S&W throat size normal?

[fatelvis]

I tried dropping some cast bullets that I made, and sized to .358" into my two 686's cylinders, and to my surprise, I couldnt even push them through with a pencil! I then tried some cast 9mm bullets that I had sized to .357", and they could be pushed through, but with some resistance.
Do these two revolvers have tight throats, or is this common in S&W revolvers? I am used to my Dan Wesson 357 SM, that allows .358" bullets to be nudged through the cylinder with just a touch from a Q-tip. Thanks in advance-

[462]

I'd push boolits through all 12 throats, measure them with a micrometer, and size according to the largest diameter. (I size .001" over throat diameter.)

[leftiye]

What does your barrel slug?

[MtGun44]

Sounds just perfect. Shoot .358s and they will be about .001 oversized - essentially ideal,
unless you have a .359 groove diameter, and that is unlikely, altho anything is possible.

Bill

[AzShooter]

My 627 had cylilnder throats of .356 so I had to ream them out. My Model 686 has .357 throats. I now have a reamer and don't worry. I will make them all .3575 and size my bullets to .358. The reamer cost $80 bucks.

You can do the same thing on a drill press with sand paper but it's a little hardre to be precise.

[Bret4207]

Did you actually measure the boolits after sizing of just go by the markings on the sizer? I have sizers that are more the .0015 off. Spring back with alloy contributes too.

Beyond that, do as Mt Gun says.

[fatelvis]

Did you actually measure the boolits after sizing of just go by the markings on the sizer?
I measured a few boolits just to be sure. They're right on at .358" and .357".
I'm glad to see that the throats are normal. I didnt know that it was desireable to be .001" over throat diameter with your bullets. Thanks!

[44man]

I measured a few boolits just to be sure. They're right on at .358" and .357".
I'm glad to see that the throats are normal. I didnt know that it was desireable to be .001" over throat diameter with your bullets. Thanks!
Throats are only normal if they are a tad over groove to groove. If that is correct, then actual size means nothing.

[GabbyM]

Sounds to me you have a .358" throat. You can't push a .358" pin through a .358" hole with finger pressure. Since you can push the .357" bullet through I'd say you're close to a .358" throat. You need to take into consideration any possible powder or copper fouling present also.
Different shooters have different ideas but I and many others feel it's better to have the bullet sized down a bit by the cylinder throat than expect it to slug up. In your case a .358” bullet may need a tenth or two of squeeze as it passes . Your S&W bore is probably as much under .357” as your throat would be under .358”. You aren't going to be able to measure .0001” with simple tools. We are not so concerned with tenths anyway. If you use the same method to slug your bore as your cylinder then you get a relative measurement which is what counts.

[Wayne Smith]

I have a model 57-2 that a .358 boolit is very tight in the cylinders and very accurate. .357's are easier to load and almost as accurate.

[pdawg_shooter]

I have a model 57-2 that a .358 boolit is very tight in the cylinders and very accurate. .357's are easier to load and almost as accurate.

A mode 57 with .358 throats????

[Wayne Smith]

Sorry, typing while distracted and at work away from my guns. It should read "27-2".

[fredj338]

ThAT's actually quite good for most S&W. At least w/ the M25s I have checked, they run 0.003"-0.004" larger than groove dia. Tough to get those to shoot well. Slightly small, polish the cyl throats out a bit. A true 0.358" should work fine.