Size question

Pretty new to casting and finally ready to load a few, but is this normal? Even after sizing the lead bullet won't even go in chamber. I made one dummy round and it doesn't seat fully. 401 cast with wheel weight lead around 168 gr. Haven't slugged the barrel, yet.

Is that a 10mm/40S&W revolver? You want the bullets to be a nice snug fit, but able to be pushed through with minor force (like a finger push). Is that rust in the cylinders?

40 S&W. Not rust. I think it's a lighting anomoly caused by the camera flash. I can't see it with the naked eye. I'll get the barrel slugged and go from there.

Thanks.

Well, looking under bright light it does look like rust. It is supposed to be stainless steel cylinder on an aluminum frame, cleaned and oil every time i use it. I wouldn't expect rust. I don't know.l

I always slug first... Like buying tires without knowing the size of your rim... ;)

So i guess the next question is, if it is smaller than standard, where do i find a resizing die? I have only seen a limited selection of sizes.

Slug barrel and cylinder, it may be tight cylinder but not barrel, in which case you would need cylinder reamed. But don't sweat it till you slug it, it's all hypothetical till then. Unless it's way out of spec. you should be able to find a sizer.

Yes, size matters.... (I couldn't help myself.) You should start from the front of the chamber, and push the slug all the way through the chamber, and then measure it. Then, push a slug through the barrel, and compare the two. The slug from the chamber should be a bit larger than the barrel slug. If it is, then get a sizer that sizes your cast boolits to that size, as that is what the chamber wants. Hope this helps. mikey

Always slug first, then buy your mold knowing what size you need.

Shouldn't have much trouble finding the right size sizing die.

Thanks, all good advice.

woa don't panick.
a sizing die is just to insure you that all your boolits are the same diameter.

try loading a couple of dummy rounds and see if they will chamber. [if they do, load some up and shoot a few]
that little area you are trying to shove the boolit through in the picture will make sure they come out the right size [or at least the size S&W thinks they should]
try that first.
then if you run into trouble start looking [measuring] for fixes.

Terminology is critically important. That is not the chamber, that is the throat - at least that is what
it appears to be in the picture. Normal rule of thumb is to size to the throat diameter, and that throat
diameter needs to be .001 larger or so than barrel groove diameter.

Bill

Taken from another thread on slugging the throat/barrel and cylinder throats.:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RobS

I normally slug the barrel throat first by placing a pure lead slug nearly the barrel diameter (in your situation .480"ish would work) into the forcing cone/barrel and then I place the barrel muzzle on a folded up towel on a study table. Then I find something to push the slug into the barrel throat. Typically I use a tapped up the handle of a crescent wrench to keep metal on metal contact from happening and put it through the frame perpendicular to the barrel to push the slug downward into the throat/bore. Simply use a wooden dowel to push the slug back out and measure. I then run a slug the full length of the barrel as well to check the entire bore's diameter and to see if there are any notable constrictions in the barrel. Make sure to oil the barrel and the slug before you make a go at things. Once you slug the barrel if this will go through the cylinder throats (clean and all 6 of them) then you know the cylinder throats are large enough.

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Of course you are not slugging a 480 Ruger so your initial slug diameter wouldn't be as large.

Sounds good. I will slug it as soon as i have time. I need to make a slug out of softer lead first.

let's first get the rust out.......
THEN, try a sized boolit without the lube into the front of the cylinder....