Does anyone shoot boolits larger than throat diameter?

[mtgrs737]

I have always tried to size my cast boolits to throat diameter or a tad less. Now it looks like I may of "Adjusted" my star die to size almost .001" over throat diameter. I think that the boolit will still barely slip into a fired casing but not push through the cylinders throat with just finger pressure. Is there any reason to be concerned or shall I order another sizing die?

[dubber123]

Unless your load is flat out at max pressure, I doubt you will see any difference. I'd much rather have them .001" over, than .001" under. If your load is at max, drop a little and work back up, although I doubt even pressures will be affected.

[454PB]

It won't hurt anything unless the oversize boolits are too large to fit in the chamber. If I size my boolits .453", the loaded cartridge won't fully seat in the .452" throat of my .454's.

With some designs it's not a problem because there isn't enough full diameter boolit protruding from the case, but when there is, it takes a hammer to fully chamber the rounds.

[ddeaton]

Are we talking Ruger here?[smilie=1:

[mtgrs737]

Are we talking Ruger here?[smilie=1:

No, S&W 57

The bullet is a Saeco #410 RNF

[Dale53]

You have already stated that the cast bullet sized at .001" over will fit in a fired case. Make a dummy up and if you can chamber it in ALL chambers without a problem you are "good to go". It'll shoot just fine. Pressures should not be a problem. The critical thing is that the case must be able to release the bullet - you have proven that is not a problem.

Dale53

[MtGun44]

I always try to size to throat diam +.001 or right on throat diam if I have
a problem getting a boolit big enough. Works well for me.

Haven't had a revolver yet that wouldn't chamber the resulting round, but it
could be an issue with huge throats in some cylinders.

Bill

[mtgrs737]

I always try to size to throat diam +.001 or right on throat diam if I have
a problem getting a boolit big enough. Works well for me.

Haven't had a revolver yet that wouldn't chamber the resulting round, but it
could be an issue with huge throats in some cylinders.

Bill

The .001" larger in diameter than the throats boolit just slips into the fired casing but I haven't loaded any up yet to see if they chamber in all cylinders but I suppect they will. The nose of the boolit (Saeco 410) is just a couple of thousandths smaller than the driving bands so it should have no problem sliping into the throat. My main concern was that the chamber pressure would spike if the boolit had to pass through a tight throat, I just got this S&W 57 and I don't want to damage it (or me). I plan on shooting 220 gr. RNF style boolits cast of WW alloy for most of my shooting but might cast some 50/50 WW/Linotype for the magnum loads.

Thanks for your replies guys!

[Heavy lead]

I frequently shoot 454190 boolits sized 454 out of all my 45's, all but one have throats between 452 and 453, the oddball out has 455 throats, seems to give fine accuracy out of all of them.

[Thumbcocker]

I luv fat boolits in my Rugers.

[Tom Herman]

I size all my bullets at throat diameter or + .001"... No big deal.

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[Shuz]

Many of my Smith .44's have throats that measure .428. I have shot .429,.430, and .431 cast boolits in all of them with loads of Green Dot, 2400, H-110 and WC820 that are safe and prudent loads, generating anywhere from 900 fps to 1200 fps and nary had a problem. I used to worry about sizing to the throats, but I've found that as long as the throats are smaller than the boolit it really is insignifigant. However, if you wanna get big time leading, shoot smaller than throat diameter boolits, especially with the faster powders!

[9.3X62AL]

+1 to all the above. Most of my revolver boolits are .0005"-.001"+ throat dimensions. They run good and don't lead the bores.

[StarMetal]

Wrong Way Joe. Yup, that's me. What I mean is Joe has gone again the grain or the general concensus with excellent results more then just once or twice. In this case shooting bullets to fit the throats of the revolver cylinder. Gun: Smith & Wesson Model 25 45 Colt with 8 3/8 inch barrel. Groove diameter: .451 Cylinder throat diameter: Large .456. Load: 255 gr RCBS SWC over 9.0 grains of Unique. Bullet sized too: .452 Yup, you read that right. Results:
See target below and the group that has the yellow inch tape next to it. This was shot many years ago by request of 44man as to how well my Smith would shoot at 100 yards. Yes that group is at 100 yards off my bench. Please, no remarks about my expensive high grade targets!!! So do I buy fit the cylinder throats? No, I buy what works for me.

Joe

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg51/starmetal47/45Target.jpg

[MtGun44]

The alternate way to fit your boolits to the throat is to whack them on the ass
hard enough - like with a medium hot load of Unique or faster powder.

I'm certain that your boolits are EXACTLY throat size by the time they get into
the throat. ;-)

Load aside - that is some fine shooting!

Bill

[StarMetal]

The alternate way to fit your boolits to the throat is to whack them on the ass
hard enough - like with a medium hot load of Unique or faster powder.

I'm certain that your boolits are EXACTLY throat size by the time they get into
the throat. ;-)

Load aside - that is some fine shooting!

Bill

I don't think so. I've shot many many different combinations of powders and bullet styles and alloys in that revolver. Most my 255 gr bullets are hard alloy and water dropped too. It also shoots jacketed just the same...excellent.

You just don't want to accept the fact that someone is doing it different in a wrong way (from what you've been taught here) and getting great results. I've done the same thing with cast rifle bullets that were sized to groove, not over, but to groove size, with excellent accuracy. Hard water dropped alloy, even lino type, and even very soft alloy out of the rifles. More then just one rifle too.

Not a pissing contest or argument here, just telling you what I've done in the past. Thanks for the good shooting comment. That Smith is one of the finest most accurate revolvers I've ever owned.

Joe

[Buckshot]

............Joe, that's good shooting, especially at 100 yards with iron sights (I'm assuming iron sights?).

However remember that mtgrs737 original post delt with his concern of being OVER the throat diameter by a thousandth, and possible pressure issues. The follow on posts were made to assure him that there would be no issues, unless loading on the raggedy edge of safety. Comments made to size to throat, or a bit over is merely a general rule.

I'm sure there may be a rifle load that would shoot a 'groove minus' load with some, or useable accuracy but it would not be common practice or an ideal to suggest to someone else to use. I have shot pure lead WC's that dropped from a mould at .358" in a S&W Victory model, chambered 38 S&W with .362" throats. Accuracy was adequate. Had I been able to bump the load of Bullseye up a bit it might have been even better?

Once I obtained an old Lyman 4 cav for a 150gr WC that DROPPED it's slugs at .363" the above adequate groups turned into very good ones. While few things can be said to be "Set in Concrete" in this game, there ARE some standards that are normally recommended right off the bat.

BTW, just as a matter of personal curiosity, did you ever happen to try any slugs that measured larger then .452"? Your posted group would be a tough one to beat, and that's not why I'm asking. With a throat of .456" you'd probably have to size down 45 cal rifle slugs to get near it :-)

................Buckshot

[missionary5155]

Good morning Yep ! I generally figure to size .001 over cylinder throat (the largest) and that generally that works well. It would be nice to have sizers in .0005 increments for everything. Generally though I have NOT found any of my USED revolvers to shoot any better when my boolits are sized at throat diameter.
You can overdo sizing past throat diameter. I would be careful going past .oo3 over throat diameter. With my revolvers I have not seen much better accuracy sizing past .002.
Down here in Peru I size using the largest diameter throat on whichever revolver that boolit will be loaded into. Yea it is primitive but all I have. Remove the cylinder, and push boolits through the largest cylinder rear to front with a wood rod. Sometimes ya need a soft tap with a hammer on the wood dowl. But they shoot well.
Generally you just have to work your way through each firearm.
Mike in Peru