how do these figures look to those of you with the experience?

[OeldeWolf]

Ok, I have cast a few boolits. I just slugged two of the pistols I am planning to cast for. Here are the figures.

.38 spl pistol:

muzzle .356
breech end .358
cyls .357, .356, .3555, .356, .356
bullet, Lee TL, .360

.44spl pistol

muzzle .4325
breech end .433
cyls, .432, .4325, .4325, .4325, .4325, .4325
bullet Lee TL, SWC .433

Are the .38 bullet a little large, or the .44 a little too small?

[454PB]

Both are fine, the throats are a little tight on the .38 special. I sure wish my .44 special turned out numbers that good!

[MT Gianni]

I would number the cylinder holes on the 38 special and shoot them for group 5 shots from each chamber. You can learn a lot about what needs to be done there. 44 looks good.

[Larry Gibson]

Concur with the above. I'd try both bullets "as cast". Shouldn't have any problem with the .44. However it the .38 is a little tight chambering I'd sized .358 at the smallest. However i think "as cast' will work fine.

Larry Gibson

[OeldeWolf]

Thank you, Gentlemen.

I will cast up a bunch, TL with LLA, and load. SZee how they do.

The 44 Spl is an older S&W Hand Ejector, from my grandfather, who bought it off the original owner. I have seen it referred to as a 1st and a 2nd model. A local S&W afficianado is doing some research to determine exact model.

[Shiloh]

Concur with the above. I'd try both bullets "as cast". Shouldn't have any problem with the .44. However it the .38 is a little tight chambering I'd sized .358 at the smallest. However i think "as cast' will work fine.

Larry Gibson

I concur with the .358 minimum chamber size.

Did you measure with a caliper or a micrometer??

Shiloh

[OeldeWolf]

I used a micrometer. I also tried the caliper, but the wider anvils of the micrometer worked better for me.

[EDK]

I used a micrometer. I also tried the caliper, but the wider anvils of the micrometer worked better for me.

The calipers are OK for rough measurments like Over-All-Length, but the micrometer is necessary for more precise readings. Even then, most machine shops recognize "hand measurements" can vary .001 or more depending on the person doing the micrometer readings.

I'm about ready to break down and buy a set of pin gauges to check my guns throat diameters. Mike Venturino did a magazine article...and a post here...about them.

:Fire::cbpour::redneck:

[MtGun44]

Pin gauges are the best tool for measuring revolver throats. I think
Venturino got the idea from this site, or from Brian Pierce. I saw it in
both sources many months before the article. Duke's article is great, since
it will get to a bunch more gun nuts than this site will, and more good
info is a good thing.

I concur that numbering and testing individual throat diameters may
be useful. Basically it looks like the .44 should work well if you can find
fat enough boolits (Keith GB .44 mold is a good candidate). IMHO the
.38 may be a bit more finicky. If it doesn't shoot well, you may try to
open the throats up a bit and even them out. Is that .38 a Colt?
I have heard that many Colt .38 bbls are choked to .356 or so at the
muzzle, giving excellent accuracy. May override the throat issue, but I
would be surprised.

Please report your results so we all can learn some more.

Bill

[OeldeWolf]

Bill:

The .38 is an S&W Mod 36.

With commercial cast, and 3.1 gr of Hogdon Clays, out of a 3 inch barrel, I got a 10 shot group of 2.5 in x 1.75 in at 7 yds. That is off of a very basic rest, iron sights.

[MtGun44]

Certainly very workable for what a Mod 36 is intended for. I was thinking
it might be a 4" or 6" more of a target pistol. For snubbies at normal
snubbie ranges, you are unlikely to have much concern about minor
issues of throat fit from an accuracy standpoint. You want to avoid
undersized boolits for the groove diameter for leading avoidance.

The issues with throat and boolit fit become more critical at 25 and 50 yd
for tarket work much more than shorter range self defense and training
work.

Bill