RWE
08-01-2017, 01:00 PM
Here's a chamber schematic from a cerrosafe mold I made from an old barrel.
It's probably a 44 Henry rimfire which had a case length of about 0.9" and an OAL of 1.345" with a 0.446 heeled bullet.
The dimensions shown are probably +/- a 0.001, because I expect the chamber should have fit that 0.446 bullet even though the casting measured 0.445, but that's what I got.
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/medium/48660.png
Anyway, the conundrum.
I want to rechamber the gun without setting the barrel back any if possible, and use the bore/groove as is considering it will take a 44 cal lead bullet nicely. I can fit a cartridge with a OAL of about 1.6" max which is represented by the thicker unlabeled line.
***All blackpowder loading****
A 44 special will clean up a lot of the old chamber, but leave a leade/throat of 0.125" at 0.445 diameter and the tapered section of 0.105" down to the threaded bore, essentially a total of 0.23", most of which is 0.015" larger than bullet diameter.
A 44-40 will clean up the old chamber up until where the neck meets the shoulder of the 44-40, then it will be overrsized by a thousandth up until the last 0.08" of the tapered section where the chamber measures about 0.444. I assume more throat would have to be cut to properly seat without jamming a bullet in the lands? What diameter would you cut it for?
A 44 mag will clean up the old chamber all the way to the start of where the lead tapers, essentially leaving the 0.105" taper. Same as the 44-40, I assume more throat would have to be cut to properly seat without jamming a bullet in the lands? What diameter would you cut it for?
What are my pros and cons for the scenarios given? Any other scenarios pop into your head?
It's probably a 44 Henry rimfire which had a case length of about 0.9" and an OAL of 1.345" with a 0.446 heeled bullet.
The dimensions shown are probably +/- a 0.001, because I expect the chamber should have fit that 0.446 bullet even though the casting measured 0.445, but that's what I got.
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/medium/48660.png
Anyway, the conundrum.
I want to rechamber the gun without setting the barrel back any if possible, and use the bore/groove as is considering it will take a 44 cal lead bullet nicely. I can fit a cartridge with a OAL of about 1.6" max which is represented by the thicker unlabeled line.
***All blackpowder loading****
A 44 special will clean up a lot of the old chamber, but leave a leade/throat of 0.125" at 0.445 diameter and the tapered section of 0.105" down to the threaded bore, essentially a total of 0.23", most of which is 0.015" larger than bullet diameter.
A 44-40 will clean up the old chamber up until where the neck meets the shoulder of the 44-40, then it will be overrsized by a thousandth up until the last 0.08" of the tapered section where the chamber measures about 0.444. I assume more throat would have to be cut to properly seat without jamming a bullet in the lands? What diameter would you cut it for?
A 44 mag will clean up the old chamber all the way to the start of where the lead tapers, essentially leaving the 0.105" taper. Same as the 44-40, I assume more throat would have to be cut to properly seat without jamming a bullet in the lands? What diameter would you cut it for?
What are my pros and cons for the scenarios given? Any other scenarios pop into your head?