Neck Size

[smokemjoe]

I hate to hord up the web sight so much but I need help., Rem. R.B. in 43 Spanish. Exc. tight bore .4385, I am shooting bullets size at . 440 that shoot 1 in. at 50 yds. If I go smaller bullet, it opens up big . But loading this in Buffola Arms formed brass from 348 its tight to load and the case neck scrapes in the chamber. I am using 34 grs. of 5744, 43 Mauser bullet sized to .440 ,the Lyman bullet and a Bullet for the 41 Swiss at same size. Am I hurting anything with it being so tight. Thanks for your help. Smokemjoe

[JeffinNZ]

Joe, can you turn a couple of thou off the outside of the neck of the cases?

[uscra112]

Hmmm. I wonder if you have another rifle designed for paper-patch boolits. Rifles specifically chambered for the paper-patch boolit in the late 19th century could and did have rather small necks.

The Mauser 71/84 (I have one) is known for this.

Paul Matthews explained it in his book, "The Paper Jacket." In the 1880s the factory load with paper-patched boolit was very common, both military and civilian. The boolits were swaged, dead-soft lead, sized rather small relative to the groove diameter.

This was intentional, so that the patched nose could enter a fouled bore without jamming or tearing. The boolit being dead soft, it would obturate as it entered the bore, and travel out normally. But being patched, it could be launched as hard as black powder could launch it, without any leading.

I've pulled down a couple of rounds of my original Mauser military ammo, and the results agree with what Matthews wrote.

Your RB barrel may be another one made specifically for patched boolits. It's in the right period.

Your best solution will be to use it as it was designed to be used, and learn to patch boolits. Find that Matthews book. Your hobby just expanded !

If those cartridges are real tight in the neck, you are getting raised pressures, maybe by a lot. Even when they weren't paper-patched, old cases were a lot thinner than modern ones. Get the necessary tool and turn those necks if you want to shoot nekkid boolits!