabor City , NC. Posts: 1,969	Nose shapes Here`s a pic of some of the bullets I cast The trunicated 1 is 2nd from the left ,the rest are swc or rnfp The trunicated is usually reserved for auto loaders but not entirely & auto loaders can shoot swc designs ,according to ramp angles & polishing . I use the trunicated for speed loaders, it helps to have a pointed bullet stuffin 6 at the time !!! __________________ GP100man Last edited by GP100man; November 15, 2010 at 08:09 AM.

November 15, 2010, 10:01 AM	#4
Rangefinder Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 2005 Posts: 2,017	SWC has a front drive band at the base of the nose in order to help with the "paper-punch" effect of a clean, round hole like the WC was meant for. A truncated cone has no lip transition between the nose and the body. SWC---nose angles down into a sharp lip of the front drive band. Cuts a nice hole in paper and is a bit more "attractive" than a soup can to some. makes a nice general-purpose target load. TC---no lip, just straight transition from nose to bullet body. Less drag through the air, but not a clean round hole in paper. __________________ "Why is is called Common Sense when it seems so few actually possess it?" Guns only have two enemies: Rust and Politicians. Last edited by Rangefinder; November 15, 2010 at 10:15 AM.

November 15, 2010, 04:14 PM	#6
BarbreJ Member Join Date: June 5, 2010 Location: St. Louis Posts: 59	You guys are all right! Thanks, i tried searching it but my google-fu was lacking. I am shooting .40 and I will try the SWC first. Bought my first WW today. .50 cents a pound from the scrap yard and they came with a bucket (you can't have to many 5 gal buckets!). Never really thought about how much would fit into a bucket, but this was half full and weight 74 pounds. Thanks again, John

December 13, 2010, 06:51 AM	#7
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	I started loading for .40 first also....and I got the TC mold...not legitimate reason...other than the fact that I like the looks of the ammo when finished with the TC over the SWC. __________________ Desert Eagle Alliance Group Launcher Extraordinaire ______ ----Get Busy Live'n.....Or....Get Busy Die'n......Red -------They call me Dr. Bob,,,, I have a PhD in S&W

November 15, 2010, 09:24 AM	#3
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	The SWC will have a wider meplat - i.e. "nose"

December 13, 2010, 11:08 AM	#8
Rangefinder Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 2005 Posts: 2,017	^^^Right there with ya---I don't give a hoot how cleanly round my holes are on the paper--so long as there are holes on the paper . I just like the look of the TC better. Funny how that works, isn't it? __________________ "Why is is called Common Sense when it seems so few actually possess it?" Guns only have two enemies: Rust and Politicians.

December 15, 2010, 11:07 PM	#9
bigwrench Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2009 Location: foot of the uintas Posts: 148	Some guns will not reliably feed SWC but will eat TC all day long. In contrast any gun that will feed SWC will run just about anything. I would by a box, load a few and try them before I spent the $ on a mold.

December 17, 2010, 05:21 PM	#10
BarbreJ Member Join Date: June 5, 2010 Location: St. Louis Posts: 59	TC it is! Thanks again guys. I figure I will go with the TC based on your comments and I do like the look of them better as well. I will buy a box of SWC and see if she can handle them, but I have never seen them for sale before. Looks like it will be after the new year before I get my allowance back to buy the rest of my gear. John

December 17, 2010, 07:48 PM	#11
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	Keep us posted...Id be lost if I couldnt cast for a week. __________________ Desert Eagle Alliance Group Launcher Extraordinaire ______ ----Get Busy Live'n.....Or....Get Busy Die'n......Red -------They call me Dr. Bob,,,, I have a PhD in S&W