WidenersLoad DataRepackboxRotoMetals2
MidSouth Shooters SupplyReloading EverythingLee PrecisionTitan Reloading
Inline Fabrication
Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Shooting boolits larger than the cylinder throats

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Ala.
    Posts
    1,190

    Shooting boolits larger than the cylinder throats

    I have 2 44 mag revolvers, one a mod 29-6, and a Uberti Callahan. Both have cylinder throats less than .429, but not by much. I haven't measured them. I shoot .429 boolits, and both do very well. I have a single shot rifle that likes .430. For simplicity I want to just load .430 boolits. My load is 10gr AA#5 under 429421 for 950-1000fps out of the revolvers.My alloy is COWW. This is nowhere near a max load, so other than probably increasing the pressure in the cylinder somewhat by shooting the larger boolit, am I causing harm or added wear and tear to the revolvers if I do this?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master gnostic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Somewhere over the rainbow...
    Posts
    696
    You may have to load your handguns with a mallet...

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    NE Kansas
    Posts
    2,421
    Quote Originally Posted by gnostic View Post
    You may have to load your handguns with a mallet...
    This is not entirely true. The throat is smaller than the chamber area of the cylinder and generally you can shoot whatever size bullet that will easily chamber and extract, or fall out of the cylinder of it's own weight. Some feel a tight throat will introduce leading.

    Increasing the bullet diameter by .001" is not likely to create any problem with chambering unless you have a tight chamber like a contender carbine. Then it can be a problem. Better to just try it and see if it freely chambers and falls out of it's own weight.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    TCFAN's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Missouri Ozarks
    Posts
    1,139
    My superblack hawk has .430-.431 throats and it shoots my .433 boolits very well.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Walkingwolf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Posts
    964
    Guns built for jacket bullets/FMJ tend to have throats slightly bigger than bore size. Guns built for cast bullets have bore size a little bigger. As long as the gun does not lead the bullet will swage to size through the throat. I have two GP100's that are this way, both are very accurate, and both do not lead. The only problem is bullets cannot be seated past the throat. My Smith model 21 the bore is large enough to seat bullets to 44 mag length/Keith style loads.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    over the hill, out in the woods and far away
    Posts
    10,158
    I shoot .430 bullets in my S&W Model 544 Texas Commemorative .44-40 which has .429 throats and accuracy is wonderful.
    The ENEMY is listening.
    HE wants to know what YOU know.
    Keep it to yourself.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master scattershot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    1,532
    If you’re worried about the pressure, don’t. I once fired a .452bullet through a .429 barrel with no damage. Kicked like a mule, but no damage. ( long story, involving a mismarked barrel).
    "Experience is a series of non-fatal mistakes"


    Disarming is a mistake free people only get to make once...

  8. #8
    Boolit Master Hannibal's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    East of KCMO
    Posts
    2,184
    Quote Originally Posted by T-Bird View Post
    I have 2 44 mag revolvers, one a mod 29-6, and a Uberti Callahan. Both have cylinder throats less than .429, but not by much. I haven't measured them. I shoot .429 boolits, and both do very well. I have a single shot rifle that likes .430. For simplicity I want to just load .430 boolits. My load is 10gr AA#5 under 429421 for 950-1000fps out of the revolvers.My alloy is COWW. This is nowhere near a max load, so other than probably increasing the pressure in the cylinder somewhat by shooting the larger boolit, am I causing harm or added wear and tear to the revolvers if I do this?
    Your statement confuses me. You need to know the diameter of your throats. It really does not matter what size your bullets are when you load them, by the time they travel thru those cylinder throats, that will determine their diameter.
    If all you are concerned about is shooting .430 bullets thru 2 revolvers that you have been shooting .429 bullets through, I would be surprised if this causes you any trouble.

    If you have not measured your sized bullets with a micrometer, it's quite likely your .429" and .430" bullets aren't what you think they are, anyway. Particularly if they have sat around a few weeks after sizing.

    Not sure if this all helps or not. Bottom line is, you won't know for certain until you shoot them and see what the target tells you.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Ala.
    Posts
    1,190
    I'm not going to worry about it. A .430 will chamber, and fall out freely from both revolvers. I know the throats will swage them. I have done this some already, just wanted to be sure I wasn't doing one of those "never do that" things. They shoot fine at .430 as far as accuracy goes, chrono says maybe a little slower than .429 but I guess that makes sense if they are being swaged a little more. But if this even exists, it's not much but my sample size is small. I have noticed no leading. Thanks everyone.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check