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Thread: Measuring diameter with odd grooves

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Measuring diameter with odd grooves

    I know I saw a post somewhere on measuring groove diameter in barrels with an odd number of grooves (like S&Ws).

    Could someone kindly point to it?

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/goog...57j16494987j25

    The link is to a search result that gives links to several threads on the topic.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jtarm View Post
    I know I saw a post somewhere on measuring groove diameter in barrels with an odd number of grooves (like S&Ws).

    Could someone kindly point to it?
    No link to it but what I did was to tightly wrap a .001" feeler gauge around the lead "slug" and measured it with a micrometer.
    Then subtract .002" from your measurement to get your actual groove diameter.
    Do it a few times to check for consistency.

  4. #4
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    DougGuy's Avatar
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    In lieu of a mathematical value to assign to a slug, try this simple test. Push a soft lead ball through the bore, then see if it will go into the cylinder throats from the front. If it does, then the throat to bore relationship is likely correct.

    It doesn't really tell you any decimal figures, it tells you that the throats are larger than groove diameter, and if you size the boolit to fit the throat, the boolit will be of sufficient diameter to seal in the bore and likely shoot well.

    This is the poor man's cylinder mic if you will..
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    Have access to a 3d printer?
    If so, I created a model for a 108° (5 groove) v-block adapters for both a micrometer and calipers that you can print.

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ove-slug/page2

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DougGuy View Post
    In lieu of a mathematical value to assign to a slug, try this simple test. Push a soft lead ball through the bore, then see if it will go into the cylinder throats from the front. If it does, then the throat to bore relationship is likely correct.

    It doesn't really tell you any decimal figures, it tells you that the throats are larger than groove diameter, and if you size the boolit to fit the throat, the boolit will be of sufficient diameter to seal in the bore and likely shoot well.

    This is the poor man's cylinder mic if you will..
    This^^^^^ is what I do to check barrel dimensions. I also see what diameter boolits will fit through the cylinder throats.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Measuring diameter with odd grooves

    Quote Originally Posted by DougGuy View Post
    In lieu of a mathematical value to assign to a slug, try this simple test. Push a soft lead ball through the bore, then see if it will go into the cylinder throats from the front. If it does, then the throat to bore relationship is likely correct.

    It doesn't really tell you any decimal figures, it tells you that the throats are larger than groove diameter, and if you size the boolit to fit the throat, the boolit will be of sufficient diameter to seal in the bore and likely shoot well.

    This is the poor man's cylinder mic if you will..
    It’s on its way to ya Doug. It won’t go through.
    Last edited by Jtarm; 05-19-2019 at 03:38 PM.

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