Sizing Diameter for Ruger Blackhawk .44

[sargeny1]

HI ALL...OK...finally got around to measuring the chamber thoats in my New Model 44 Magnum Blackhawk Anniversary Model...throats measure .431"...AND the barrell groove diameter is .430"...NOW..from the TONS of stuff I have read I should size my cast bullets to the groove diameter...430"...Right..?? Kuhnhausen's book says chamber throats should be .001 larger than the sized bullets...Right..??? Looks like Ruger got it right on THIS .44 Magnum...Right..????
What say ye learned gentlemen..??? Thanks to all for your help..
Pete

[MT Gianni]

With a revolver I size for the cylinder throats. Its my experience that to do otherwise is to invite blowby, leading and bullet tipping. You have a good gun in the sense that the grooves are smaller than the throats, reversed is a real pain to get to shoot. If it were mine I would find a fat mold and size 0.4315 minimum. Gianni

[felix]

433 won't hurt. ... felix

[9.3X62AL]

.431" minimum.

[sargeny1]

Thanks GUYS...!!! OK..I have a H&G 503 mold that drops bullets at .433...AND an ancient Lyman 429421 Hollow Point mold that drops bullets at .433 most of the time..
I can't find a sizing die larger than .431 for my Lyman sizer lubricator though..!!!???
Pete

[44man]

Just lap out the die a little until you get what you want. I would also hand lube some and shoot them as cast to see what they do.
There is nothing anywhere that says that boolits need to be sized. (As long as a loaded round will chamber.) If I use the lube-sizer, I always use larger dies then the boolits anyway and just seat checks and lube with them.

[Lloyd Smale]

IVe never seen a ruger 44 that didnt do well with 430s. For the most part for ruger loading i dont even fool with anything else anymore. Ive had a couple that prefered 431s but the differnce in accuracy was almost not meaurable. Smiths can be a little differnt though as many of mine prefer 431 bullets.

[Bass Ackward]

Sizing diameter? The exact diameter? Oooooh.

Well that depends on bullet design, the powder speed you want to run, along with the targeted velocity range you want to operate in which all drive the mix or hardness you should use. Clear it up any?

Based on your guns dimensions that means that anything from .429 up to what ever will chamber.

[lovedogs]

Pete... I've had pretty much the same experience as Lloyd. I currently have a Ruger that is a twin to yours. I shoot .430's of Lyman #2 and use Larsen's 50/50 lube. It works great. My experiences have been that if I use .430's with a GC and a good lube and kick them hard enough they upset well and shoot well without leading. In one Marlin rifle I'm shooting bullets that are 1 1/2 thousandths under groove diameter and when I load them up to good pressures they shoot well and don't lead. Lube used and pressures involved seem to be key to how they'll work.

[454PB]

If you size larger than .431", do a test fit and make sure they chamber. Some designs (like Keith) have the large forward driving band that needs to enter the cylinder throat. I own several .454's that won't accept a boolit larger than .452", they are too tight in the cylinder throats.

[sargeny1]

Thanks GUYS...lovedogs..have the same recipe..Lyman #2 Alloy and Larsen's 50/50 lube...this is my first attempt at loading for Ruger 44 and 357 Magnums...
Pete