Help, oversize throats, tight barrel revolver problems

[flintlocke]

A .44 Russian repro, Uberti imported by the old Navy Arms followed me home. But it is the most inaccurate revolver I have ever owned. I would like to coax it into shooting more accurately. Tried three brands of factory, dismal 4 to 5" groups at 25 yds. Then a few tests with a 200 gr (for my bulldog) and a few tests with 240 gr, pretty soft of WW's and a little tin around 750 fps to 780 fps. Dismal. .429" jacketed hollow points, worst groups ever, 6" grps.
Finally out comes the micrometer and bore slug. Uh Oh, .434 ish throats, tight .426-.427" grooves.
Suggestions gentlemen?

[Harter66]

Check for frame thread choke .
Rough forcing cone .
Crown .
Sort of in that order of issue . Then it gets expensive .
Timing , cyl/barrel alignment , too tight or loose cylinder lock up .

I don't have one with that kind of an extremes , but I do have a 45 that's .454+ into a .451 groove that doesn't have any difficulties .

The last possiblity is of course the loose nut on the trigger but I tend to want to believe that folks have their shooting skills in order before they blame hardware .

[flintlocke]

Thanks for the reply, Hart 66, Smith and Wesson Russian is solid frame so no choke on the threads, the forcing cone could be smoother, crown appears perfect at 5x magnification, barrel/cyl alignment during lockup looks real good using gauge pins. I was sure it was the nut behind the trigger, so I fire a few out of a good old model 10 Smith, bingo, 6 shots in under 2 inches at 25 yds. Now I'm wondering about beagling a mold to drop a bullet big enough to just seat in the unsized fired case...to take up some of the slop in the .434" throats?

[Harter66]

Vintage ....... It appears that it doesn't take much to get some choke .
I have a relieved 429421 that casts .448 but that might be overkill a little , it's ok in a .448 chamber for a .440 groove in C&B .

You may have to look for something in a 44 Rifle mould ....... 44s have never had an appeal for me really and it's probably because of the double standard for one cartridge .

[uscra112]

Your bullet has to fit the throats, not the barrel.

[Harter66]

Vintage ....... It appears that it doesn't take much to get some choke .
I have a relieved 429421 that casts .448 but that might be overkill a little , it's ok in a .448 chamber for a .440 groove in C&B .

You may have to look for something in a 44 Rifle mould ....... 44s have never had an appeal for me really and it's probably because of the double standard for one cartridge .

[Mitch]

uscra112 has hit the nail on the head.if your bullets are not fit the the cylinder throats it will not shoot well and likely have some leading problems.buttlet fit is king all els come after.My guess it is Gas cutting right out the the cylider throats.

I am like Harter66 Got a colt anaconda with the 454 plus cylinder throats and 451 groove.Untill i got the proper sized bullets i had very much the same problem as Flint Lock>poor accuacy and barrel leading.I would vote for a fatter bullet that just has a light push thru the cylinder thoats.some where realy close to the .434 dia.there may be some other problem as mention above but the fits has to be right first

[rking22]

Get some soft .434 bullets, bet it will like them. You have a better situation than the reverse!

[DougGuy]

Your bullet has to fit the throats, not the barrel.

^^^^ This... My avatar pic is a Uberti 45 Colt with .4565" throats and a .451" barrel. I size the 454190 cast 50/50+2% to .456" and it is a fly's worst nightmare at 10yds, I am sure it would go into less than 2" at 25yds. So.. Large throats are not an issue if you can size to a light drag fit in the throats. Soft alloy, that you can scratch with a thumbnail, which 50/50 is, and soft lube, fit to the throats, you will have good groups.

One of our members here shoots a 44 caliber SBH with a 45 Colt cylinder, he claims it shoots very good.

[Outpost75]

Ok folks, I am NOT recommending that you do this, but I did it for academic curiosity, knowing that the Rugers were "hell for strong" and I simply wanted to know...

Attachment 270988

[flintlocke]

And that gentlemen, is why I come to castboolits for real solutions from people who know their craft. So many people on the internet have much more experience typing than shooting. Thanks so much. Paul.

[376Steyr]

It flies in the face of conventional wisdom, but try using some rock-hard commercial cast over a moderate charge of fast-burning powder. I did this for years, not knowing any better, with 45 Auto Rim in a S&W 25 with big throats. I got plenty of forcing cone leading, but great accuracy.

[Mitch]

the only things i know for for sure is been there done that

I dont know if LBT is still making molds but that is where i got the mold to fit my oversized cylinder throats. I know Accurate will make any diameter you need on any of his molds.I did do the rifle mold thing to prove it out before the spencive LBT mold.340 gr lee mold milled down to take off one band and lube groove.Came out to 285 grains shoots good to this day.

I tryed beageling my 45 bullets but it was just to much to ask.To much out of round,but depending on how big your mold drops now it may work for you wont hurt to try it.

[rockrat]

I had a Colt NF in 44 special, with .433" throats and a .428" groove barrel. Accuracy was only so-so until I started going up in boolit size. Went from .430 to .431" then .432" and finally .433". Every time I went up .001" I noticed group shrinkage. Settled on .433" as that was what my 429421 mould (70's vintage) casts. Gun is long gone, but I still remember the fight with it, till I remembered someone said "fit the boolit to the throat" and when I did, things worked out

[243winxb]

.430" diameter using linotype.