Using lead balls for BP pistol to slug cylinder?

[kshock]

I have read until I am cross eyed about slugging barrels and/or cylinders. Most referenced threads (did a search on slugging) simply stated 'slug the cylinder throats' and several suggested using tools I have never heard of, let alone own. The cylinder on my 686 leads something ferocious when I shoot lead bullets sized to .357. I have trouble finding HBWC's sized to .358 that I can actually afford in bulk. I want to slug the cylinder throats to see what sizing die I should use when I start casting my own and I want to know if using a .375 round lead ball (Hornady) intended for a BP pistol would be to big to slug the cylinder with. Thanks

[boltons75]

I just fill an empty belled price of brass with lead and use that for a slug. If you don't have a lead pot, just put some lead stinkers on the brass and heat with a torch until melted. I deprime first and set a bb in to cover the flash hole, then push the slug out with a punch

Always carry, never tell.

[boltons75]

Oh and then just simply push it through the barrel with a piece of dowel.

Always carry, never tell.

[mdi]

A pure lead ball .020" larger than thr cylinder throat can be drived through fairly easily. Start the ball with a plastic mallet (no matter how careful we are, OOPS! happen so no steel hammer). You'll get a 010" "doughnut" of shaved lead around the hole, just keep on pushing the ball through. If you feel uncomfortable with .020" over size, tap the .375" ball with a hammer to "elongate" it a little. Don't forget to lightly lube the ball and cylinder...

[44man]

I get the ball in the cylinder and put a brass rod against it and another on the other side. Upset the ball between the rods and tap it out.
You need a good micrometer to measure it.
If you lead cylinders your boolits are too soft. Get rid of the swaged or HB stuff Stop shooting play dough boolits.

[Mk42gunner]

Don't use a wooden dowel to push a slug with; there is too much chance of it breaking and wedgeing in place. A brass rod works well, and won't harm your barrel or cylinder.

Robert

[boltons75]

Don't use a wooden dowel to push a slug with; there is too much chance of it breaking and wedgeing in place. A brass rod works well, and won't harm your barrel or cylinder.

Robert

I use a large hardwood dowel about an inch or so longer than the barrel. You know ML ramrods were and some still are made of wood. Never had one break.

Always carry, never tell.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

You can get a brass rod at a hardware store , welding supply or a place like Farm&Fleet. Remember to put some kind of lube on the slug and in the barrel. Once I have measured the slug, I put the engraved slug back on top of the barrel, I mark it and the barrel so I can align it correctly and push it through 5 or 6 times. Each time it gets a little easier to push through. If it is pretty loose at the end of the barrel and then slightly tightens up where the barrel is screwed into the frame, it tells me that there is a constriction at that point.
As far a getting molds, you may want to start with some 2 cavity Lee molds. They are inexpensive and come .358 in size. There is a way to make them larger by a process called Beagling (sp). I use the Lee .358 RNFP and really like that boolit. I have a bunch of other molds (that happens to almost everyone) but the .358 RNFP is one of my favorites. As far as far as dies go, my LEE .358 die measures .358 but my LEE .359 die measures .3585. There are ways you can increase the diameter of your dies also. If you want, I can send you some LEE RNFP lubed up and ready to go sized to .3585. You can try them and see how they work. Let me know.

[cajun shooter]

The egg shaped lead fishing weights are the easiest to use and come in a complete size range to cover your caliber. Use oil and a brass rod that may be purchased at most hardware stores.
You can tap it so that a plastic or other material knob may be put on the end to ease the use of pushing it down the barrel.

[captaint]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet - and it needs to be said... FIRST, remove the cylinder from the revolver. Don't even try this with the cylinder still attached. Your soft lead balls should be fine. If you want to shrink them a little just roll one between two hard surfaces to make a little flat. Then push it through.. lubricate and proceed. Let us know how it goes. enjoy Mike

[MtGun44]

Measure with a micrometer NOT a caliper. Calipers are not accurate enough to be sure
what you are doing when .001 really matters. Remove the cyl or FULLY support before
driving a ball through, or you can bend the crane and you will NOT be happy.

Bill

[prs]

I've use Hornady and Speer round balls to to that job. For the cylinder throats, there is no worry about a dowl getting wedged, but in the barrel use the brass or aluminum rod and lube. If your round ball is too close to the measured size, the area you have to measure on teh ball is gonna be pretty small. No problem forcing an oversized one through the chamber. say a .490 through a 45 Colt cylinder, it just shaves a ring from the ball.

prs