How far to seat revolver bullets in general.

I just started to reload cartridges.I am using both lee classic hand loaders for .38 and .357.I havent yet bought a reloading press.What I was wanting to know Is how far I should seat the bullets into the brass.I would appreciate any advice on the best way for cast and jacketed bullets.

If you have your revolver seat your bullets deep enough that the cylinder can turn. most important. Other than that seat to the cannelure if your bullet has one if a wad cutter seat it all the way in the brass.

for starters you need a good set of calibers and a reloading manual it will tell you the OAL (over all lenght) for example the 38 spl 125 hornady xtp oal is 1.445 im not sure how to set the lee loaders to adjust for oal but with dies just screw it in or out hope this helps

dartfreak75 wrote:for starters you need a good set of calibers and a reloading manual it will tell you the OAL (over all lenght) for example the 38 spl 125 hornady xtp oal is 1.445 im not sure how to set the lee loaders to adjust for oal but with dies just screw it in or out hope this helps

This is the way to go.

1. When you use a wadcutter bullet (like HBWC = hollow base wad cutter) they really cut down on how much powder goes into the charge. It is because the wadcutter is seated so deep into the case.
2. If you use lead bullets you gotta expand the mouth a bit. With jacketed bullets you do not need to.

EdgarEg wrote:1. When you use a wadcutter bullet (like HBWC = hollow base wad cutter) they really cut down on how much powder goes into the charge. It is because the wadcutter is seated so deep into the case.
2. If you use lead bullets you gotta expand the mouth a bit. With jacketed bullets you do not need to.

i like to run my 148gr lhbwc seated half way and backwards man you talking about a hole

Hey thanks everyone for all the advice. I really appreciate all of it from all of you.Everything is working out good. Recently I tried to use bevel-based bullets .158gr. in .38spl. cases that got flared like the other 200. They came out being way too loose after trying to roll crimp them. I got a bullet pulling hammer and took them all apart. The others with flat based bullets all came out right. I was wondering if I used a bigger flat-based bullet in those pulled cases if they would still reload right. I would surely appreciate any advice on the best thing to do.Thanks very much.

you didnt say what dies you are using. But if rcbs etc in a single stage press just screw the die a little deeper. it will crimp heavier. they should work well.

M./Karb. wrote:I just started to reload cartridges.I am using both lee classic hand loaders for .38 and .357.I havent yet bought a reloading press.What I was wanting to know Is how far I should seat the bullets into the brass.I would appreciate any advice on the best way for cast and jacketed bullets.

GO buy a reload book it will tell what ever bullet should be seated. That will be the safe way!