Bitter sweet range session

Ive been working with a new revolver , Ruger GP-100 in a 6'' I plan to use for target work with .38 wadcutters.....Not haveing much luck with load development after 2 range sessions and was getting alittle concerned about the accuracy I was seeing.....1.5-2.0 @ 25yds ...doesnt make a good target gun.....But yesterday while at the range a older guy hands me a box of old remington 38 HBWC's ..I mean old...the box had something on it about police match ammo and the box was a plain cardboard box.....So I shoot 3- 5 shot groups , and Bingo the groups measured 1/2-5/8'' at 25yds.....so now I know the gun is very capilbil of BE accuracy .....Very happy....One thing I noticed about this ammo was the lack of a crimp ..there was no roll crimp holding the HBWC in the case mouth....I was roll crimping my hand loads ....and useing Horniday 148gr HBWC with 2.7 of WST.....So now I will load 3 different loads for my next range session ....2.7 & 2.8 WST and 2.8 BE....The bullet was as before be seated flush but my bullet seat/ crimp die will be adjusted just to remove the bell from the case mouth ...another thing I learned is shooting from a rest isnt just lay the gun down and pull the trigger ..everything you do must be repeatable for consistant results....so now I know the gun is accurate...1/2-5/8'' @ 25yds ..I was very surprised at this ...I was honestly hopeing for right around a 1'' and even if it hit 1 1/4 '' I was going to be disapointed but 1/2-5/8'' ..I'm very pleased and surprised...now I just gotta develop some loads to match that....and of couse I was useing the open sights...sure wish I had a ransom

I contend that the roll crimp was later applied to factory match .38 SPL wadcutter ammo to make it easier to load into the cylinders of revolvers for PPC competitive shooting. I use a slight taper crimp on my reloads that I use for my S&W model 52-1 and revolvers. I just measured the mouth of some Winchester factory match (not roll crimped) and used that measurement for the crimp.

Mike -at this point , I will try my test loads with just enough crimp to remove the belling..and if that doesnt work I may need to get another die ....I use the lee .38 speacil 3 die set with the bullet seat and crimp in the same die...so now it is adjusted as I stated ...just to remove belling ..sure was nice to see that gun produce those nice little groups...