In the late Ken Waters' "Pet Loads" article on The 32/20 WCF In Revolvers, he goes into some detail about his belief that shoulderless round-nose bullet design tends to "center itself" within the bore in revolvers whose chamber-to-bore alignment might not be ideal. Extending Mr. Waters' logic stream a bit, I would submit the shoulderless round-flat-nose designs (e.g., Lymans #311008, #401043, #427098) might accrue similar benefits.
I was quite the Elmer Keith acolyte when I was younger and trying to absorb the wisdom of more experienced folks--both those around me and the writers of the day (mid-1970s). I have always had the advantage through good luck to acquire revolvers with decent throat-to-barrel alignments. That IMO is a key element to success with the sharp-shouldered SWC bullet design.
Now for the Heresy Portion of today's bull consciousness-raising session--I also think that heavier-for-caliber--or more properly, longer-for-caliber bullets have a better chance of being accurate in revolvers than the lighter/shorter bullet weights do. With at least two dozen examples I have owned and run over the years in 38 Special and 357 Magnum calibers, I have consistently gotten noticeably better accuracy from 140-200 grain bullets than I have derived from the 110-125 grain bullets--both jacketed and cast, and in barrel lengths from 2"-7.5". Similar tendencies seem to hold true for 30/32, 41. 44, and 45 caliber wheelguns as well--though I don't have as large a database to draw upon in those calibers. My theory, FWIW--with these longer bullets there is enough full-caliber length to enable good engravement of the front driving body into the rifling origin prior to release of the bullet base from support of the cylinder throat, this preserving alignment of center-of-bullet-form with centerline-of-bore. I have been called hard names by the Jello Cadre and other velocity enthusiasts for saying such things, but that lot is hard to take seriously anyway.
