Boolit diameter question

[Blackcat]

I had the barrel swaged and was told its a little over 451 and a half diameter.
Its for a Taurus raging bull that normally shoots .452 dia 454 casull.
I believe it should be ok to use .452 boolits I just want to double check before I get my mould.

[prs]

Told, schmold! Slug that sucker.

prs

[Gohon]

Probable be okay especially if it is a gas check design. If it is a Lee mold they usually drop a little larger than advertised. I have the Ranch Dog mold that drops at .454 which I prefer for the Colt. Remember you can always size down but not up.

[Blackcat]

Perhaps sawged isn the word I was thinking of... the gunsmith put a lead into the barrel to get the internal diameter then he measured it with a caliper and said its just under .452

[MtGun44]

Hope he used a micrometer.

Bill

[rmatchell]

What is the right way to measure the slug.

[pdawg_shooter]

Probable be okay especially if it is a gas check design. If it is a Lee mold they usually drop a little larger than advertised. I have the Ranch Dog mold that drops at .454 which I prefer for the Colt. Remember you can always size down but not up.

Not quite true. I have a mold that drops .428. I made a die to bump it up the .431 my S&W prefers. Some day I might get around to lapping the mold, but this die is quick and easy. I only use a couple hundred of this bullet a year.

[Jim]

Not quite true. I have a mold that drops .428. I made a die to bump it up the .431 my S&W prefers. Some day I might get around to lapping the mold, but this die is quick and easy. I only use a couple hundred of this bullet a year.

Now you got my attention. I have a couple of .45 caliber rifle boolit molds that cast a bit shy. I'd like to hear more about this bump die, maybe a drawing and/or explanation on how it works?

Thank you, Sir!

[prs]

Oh! So he did slug that sucker. My Ruger revolvers in 45 Colt slug out to between .4515 and .452O and shoots best with .454 boolits. The important dimensions are the chambers, throats, and forcing cones and barrel. Should be a slight downward progression. That is where my Rugers failed, the cylinder throats were way small and had to be reamed to get harmony. Within reason, the barrel will size the boolits down to fit.

prs

[pdawg_shooter]

Now you got my attention. I have a couple of .45 caliber rifle boolit molds that cast a bit shy. I'd like to hear more about this bump die, maybe a drawing and/or explanation on how it works?

Thank you, Sir!

Kind of like a lee push through that dont go clear through. Sliding flat plug in top to eject the bullet.

[runfiverun]

swaging...
the boolit goes in the die and is squeezed upward forcing things outward.
you can soften the boolit if you use enough pressure making things bigger.

[pdawg_shooter]

Talking about .003 here. Not much pressure required.

[mdi]

Back to your original question; I think a .452 lead bullet would work, but may be on the small side. Slug/measure the cylinder throats to determine the best bullet diameter for your gun. On every revolver I have, the best diameter for bullets is the same size as the cylinder throats. If my .44 cylinder throat measures .432" I will size bullets to .432", and I get the cleanest shooting, very little/no leading.

[MtGun44]

Throat diameter is controlling, not groove diam - assuming that throats are equal to
or larger than groove. If throats are smaller, probably should ream up to groove +.001"

Bill

[9.3X62AL]

I had a "Built Backwards" Ruger BisHawk in 45 Colt--.452" grooves, .448"-.449" throats. I honed out the throats to .453", and use .454" castings. Shoots right well now, it was formerly a "One Boolit Wonder" (Lyman #454490).

[MtGun44]

Similar story to Al - BH convertible - both cyls had throats at .450 or smaller with a .451
groove diam. Reamed & polished up to .453 and now shoot .453 boolits with good consistency.
Before it would make a 3 and 2 group with lead, but shot jacketed pretty well.

Bill

[9.3X62AL]

Ya know......the closest thing to a j-word that BisHawk has seen have been gas-checked castings.