My H&G 50 has a crimp groove, so that locates to COL for me. I don't bother trimming handgun ammo, so some crimp higher or lower in the crimp groove. 1.275" overall length.

That manual looks like it is compilation of different load from different sources, so likely different bullets were used. Some crimped in a groove, and others seated flush.

I wouldn't worry too terribly much about length vs the manual. If yours has a crimp groove, use that if you wish, or cold use the top lube groove if dry. Or seat flush ab crimp over the bullet shoulder.

Then do a sensible workup and off you go.

I use 2.8 gr 700-X, although per your manual that would be above max. And I have a stash of WC-spec brass that I use. Whatever primer.

 

Load it to the groove, or flush and don't worry about coal.

 

My H&G 50 has a crimp groove, so that locates to COL for me. I don't bother trimming handgun ammo, so some crimp higher or lower in the crimp groove. 1.275" overall length.

That manual looks like it is compilation of different load from different sources, so likely different bullets were used. Some crimped in a groove, and others seated flush.

I wouldn't worry too terribly much about length vs the manual. If yours has a crimp groove, use that if you wish, or cold use the top lube groove if dry. Or seat flush ab crimp over the bullet shoulder.

Then do a sensible workup and off you go.

I use 2.8 gr 700-X, although per your manual that would be above max. And I have a stash of WC-spec brass that I use. Whatever primer.

Yes, this Hornady handbook also shows that 2.8 grains of 700X is considered above their recommendationed amount. What I’ve read so far HBWC hollow lead wadcutters should be kept between 675 and 725 FPS for best accuracy and to avoid leading.

I’ve read that these Hornady 148 grain HBWCs are some of the more accurate target rounds.

Steve

 

From testing with a Ransom machine rest using a S&W 52 I have found that the most accurate factory 148 HBWC to be the Remington. A very close 2nd was the Speer 148 HBWC.

50 yd 10 shot groups with the Remington averaged at .751" while the Speer averaged .965", C to C. This was using Remington small pistol primers and 2.5 gr of Bullseye seated flush with a taper crimp.

This was years ago when I shot 3 gun bullseye competition.

YMMV

 

From testing with a Ransom machine rest using a S&W 52 I have found that the most accurate factory 148 HBWC to be the Remington. A very close 2nd was the Speer 148 HBWC.

50 yd 10 shot groups with the Remington averaged at .751" while the Speer averaged .965", C to C. This was using Remington small pistol primers and 2.5 gr of Bullseye seated flush with a taper crimp.

This was years ago when I shot 3 gun bullseye competition.

YMMV

Good to know, thanks!
Steve

 

I wouldn't trim the .38 brass.

Anything but that. It'd add extra work

 

Here is a pic of the H&G 50 seated to have a modest roll crimp into the crimp groove. I like the way the "egg plant" powder coat color turned out. Traffic Purple and a touch of Jet Black.

I mentioned wadcutter brass previously. It is identifiable by the cannelure almost midway down the case where the heel of the WC bullet would locate. Not much of this around any longer. It seems to be thinner deeper into the case to avoid swaging the soft heels of the WC bullets.

 

I’ve never heard of the H&G 50. It’s an interesting bullet shape. I googled “H&G 50” and briefly read some of the information. I take it you located one of these molds and powder coated the bullets you made?

Steve

 

Yes, the 50 is a classic wadcutter, and others have made clones, e.g. Lyman 358091. I bought a very old mold used. It is probably 80 years old or more, and shows some miles. With a little TLC it cast pretty well, although the sprue plat has some wear.

I do cast and powder coat. Then size using an NOE .358" bushing sizer.

Here is the mold:

Here are some coated ones mixed in with an unusual WC, the NOE clone of the 160 gr 358432 (blue). The 358432 was designed to have some nose outside the case so that standard 158 SWC data could be used. I sold that mold recently due to a preference for a couple others.

 

Using the Hornady Dry-lubed HBWC's. I found that I got better accuracy when the bullets were seated out 1/10th of an inch past the case mouth rather than flush.

And I got my best accuracy with 2.3 grains of Bullseye rather than the classic 2.0 load for 148 grain Hollow base wadcutters that shooters used to use in the S&W model 52.

And I've always preferred HBWC's to double end WC's. In the 44 special and Magnum. I had good luck with the Lyman 429348 190 grain wadcutter seated out a tenth of an inch past the case mouth with a slight taper crimp and that's what gave me the idea to try seating the Hornady bullets further out in the 38 special.

But factory HBWC loads are always flush with the case mouth and are always very accurate so go figure. Anyway, seating depth is always good to experiment with when working up accuracy loads of any kind.

 

Using the Hornady Dry-lubed HBWC's. I found that I got better accuracy when the bullets were seated out 1/10th of an inch past the case mouth rather than flush.

And I got my best accuracy with 2.3 grains of Bullseye rather than the classic 2.0 load for 148 grain Hollow base wadcutters that shooters used to use in the S&W model 52.

And I've always preferred HBWC's to double end WC's. In the 44 special and Magnum. I had good luck with the Lyman 429348 190 grain wadcutter seated out a tenth of an inch past the case mouth with a slight taper crimp and that's what gave me the idea to try seating the Hornady bullets further out for the 44 special.

But factory HBWC loads are always flush with the case mouth and are always very accurate so go figure. Anyway, seating depth is always good to experiment with when working up accuracy loads of any kind.

I've got some of the Hornady HBWC's you mentioned that I'm going to include in my comparisons. Thanks for the the tips!

Steve

 

I'm very impressed with these posts. They're very informative and interesting to say the least! Great information. I have a feeling I'm going to have another hobby!

Thanks,
Steve

 

I load the Hornady HBWCs essentially flush with about 2.7 gr of Bullseye. Shooting these from a S&W 52 is a joy. They also worked well in my Colt Python back in the day. Shot 598 out of 600 one day... A lighter load may work well in a wheel gun.

The Double Ended Wad Cutters (DEWC) will likely work as well. I have some and while I have shot them, I didn't keep score.

Given free choice: The Hornady 148 gr HBWC

 

I loaded several hundred 148 gr hbwc over 2.5 grains of Clays a couple of weeks ago. I had them out about .10 inch above the case mouth. I averaged 700 fps out of a .357 mag model 681. For the heck of it I loaded about 50 rounds upside down. No change in av. velocity, they did a better job of splashing water from plastic milk jugs at 25 yards. Soft shooting, they cut very nice holes in paper.

 

That’s kind of weird. I would have thought the holes would be more irregular.

Thanks for sharing!

Steve

 

Millions of rounds loaded over the years ( decades) exactly as you describe,,,if the OP sticks to this load he cannot go wrong in my book

I remember seeing this post which compared the velocities of several factory 38 wadcutters. Perhaps the velocity is a key factor for achieving accuracy.

Steve