Opinions for boolit sizing, revolver...

[lead-1]

I bought a brand new .44 mag revolver and gave it a good cleaning then oiled it up. I then took some .453 diameter lead slugs and drove them thru each cylinder and the barrel. Here are the measurements that I came up with as best I could,
Each cylinder came out as .430, I was surprised they were the same.
Going by the picture below, I measured several times and used a couple different slugs to get these measurements, the bore diameter is .422 and the groove diameter is .429.
My question is, will I be OK with boolits already sized at .429 with a LEE push thru or should I remelt them and go to .430. If it matters I won't be pushing them at maximum velocity, just some fun plinkers.

[Wally]

I would say no, but you should try some first to see. More than likely .430" sized will work well, but .431" might well work better. There is no way to know unless you experiment. I now size all mine to .431" for use in five different .44 Caliber guns. From my experience the .429" sized bullets will more than likely lead up your barrel, but hopefully they won't.

[Changeling]

I bought a brand new .44 mag revolver and gave it a good cleaning then oiled it up. I then took some .453 diameter lead slugs and drove them thru each cylinder and the barrel. Here are the measurements that I came up with as best I could,
Each cylinder came out as .430, I was surprised they were the same.
Going by the picture below, I measured several times and used a couple different slugs to get these measurements, the bore diameter is .422 and the groove diameter is .429.
My question is, will I be OK with boolits already sized at .429 with a LEE push thru or should I remelt them and go to .430. If it matters I won't be pushing them at maximum velocity, just some fun plinkers.

WOW, first off, what is the brand, etc of the revolver. To me you have some great measurements from what I have been told to hope for if getting a revolver. Mine sure wasn't like that (Ruger 44 Mag).

I would think if you were using WW/whatever, that you should just shoot them and keep a record book of the group sizes and all the other pertinent load information. What load are you planing to try, powder/grains.
The .429 bullet size should expand to the the grove size without any problems if the velocity and boolet expansion are in "concert" meaning, if it doesn't get out of alignment in the chamber/throat and the velocity was high enough to expand the boolet into the grove diameter of the barrel, that dam thing is going to shoot AWESOME! Witch I think it will!

[Bass Ackward]

My question is, will I be OK with boolits already sized at .429 with a LEE push thru or should I remelt them and go to .430. If it matters I won't be pushing them at maximum velocity, just some fun plinkers.


Boy are YOU lucky!!!

And NO!!! By the way, velocity isn't the issue, rate of pressure to achieve that velocity is the issue to be concerned about.

The real answer for powder speed depends on bullet hardness and proper ignition.

[Edubya]

I'll lay a few bucks on it that he has a S&W.
I've got one too and I have found that it works best with .431 sized or un-sized boolits.
EW

[S.R.Custom]

Tumble lube the .429" bullets... I've found that tumble lubing bullets that have already been sized & lubed makes them act like a somewhat fatter bullet, both in accuracy and how much they lead a gun.

[Edubya]

I bought a brand new .44 mag revolver and gave it a good cleaning then oiled it up. I then took some .453 diameter lead slugs and drove them thru each cylinder and the barrel. Here are the measurements that I came up with as best I could,
Each cylinder came out as .430, I was surprised they were the same.
Going by the picture below, I measured several times and used a couple different slugs to get these measurements, the bore diameter is .422 and the groove diameter is .429.
My question is, will I be OK with boolits already sized at .429 with a LEE push thru or should I remelt them and go to .430. If it matters I won't be pushing them at maximum velocity, just some fun plinkers.
Lead-1, what dies are you using? I have a SAECO Cramer modded HP that cast up a 212 gr boolit that can be sized to .429 and is my favorite for up to 1250 fps. My SAECO #428 has to be oversized to not lead, the same with my RCBS 250KT.
My plinking load is 17.5 of 2400. I have tried Unique, Universal, 231 and several others, was not happy with accuracy with any of them. That might be shooter's problem though. The hotter ones are 23 gr of 296 or 110.
EW

[lead-1]

The revolver in question is actually a Virginian Dragoon with a 7 1/2 inch barrel. I drilled holes in a pine board and filled them with soft lead, they came out at roughly .453 diameter so I got good readings, at least I think I did since I had to push them into the cylinders and they weren't drop in. On the barrel I drove a boolit that I had sized and pan lubed and one of those .453 slugs that I had made. I didn't get any measurements from the forcing cone end as I drove the lead slugs in thru the muzzle end.
I am hoping to use Unique at this time as I have more than a pound of it on hand and as for boolits they are out of a LEE C429-240-SWC mold I don't remember what they were as cast but before I knew any better I had pan lubed and sized them to .429 with a LEE kit that you drive the boolit thru the sizer with a hammer.

[Bucks Owin]

I'd shoot the .429" and see. You should be fine. BTW, not ALL Rugers aren't that "precise" Bass, the Flattop in avatar had .430" throats (all of 'em!) and groove dia went from .429" ahead of cone to .4285" at the muzzle. Even after I accidentally "polished" the throats to .432" (like an idiot!) it still grouped like no tomorrow. Don't be badmouthing my beloved Ruger Blackhawks now!....Dennis :???:

[Snobal]

I tried a .431 sizer (just for the experiment) and got my best groups in a 5 1/2" Redhawk.

Took deer in SC and NY with that bullet (250 gr. Keith from RCBS mold) and used it on my back-yard silhouette range.:grin:

Been using it ever since - and, just like the .430 sizer, I get no bore leading.

JMHO - YRMV