44 spl. rim thickness??

[Olevern]

loaded up 100 Fed. cases in 44 spl. yesterday. Was going to shoot them in a custom 44 spl. made from a flattop many years ago for me by a smith out in Arizona.

Hadn't shot it in a number of years (perhaps 10) Forgot it wouldn't shoot Fed brass 'cause the brass rim is too thick and it was set up by the smith for minimal headspace with another brand.(can't remember which)

Took it out to shoot and almost every cylinder had a case with too thick a rim, binding up the gun.

Anybody out there have samples of Win and Rem 44 spl brass they could measure the rims on and let me know which has the thinnest?

Only thing I have right now is the Fed.

I'll just shoot the rest of the 100 I loaded in one of my magnums. Shame I didn't read all of my loading notes, there is a footnote right there that Fed. rim thickness binds, but no note as to which brass I settled on.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Olevern

[redneckdan]

I'll have starline and win in a quick minute. be right back

[PacMan]

I do not have any of the w/w or rem but i do have starline and they are coming out at .0550 to about.0560 using Mitutoyo calipers and at different locations on the rim.Cannot get a good measurnment with mic.

I know you did not ask for advice but if it were me i would send the cylinder to a good smith and have it turned down. Better to have one that works all the time than one that is perfect,lack of a better word,that does not work.If the tollerances are that close it could easly give you trouble with any brass.

Quick question.Have you loaded the chambers with empty brass and tried it?

Dwight

[redneckdan]

Starline mics at .0551-.0557

Win mics at .0523-.0528


I would have the cylinder modified. It is a revolver not a friggin 1000yd bench gun. No sense in tight head spacing.

[Larry Gibson]

I have a Colt Anaconda .44 magnum with minimal headspace and have the same problem with some .44 Special and .44 Magnum cases.

Larry Gibson

[Olevern]

Thanks, all,

If I recollect correctly, the smith set the gun up with Win. brass, which would seem to be in line with the measurements RedneckDan provided. I'll pick up a bag of Win. brass and try again.

Yes, I did try with some unprimed, unloaded Fed. brass and the issue was there. It is not an issue of high primers, priming with a strip primer with a positive stop and checked the loaded rounds for this issue.

Thanks again, guys.

Not a great problem to use firearms specific brass, do it all the time for my rifles.

[Mal Paso]

I have a Colt Anaconda .44 magnum with minimal headspace and have the same problem with some .44 Special and .44 Magnum cases.

Larry Gibson

4" ? Made around 1997 ? I initially used a fine Norton Stone to take the slight ripples (.001") out of the recoil plate. But as the gun shot in and the cylinder mated with the frame it became a cylinder gap problem and using a jig and fine stone I took .0015" off the barrel at the gap. Still very tight but no binding. Chambers are shorter too, The front drive band of Miha's H&G 503 enters the throat when a round is chambered. I consider this a good thing, also the throats have been reamed to .4312.

Tight is a good place to start but it takes a bit of study to figure where to open it up. On the other end, a cylinder gap less than .004 is going to be a problem with Any Ammo.

I worried that I'd spent too much on a marginal gun but it's my best now.

[Walt]

I checked about 20 Remington 44 Special cases....they were about .0545 to .0585.

[Freischütz]

Here are some measurements with a caliper so no fourth place numbers. Only had time to do five of each brand.
Winchester (not W-W) .053-.055, average .054
Starline .053-.057, average .055
Top Brass .054-.059, average .057
R-P .057-.060, average .059

[Olevern]

Thanks for all the help and advice. I have picked up a bag of Win. brass and when I get home from visiting the family for the obligitory forth of July shindig will try them in the gun.