Revolver loading Q

[TaylorS]

I’ve never loaded any for revolvers but I think I’ve read that the boolit needs to be sized to the cylinder throat, not the groove diameter?

I’m working on a very old DA colt in 38 long colt groove diameter was .385 if I remember right and the cylinders came out around .382. My cast are coming out at .383 or so but .382 is hard to chamber with my slightly mangled dummy.

I’m trying to decide what sizing die to use if any. My plan was to get one at average cast size as to lube the boolit but not swage it down any as groove diameter was so large. As tight as it was to chamber I’m questioning that logic now.

These are heeled boolits and I am using the old west bullet mould system of tools for loading as I can get them.

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[megasupermagnum]

If your groove is .385", and your throat is .381"-382", it will never shoot good. To answer your question, if it won't chamber at .382", size to .381". You want to get as close to throat size, but want a slip fit. Sizing over throat size only causes problems.

[Dusty Bannister]

If the trial cartridge is not correct, your results will not be correct either. Use a magic marker on that dummy round and see where the color is rubbed off when chambering. Looks like you might be a little excessive on the crimp and that will make the case mouth swell and resist chambering easily.

[Larry Gibson]

I would suggest using a very soft binary alloy of lead - tin at 40 - 1. A soft lube or even LLA (applied as per Lee's instructions) and sized so they just easily chamber. Your old revolver is what it is so you have to just make them fit best you can.

[Petrol & Powder]

I concur with Larry. Soft lead and hope for some upset to expand the bullet to the groove diameter.
Size to the throat, which is about the best you can do in this case.

[dverna]

Or get the cylinders reamed?

[Wayne Smith]

Or get the cylinders reamed?

Not reamed. If you do anything with those chambers talk to DougGuy first.

[TaylorS]

Sticking one in the barrel heel first looks like it will completely seal so my measuring isn’t right on the bore but I haven’t had time or slugs to slug it. I did crimp the dummy to much since I was getting the crimp die lined out when I made it and crimped it to low in the process. I’ll get one ordered at .381 and see where it goes from there. I’m probably not going to shoot this gun much but I want to see it go boom before I retire it to the safe it is 122 years old[emoji3]


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[gwpercle]

Hollow base boolit was the factory answer to the heeled 38 long Colt issue .
The idea being the hollow base would swag up and/or down during firing.
Use a softish alloy when casting .
Gary

[fredj338]

IMO, you will never get the bullet to bump up, regardless of alloy, not enough pressure. A hollow base may bump enough to give decent accuracy. So your option is to open the throats to match bore or shoot jacketed. A gc might yield acceptable accuracy if you stay with original throat size.