Leading in .45 Ruger Blackhawk?

[hc18flyer]

SOOO- Don't want to start a range war, just want to try and resolve my leading? I have reread a lot of old threads. I have had 'DougGuy' ream my cylinder and I opened up the forcing cone with a rented tool to 11 degrees. I get a little leading just past the forcing cone. I was all ready to carefully hand lap the barrel, then I read some old threads generally saying not to do so? I asked about the LBT lapping kit, looked at the Wheeler grit from MidwayUsa, have some 'Permatex' valve grinding compound, and 'Flitz'? I thought I had a little 'thread choke', but when cleaning recently, think not, or very little. This is an older large frame Ruger Blackhawk and I am sizing at .452, generally a soft(9-11 bhn) alloy. I also shoot a NOE 230 tl which I leave unsized. Mostly plain based, and not pushing 'hard'. I read that I need to have my 'timing' checked? Your help would be greatly appreciated, hc18flyer

[Potsy]

I keep a little leading ahead of the forcing cone. It never seems to build up, so I don't worry about it. I'll run a patch with some Ballistol or Hoppes on it every now and then (every couple hundred rounds or so) just to clean out some of the powder fouling and that's it.

FWIW, my Kimber .45 does pretty much the same thing with heat treated cast.

[Wheelguns 1961]

I have a .45c blackhawk that, when I bought it new, would lead just past the forcing cone, alot. Firelapping the barrel scared me. I read somewhere that you could do the same thing with jacketed bullets. I figured, what do I have to loose. After about 250-300rds, the sound of the gun changed, it started shooting more accurately, and the leading stopped. I immediately heard the difference and knew I had it right.

I am not saying this is your problem or that this will fix your gun. I am just relating my experience. When I got my blackhawk, I was so excited. The throats were small and oval. It had thread choke. It took me 6 months to straighten it out, and now I am happy with it. What a dissappointing experience. I am very apprehensive about buying any more ruger single actions.

[lar45]

Have you tried a harder bullet? I've been shooting water dropped WW lubed with either Carnauba Red or 2500+ in my 45 Blackhawk for a couple decades and don't have any leading.

[TCLouis]

You had the cylinder reamed, are sizing the boolits to 0.452" but I did not see what the barrel measures.

[Schreck5]

After reading all i could on here, i did just what you did only i did the work myself. The only thing i did different was to switch to a .454 boolit mold. Fix complete. But it can try a guy's patience.

Oh. One other thing, i started using gas checks.

Bruce

[DougGuy]

hc18flyer exactly what loads are you using? Your alloy seems okay, what boolits specifically lead the worst? I never had much luck with TL boolits to be honest. What lube?

If you can push a tightly patched cleaning jag through and the effort to keep it moving doesn't increase where the barrel meets the frame, there is no choke to worry about.

Next question. After sizing, how snug are the boolits in the cylinder throats? Should be a slight drag fit. They should not fall through, if they do, they may be smaller than .452"

[DocSavage]

I've used the LBT kit with good results but it took awhile as the steel Ruger use for their barrels is quite tough. Ruger Bisley 45 Colt 7.5" barrel very tight at the where the barrel screwed into the frame and the barrel itself was very rough. Using bullets cast from wheelweights no more restriction and bore is very smooth.Chamber mouths were honed to .453
So I use bullets from .452-.454.

[hc18flyer]

DG- I have both the RCBS 255 and 270 swc sized at .452 lubed with Tac1. The NOE 453- 230 tl is unsized and has 3 coats of BLL. I will check the cylinder throats and fire a string of each bullet, to see if one leads worse?
I also have the NOE 454255rnfp, that I size to .452. I will see if I have any unsized to check in the cylinder throats? I haven't slugged the bore, thought .452 bullets would work? Thanks, hc18flyer

[DougGuy]

452 would be the norm. I wouldn't bother slugging the bore, it's not over .451" so you are good on that one. Check the cylinder throats with a recently sized boolit. Should be a light drag fit. Check the NOE boolit in the throats unlubed and unsized as well. Something has got to be undersize somewhere.

[clintsfolly]

Had the same problem and did the same things to fix it. The final thing was my .452 sizer was giving me .4514 bullets. So I lapped it to .4523 and all is good with the world now.

[hc18flyer]

Both my RCBS 255 swc and 270 saa sized to .452 are loose in the cylinder throats. The NOE 23tl (unsized) and 454255rnfp (sized to .452) require force to push thru throats. Will shoot later ghis week. Clintsfolly- Think you have the soloution. I have a second sizer die, could open him up a little bit? hc18flyer

[DougGuy]

Check the cylinder throats with a recently sized boolit. Should be a light drag fit. Something has got to be undersize somewhere.


Both my RCBS 255 swc and 270 saa sized to .452 are loose in the cylinder throats.

I suspect these are not .452" as advertised. I size throats where a .452" is a light drag fit so that tells me right there that could be the source of your problem.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive never seen lapping hurt accuracy if done right. I really haven't seen it improve it either. But it will help with leading in some guns. First thing I will say is if it leads after a few rounds and doesn't get any worse I wouldn't even worry about it. If it leads to the point it degrades accuracy then and only then would I worry. Some guys get a bit anal about there guns. I have friends that will shoot 6 shots and go home and totally take apart there gun and clean it whistle clean. Me. I shoot them till accuracy starts falling of and in most cases that's measured in years not rounds. Wipe them down with some oil and clean the obvious fouling in the action. My revolvers seldom have a brush of any kind touch the inside of the barrel. What do do though is usually take a couple jacketed loads with me to the range and when im done the last two through the gun are jackted and that pushes about about any leading short of a serverly leaded gun and guns that do that don't stay in the safe. They go to the gun shop.

[jaguarxk120]

Long ago I read a post from a smith that loved fire lapping.
He said it created more barrel work for him than just regular shooting!

Guy's would fire lap till the barrel was gone and needed replacing!

[LAH]

My BH was choked. Took 24 rounds of a lapping ammo before the pin gauge would pass. Also recut the forcing cone. Sure make a difference.

[hc18flyer]

I haven't been able to shoot yet. Hopefully the weather will cooperate this weekend? I appreciate all the replies. hc18flyer