Cartridge Identity

[vulture47]

I have a Rolling Block rifle barrel, I purchased it along with the receiver and from from what I tell the barrel is not original to this particular receiver. My problem is trying to figure out what cartridge the barrel is chambered for. The fellow I got it from stated it was in .43 Spanish of which I have two rolling blocks at present. My Argentinian is chambered for the bottleneck .43 Spanish round and the other is in the Reformado round. I have no Reformado brass but one of my Argentinian .43 rounds will chamber in the Reformado chamber, it's my understanding they both use the same brass, one is just bottleneck the other is not. The new barrel, although it resembles the .43 Reformado, will not chamber my brass, it will start and then it gets hung up. I have some Carosafe and can make a chamber cast but once I do where can I go to figure out what round it is a cast of? This barrel in pristine inside and I would really like to use it to replace the barrel on another rifle the the bore is a sewer pipe, but I need to find out what I have before I start that project. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[dragonrider]

You mentioned that he barrel may not be original to the frame, coult it be short chambered and just need finishing.?????

[405]

Well, cerrosafe is the way to do it. But, even that has limitations. You can get some of the diameters at various places along the case (chamber) minus the extractor cutout portion (the base portion of the chamber). Getting the length measurement of the chamber is more of a problem. You can tilt the barrel away from the cutout and very carefully pour until the chamber is filled to at least one edge of the rim. Or, you can build a clay dam around the extractor and cutout and pour up to the rim. Just really don't want to get the cerrosafe into anywhere it doesn't belong. That should allow for a length measurement. Comparing all the dimensions gleaned from the casting(s) to a reference like "Cartridges of the World" by Barnes should lead to a pretty good idea of what the rifle is chambered for.

[excess650]

Cartridges of the World would be my suggestion. It gives rim, head, neck shoulder, and bullet diamters, as well as case length.

[AkMike]

Any and all measurments that you want are on this website. Metric and pistolas ect are on another page available at the bottom.

http://members.shaw.ca/cstein0/riflelist2.htm

[KCSO]

Once yo have the cast measure it and then go to Ctg. of the World and you should find it. Could be 43 Egyptian too. Most of these are minor variations on 44-77 Remington.