Requesting help re sizing..

[long_arm]

..specifically as pertains to S&W 29-2.

I'm certain the information I seek is somewhere on this site.. but I am not finding it.
Very new to this pursuit. Thanks in advance for helping me wend my way through the info..

I'm loading cast bullets from Lyman 429215, 429421, etc for use in deer hunting, as well as other game. Both .44mag and .44spl.

So.. sized to .429? Or .430...431? In other words, where and how do I measure my gun to determine the proper sized bullet?

[Dusty Bannister]

Here is a thread that will explain it a lot easier than I can type it. Found it with the search feature upper right corner of the page.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?288697-Cast-Bullets-Sized-for-Revolver-Cylinder-or-Barrel

[mehavey]

As noted above, size to what will just push through the
largest cylinder throat using a pencil & hand-pressure.

... and hope (1st step) that S&W has matched cylinder to barrel.

[long_arm]

Dusty and mehavey,

First, I appreciate both your comments. Thank you.

Second, I'll certainly read that thread again if necessary, and as often as is necessary, however it reads to me as being full of contradictions. Some say slug the bore.. others say that is never necessary. Some say a properly sized bullet should drop through and out a cylinder.. other say snug and not falling out is best. One poster says to measure both sides of the barrel and all cylinders.. ok, then what?!

So again, how and where do I measure my gun to obtain a number to which I should size my cast bullets in order to obtain greatest accuracy?

[mehavey]

Slug the bore
Slug the cylinder(s)

Size to .001/.002" over the barrel groove -- if the largest cylinder will pass it w/a hard pencil shove.
Otherwise, size to whatever the cylinder will just pass

[long_arm]

Roger that.
So the primary interest is in the cylinder(s) bore diameter? Or the barrel bore diameter? And if the later, at the muzzle?

[long_arm]

I'm finding sized bullets can be pushed with a pencil through all cylinder holes, but will NOT fully enter the barrel at either end. The muzzle end appearing more constricted. Still making sense?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I size them .430

[Dusty Bannister]

Generally, the cylinder throat is expected to be larger than the groove diameter of the barrel. One reason for slugging the barrel is to feel for thread choke where the barrel is screwed into the frame. Some times this can cause a constriction that will result in sizing the bullet down a bit as it passes this area and then the hot gasses leak past the bullet and deposit lead etched from the sides of the bullet onto the barrel surface (leading). It will also verify that the groove diameter is smaller than the throat of the cylinder. Many will not slug the barrel for some other reason. This does presume that there is no thread choke at the barrel/frame junction. With a snug fitting patch, you should feel smooth movement when pressing the cleaning rod from the muzzle to the frame window. If it gets tight and then passes that constriction, you will need to resolve that constriction to clear up a potential leading issue.

[long_arm]

Thanks gents, I appreciate your patience.
Dusty, that's interesting. I'll run a tight patch tomorrow and see how it goes.

[Bird]

I'm finding sized bullets can be pushed with a pencil through all cylinder holes, but will NOT fully enter the barrel at either end. The muzzle end appearing more constricted. Still making sense?

You got it.

[44MAG#1]

Elmer Keith recommended. 429". If he accomplished what he did with that sizing diameter why do we think we can do anything any different or better?
This was discussed previously.
I size in .429" Star die and shoot whatever diameter they come out as depending on hardness and as cast diameter.
Of course I am not a benchrest shooter with my revolvers or semi autos. I check accuracy of a load/loads and then I stand up and shoot.
Some like to constantly look for the miracle load. I don't. It would take an extremely good shot to tell the difference between small degrees of accuracy between loads. My emperical evidence through seeing/observing many shooting at the range reinforces my evidence over the many, many years of seeing shooters who are High Master Class Bullseye shooters down to shooters who are below beginner skills. The human platform varies too much from time to time in their shooting to give empirical evidence to the contrary.
It isnt what one can do on their most lucky day or what one can do on their most unlucky day that establishes ones ability.
Ones ability is determined by what the shooter accomplishes over a period of time and that is what determines how well one can detect accuracy differences in loads and most dont have the ability to do so unless they are on the sandbags on the benchrest.
Also I've never had any problem with the dreaded leading people talk about except with some Tri-Test Munitions in 44 Magnum more years ago than I care to remember. I don't firelap, hone cylinder throats, weigh bullets, look for perfect bullets or any of the things some like to do. If the base is good then minor flaws, dings, slight weight variations etc. Doesnt matter, they are loaded and shot.

[Wayne Smith]

Search for posts by Dougguy - he explains it best and with pictures! He also fixes problems when they appear. Highly recommended.

[mdi]

The main reason I slug my 44 barrels is to make sure they are in spec. and smooth. I measure the cylinder throats to make sure they are larger than the groove diameter of the barrel, hopefully at least .002". I size all my cast bullets to the same diameter as the cylinder throats. For me "easy push through" "tight push through", "drop through", etc. are not measurements and can be greatly different between users. I have slugged throats, used pin/plug gauges and I have an expanding ball gauge left over from my machinist days and have used these all to measure cylinder throats on my 8 revolvers. But my S&W, Dan Wesson and Ruger SBH all have .429"430" groove diameters, and fortunately they now all have throats of .432"-.433" I reamed one Cylinder about .0015" because I felt it was too close to the groove diameter. And my OCD was a little tight, measuring to .001" but as long as the throats are larger than the groove dia., and bullets sized to throat diameter, you'll be OK...

FWIW; I have slugged the barrels of all my guns mainly for my info whether I cast bullets or shoot J bullets in it (except for my 5.45x39)...

[rkrcpa]

I would check the throats first and then proceed accordingly. My S&W 696 will not pass a .429 pin gauge so sizing any larger would be fruitless. Groove diameter doesn't matter if the bullet is getting sized down to .429 by the cylinder.

I check for barrel constriction with a tight fitting patch and so far, have not found that particular malady in any of my revolvers.

[waco]

As noted above, size to what will just push through the
largest cylinder throat using a pencil & hand-pressure.

... and hope (1st step) that S&W has matched cylinder to barrel.

This...