32 S&W Long and 32 H&R Bore size

[woodlecj]

I want to buy a .313 or .314 sizer and want to get close in size. For those of you who have a S&W model 16 or a Ruger Single Six Mag, what sized bullet do yours prefer? I know, I know, slug your own bore! I don't want to do that as I have no soft lead right now. I have two moulds that drop at .315 and believe that will be a little large and do not want to try them yet. Unless the experts here feel .315 is not a problem and I can shoot them as cast.

Thanks,
Craig

[44Vaquero]

I have always shot .314 out of my Single-Six with good results. You should not have too much trouble sizing as cast down to .314.

[Outpost75]

I shoot unsized .315 in mine.

[Larry Gibson]

The throats in my Ruger Single Six (original run) .32 H&R pin gauge at .312 and the groove diameter is .312. I most often use .314 sized TL314-90-SWCs with excellent accuracy. When I want the very best accuracy (sub 1" at 25 yards) I use a GC'd 311316 or 313631 sized .312.

My S&W M30 .32 S&WL along with several M16s I pin gauged have throats of .314 and groove diameters of .312 - .313. Bullets sized .314 shoot very well in those.

Larry Gibson

[woodlecj]

Thanks guys for the quick responses. Larry, I also have an M31 to add to the mix. So, you really want bigger throats; correct? In the case of your SSM, you are 2 thousands over. Doesn't the throat size them down a little small for the bore. I've been casting and shooting for awhile now, but just getting into the "how to make a cast boolit accurate" phase of things. Your help is appreciated.
Craig

[Larry Gibson]

craig

Yes the .312 throats of the Ruger Single Six do size the .314 bullets down and they do shoot ok. I really do not think sizing a bullet down in the throats of a revolver is conducive to best accuracy. The "sized down" squeezes the alloy back and the base of the bullet is not then very square to the bore as the swaged alloy has to go somewhere. If I want the best accuracy out of the 90 gr TL bullet I size (after lubing and sizing to .314) them .312 in an H&I die which leaves the bases square to begin with. I shoot them at .314 because while accuracy isn't best I cast those bullets by the thousands and use them in numerous guns sized at .314. So it's just a matter of convenience with those bullets. The GC'd bullets are definitely loaded with more care and are sized at .312 because they are the most accurate.

I've 3 other revolvers with similar "fit" between the throats and the barrel groove diameter; my Ruger Bisley 41 magnum with .410 throats and .410 groove, my Colt Anaconda .44 magnum with .429 throats and groove and my Ruger OM Vaquero 44-40 with .429 throats and groove. All 3 of those are superbly accurate revolvers with bullets sized to the throat/groove diameters.

Larry Gibson

[EMC45]

I shoot .314 out of my Smiths and Ruger.