44 Taurus Tracker and ported barrel leading

[sd5782]

Has anyone had any experience with these ported barrels and leading. From the photos, it seems that the ports are in an unrifled area that is not bore diameter; more of an expansion chamber. I was thinking that there would/should not be too much leading.
This looks like a nice gun for 44 Special velocity loads and plinking, especially the 4". My SuperRedhawk can handle the heavy stuff. I have read much good about accuracy and build quality with this gun.

[Swagerman]

What type of bullets are you shooting in it? If its cast bullets what are the diameters of the slug.

Too small diameter will cause leading, increase diameter of bullets should help.

Check the cylinder chambers and especially the barrel rifling by using a micrometer, or have a gunsmith do it for you.

I own a Taurus Tracker in .45 Colt, it has the porting, and there are no leading problems.


Jim

[sd5782]

Sorry for not being too clear; I have not purchased this gun yet. Glad to hear you have avoided leading in your Tracker. I have various diameters, and alloys, and don't have problems in my other revolvers. I was just wondering if the ports caused trouble. On other sites, cleaning the lead from the ports was mentioned.

[Frank V]

The ports should not lead. There is an expansion chamber that is larger than the bore where the rifling ends. The ports are in this part of the BBL, being larger than the actual bore, I don't think the ports will lead. Frank

[sd5782]

That is what I thought, but elsewhere on the net, I read about the difficulty of cleaning lead from these ports. I will probably go for it anyhow, as it looks like a nice gun.

[454PB]

I own a Taurus Raging Bull in .454 Casull, and it has a ported barrel. Personally, I think the ports are useless, but they do not cause any leading. They do, however, collect boolit lube and require some extra steps to keep clean.

[Dale53]

I own a Taurus Tracker in .45 ACP (stainless). I have had NO problems with port leading. I shoot NOTHING but cast in it. I am ambivalent about the ports...

Incidentally, for those that have these particular Trackers (.45 ACP), they use VERY thin spring steel full moon clips. They do NOT have sufficient head space to use Auto Rim cases - not possible. However, there IS an alternative. The .45 Cowboy Special cases have the same rim as the .45 Colt and headspace PERFECTLY in my revolver. They also had the same case capacity as the .45 ACP and Auto Rim cases so loading data is interchangeable. You will, when reloading, need the same shellplate in the Dillon as the .45 Colt (or the same shell holder in your conventional loading press). The dies, of course, are the same as the .45 ACP and Auto Rim.

I like my .45 ACP Tracker. It is a dandy compact woods gun.

Dale53

[sd5782]

From what I have read the 44's in the 4" have only 3" of rifling, and then the "expansion area" with the ports, and no rifling. Perhaps in other calibers or different years the rifling extended all the way through. I am glad to hear either way that the ports don't really cause a problem. I am also glad to hear that people like these guns. I really am not interested in the porting, but like the size of this gun.