.44 Mag S&W 629 Cylinder Throat

[CHD]

Hey guys, quick question for you all.
I have a pair of S&W model 629's in 44 Mag that I have yet to cast a boolit for. I am in on the group buy for the MiHec brass H&G #503 .44 Caliber Keith. Today I purchased a Star Lube sizer and am trying to line up sizing dies with Lathesmith.
My question/concern is regarding sizing: from my limited understanding most people size around .430 for their Smithies, I have measured my cylinder throats at .425 with calipers. I have not slugged them. I realize slugging a Smith barrel is difficult because of its 5 lands, and because of this haven't even tried. Have any of you measured your 629 cylinder throats, and if so what are your results? How about the barrels?

I am finding the same ratio more or less for my S&W 500 cylinder throats at .498, but shooting .501 sized boolits with good results.

Thanks for the help.
God Bless.

[MtGun44]

Measuring cyl throats with calipers is not easy and usually gives you the wrong answer.
I doubt that your .425 is correct.
Either use pin gages or pull the cyl & drive a soft lead slug thru from rear to front.

Asking someone what size their throats are to use for your decisions is like asking what
size shoes a friend wears and then getting some and expecting them to fit. Not useful
at all. No two alike except by accident.

You can just shoot some and see what works, or do it right and slug the cyl and
the barrel. If you are going to measure, you need a micrometer that reads to .0001, not
a caliper which is good to +/- .001

Bill

[bhn22]

Asking someone what size their throats are to use for your decisions is like asking what
size shoes a friend wears and then getting some and expecting them to fit. Not useful
at all. No two alike except by accident.

Bill

That is the best analogy yet!

[Heavy lead]

My only current Smith 44 is .4285, I run .430 out of it, my other previous Smith 44, also was .4285. Drive a slug through it, then measure.

[CHD]

I can appreciate your analogy! I was a long way from buying a set of .425 dies. Due to lack of tools I wanted to verify that the measurements I was getting were far from correct. Where do you recommend finding pin gauges?

Thanks Heavy, thats what I was looking for.

gotta build a slug of pure lead it looks like

[EDK]

You really need to get a micrometer to measure with. Calipers aren't that precise.

Check the diameter on some various diameter sized boolits and then try them in the cylinder throats. Keep going larger until you get boolits that won't slip through. Check the diameter with your micrometer again.

Lathesmith makes excellent dies. I had him make a .431 for my various 44 RUGERS and a .361 for my 357 Cowboy rifles. I prefer to size the boolit as large as will chamber, but some designs won't go over .431 in my moulds.

That MIHEC 503 is a d*** good boolit. I have the aluminum mould..bought the test mould off eBay...and am on the brass 503 mould buy also. There were some issues with the first moulds, but Miha made things right. I recommend him highly for his integrity as well as his craftsmanship.

You ought to take a look at the hollow base 44 wadcutter mould that Miha is going to make soon. A 44 or 45 full wadcutter is an impressive round...and makes some interesting holes in targets....freaks out the "shooting range commandoes."

:Fire::cbpour::redneck:

[Bass Ackward]

My two 629s with key locks were both well below bore as was my 329pd. I ended up having to ream them out using a .4305 reamer. The shot out to .431 and change. Actual sizing depends on bullet design preference, but I generally start with .430.

[JudgeBAC]

Get the minus pin gauge set from Harbor Freight. If you have a number of wheelguns it is a great investment. At any rate you can amaze your friends and measure their cylinder throats. They might even give you a beer for doing so.

[GLL]

I bought this USA made Meyer minus set at a machine auction a few years ago for $29. One of the most useful buys I have ever made ! :)

Jerry

http://www.fototime.com/6B38557F6AEEE8D/standard.jpg

[CHD]

Wow, wish I could find the same deal. Finding these to run around $150+. Im too cheap! Going to swag the throats and barells. Looking to buy a micrometer to get better measurements than my caliper is capable of. Leaning towards the Lyman, verses the Starret, the wife is seeing through the "I'm going to save sooo much money" story.

[TCLouis]

I bought a set from ENCO as Iremember it for about 70 bucks.

Thing I hate is that 2/3 - 3/4 of them will likely never be unwrapped.

[Doc Highwall]

I have two sets from ENCO and might not use them all but it sure makes makes me happy that if it is between .060" and .500" that I have it covered. I measured my Model 29 and my cylinder throats at .433"

[Dennis Eugene]

I have a spare Micrometer. Say the word and I'll send it over for you to use as you need. Dennis Eugene

[bhn22]

I still prefer slugging throats. A pin gauge can't tell you if your throat is out of round. As crazy as it sounds, I actually had an old S&W with out-of-round throats on 2 chambers. A little light honing took care of it.

[bdutro]

Mine measured out to 0.4285 and I'm sizing my Mihec #503 types to 0.429

629-8, PC Light hunter model. That's a pretty consistent number compared to two other model matches.

[joatmon]

I got my pin gauges of the bay seller 800 Watts I think he always has this stuff on there pretty cheep.

[NHlever]

I still prefer slugging throats. A pin gauge can't tell you if your throat is out of round. As crazy as it sounds, I actually had an old S&W with out-of-round throats on 2 chambers. A little light honing took care of it.

Cylinders are heat treated sometimes after they are finish reamed, and that is when the out of round situation is created since the mass of metal is not even all the way around a chamber in any cylinder. I am actually surprised we don't see more of this, but heat treat methods have come a long ways.

[RAD57]

My 629 Classic Hunter is .434". Had to get a custom lubrisizer from Buffalo Arms Co.

[MtGun44]

Wow, a three year old thread rises from the dead!

Good to see some folks are mining the back posts - good on you!

You can usually get a good quality, new, micrometer from Enco Tools online for under
$35. Look for a Fowler mic with .0001" reading. Often on sale for $28 or so. Good
quality Jap mics.

Bill

[Gemsbok405]

After a long story purchased a custom throating from Clymer, great service by the way, to fix my S&W 629-3 "Magna Classic". Original throats were 0.428"...

The custom reamer was supplied in a custom 0.4305", and cut with ease the s/s metal with Spanjaard "T cutting fluid".

Can now drop in cast .430" bullets (RCBS 0.430 lube sizer) into chamber, and just need a light push with pencil to go through throats. Pressure is nice and even on all cylinders!