cast 454 bullets

[pahermit]

I was given several thousand 454 dia lead heads.Is it ok to use them in my older model ruger vaquero?

[clintsfolly]

Load one dummy round with the 454 bullet and see if it will fit your gun.
If it fit load 12 and shoot then.
If ok load the rest.

[Roger Kehr]

Will the bullets pass through the cylinder throats. That would be my first test.

[mehavey]

^^^^ THIS ^^^^
In fact the uber-tight Ruger throat might not even permit
the cartridge to even fully enter the cylinder at all.


Note the red note at top right of page below.
(And this was w/ a .452-sized SWC.)
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?397608-Hardness-14-15&p=4847843&viewfull=1#post4847843
postscript: This was a New Vaquero. Same cylinder reaming req'd on my full-up`72 3-screw

[cwlongshot]

Yup the revolvers throats determine diameter cause the bullets that exit them are "SIZED"

So its THE FIRST and most important step when selecting a bullet and or building a accurate revolver.

YES, ABSOLUTELY, you can have a small throat and a fat barrel and you will be rewarded with leading and ZERO ACCURACY.

Good luck

CW

[mdi]

I can only say, if you are gonna shoot lead bullets, get a micrometer. "Push through", "drop through", "tight", "loose" are not measurements and can mean most anything. If you are going to shoot cast lead, learn to slug a barrel and measure throats. None are difficult and will eliminate a lot of "OOPS!" or "D**n it!" results.

[mehavey]

Well........ with the zillions of the unwashed who might want to shoot cast but have not the forehead yet annointed.......

Cylinder puuuush through with pencil eraser = "Probably Good"
No-Go = (well) "No Go"
Flop Through = Probably "Not Good"

Ya gotta start somewhere.

[mdi]

Or with just a W.A.G....

[littlejack]

^^^^ What mehavey said.^^^^