cast Bullet sizing blackhawk hunter

[turmech]

Is any one loading for a ruger super Blackhawk hunter. If so what diameter boolit are you using?

I have not slugged the barrel but the cylinder throats are .430 to .431.

I am not sure if I am planning on slugging the barrel as it is my understanding (maybe misguided thinking)that the throat determines the proper cast bullet diameter. I would suspect there are problems that would only show with slugging the barrel. These problems would require machine work to the gun which I would probably not due as I am happy with my jacketed reloading results.

I guess I should also mention at this time I really am only interested in loading full power loads with 240 to 250 boolits.

[Rico1950]

Thread constriction after the forcing cone is the main concern with Rugers.
.430" or .431" should be fine unless the .431" are too long for the .430" throats.

[Rico1950]

Oh Yeh! Welcome to the forum!

[stubshaft]

Throat diameter is instrumental in developing a cast boolit load. Slugging the barrel will tell you if you have a constriction (usually where the barrel is screwed in) and whether or not the chamber diameter is correct.

[turmech]

I would assume the chamber diameter is correct in most all guns. (I do suspect it is wrong in some isolated cases) I would suppect if it was larger than the throat cast boolit would be impossible to shoot in the gun due to leading and accuracy.

I am aware of the restriction that exist in these guns where the barrel screws in but i guess i would just try cast bullets sized correctly for the throat and see what happened.

[Rico1950]

Chamber diameter? or Cylinder dimension?

[turmech]

diameter

[MtGun44]

Groove diam smaller than throat diam is what you want, and enough of a forcing cone
to accept the .431 diam boolit without it being larger than the wide end of the forcing cone.

It is very unlikely with this dimension, but make up at least one dummy round to make
certain that the chamber will take a round with a .431 boolit.

Bill

[brotherdarrell]

On my SBH Hunter .431 is too large for the throats, I have to push the dummy rnds. into the cylinder and accuracy falls off conciderably. It shoots best at .430

brotherdarrell

[runfiverun]

i am assuming you are gonna buy these also so 430 is what you'll get.

[turmech]

brotherdarrell

Are you loading your cast loads at high velocities or mild loads? Which powder or powders work best for you? .430 jacketed hornady bullets pass through the cylinder throats of my gun with little to no resistance. This made me believe .431 cast bullets would perform better. The fact that you have better results with .430 bullets makes me reconsider my earlier thoughts.

rufiverun

I am not sure if I am going to cast my own or purchase cast bullets at least at first. I am sure if I have good results with cast I will eventually cast my own. I have found suppliers that will size the cast bullets to .431. Penn bullets, Missouri bullet company.

[Floydster]

I have a Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter and size my Lee 240gr. SWC to .430, tumble lubed and pushed by 10.2 gr. Unique---great load in my Bisley, pleasant to shoot.

[leadman]

If the driving band in front of the crimp groove is too large to go in the throat then you have a couple of choices. Use a smaller diameter boolit, trim the case so the driving band does not interfer (not recommended) or have the throats opened up to all the same dimension. A check of bore diameter should also be done.

I have a SBH Hunter in 41 mag that has no problem with a .410" boolit. A friend has a Freedom Arms that needs a .409" driving band up front so I make him a different boolit.

[rintinglen]

My Super has a .430 bore with cylinder throats ranging from .4317 to .4325,( all but one are .4322-.4325). The largest sizing die I have is .431 so that is what I use.

[rugerdude]

In my Bisley, boolits from an RCBS 44-250-K mould and sized to .430 will usually catch on either the front or middle driving band when dropped through the cylinder.

I seat them Starline or R-P brass on top of 20.5 grains of 2400 capped with a Win LP primer. Velocity averages 1450 fps and accuracy is excellent.

[archmaker]

On the various Ruger's I have owned over the years it seemed that .430 gave the best results, their was one or two that liked .431 but not by a lot. I normally adjusted my loads to get adequate accuracy for what I was doing.

However, when it came to long range shooting, IHMSA, then I tinkered with all variables until I had the most accurate. But the .2-.3" difference at 25yds is not enough for me to worry about. (I always figured the difference was me!)

[brotherdarrell]

{{brotherdarrell

Are you loading your cast loads at high velocities or mild loads? Which powder or powders work best for you? .430 jacketed hornady bullets pass through the cylinder throats of my gun with little to no resistance. This made me believe .431 cast bullets would perform better. The fact that you have better results with .430 bullets makes me reconsider my earlier thoughts.}}

I was loading rcbs 44-245-swc at high end loads with 2400 (using published data). The boolits were ACWW and lubed with homemade jpw/lla . With open sights @ 50 yds. groups were in the 3-4" range, which is all my eyes are good for anymore. These are with boolits sized to .430. When sizing to .431 I found two things, I have to 'push' the cart. into the cylinder, it would not drop freely into the cylinder. The second is that group size opened up almost double. I did not find any more leading with the larger boolit, just harder loading and larger groups. I have a rcbs 44-250-k that cast and loaded the same as the 44-245-swc will turn the barrel into a smooth bore after about 15 - 20 shots, go figure!!! Just about the time I think I have something figured out I find out I am dumber than when I started.

With g.c. boolits nothing leads the barrel, I can size .429 or .430 and all shoot accurately.

brotherdarrell

[pharmpoke]

The most accurate in my Super Blackhawk Hunter is the RCBS 250gr SWC air cooled wheel weights sized .431 (pretty much as cast-almost no sizing occurs, just lubed), lubed with 50/50 with W296