.411 sized boolits

[**oneshot**]

Anyone have a .411 sizer. I'd like to send a few boolits your way and have them sized so I can test them before sinking 200dollars into a SAECO sizer and dies.

Tom

[Cherokee]

Got a 412 or 410, no 411. Would be pleased to help if I can.

[beagle]

Only have a .412". The SBH .41 Mag likes it though./beagle

[felix]

Tom, if you send me some boolits, both ways paid, I will size some at 411 and some at 413. So, you will be covered if you send others to Beagle/Cherokee. The Marlin lever guns require 413. ... felix

[cbrick]

I've got .410" - .411" - .412" for the Star machine. For the SAECO I have .411"

Would be good to know what you’re shooting them in, are you certain .411" is what you need? If a rifle have you slugged the bore? If a revolver have you slugged the throats?

Rick

[**oneshot**]

I will be shooting them in a Ruger Blackhawk. I'm not sure but will look up "slugging the throats". Then I will get back to you.

[cbrick]

oneshot, the Rugers I have experience with had a bit more generous throats than the nominal .411" diameter. Too small and it's possible to cause leading. A correct bullet fit can even help make up for not so correct alloy BHN.

Ideally your bullets will be a mild snug fit in the throats and the bore will slug at or slightly under throat diameter.

You shouldn't use a caliper to measure the slugs. Calipers will give you a ballpark number but they were never designed to be as accurate as micrometers.

If your not set up to properly slug and or measure the throats, you should send enough bullets to get a few different sizes and see what your Ruger likes.

Rick

[Bullshop]

I have Ruger BH in 41 mag that seemed to have a mis matched barrel cylender. My barrel slugged at nearly .412" while the cylender throats mic'd at .410" It shot terrible with boolits which is all I will ever shoot in it.
I ordered a .412" reamer for the cylender and an 11% reamer for the forcing cone. Its still not my most accurate Ruger but is 100% better than it was.
I still have the tools, used once so they are available if needed. The forcing cone reamer will work for any caliber.
Blessings
BIC/BS

[felix]

Rick, slugging the bore is just about useless in my opinion, except to make sure a bore rider boolit is not being made too large. It is the chamber(s) dimension which is important. In a lever gun the importance lies in the manner in how the cartridge feeds from the magazine, rather than the chamber itself. Ideally, the feeding allows a bigger diameter boolit than the chamber, and the chamber bigger than the grooves. The net objective is to plug up the barrel entirely where there is next to zero gas escape generated by the powder. ... felix

[Blkpwdrbuff]

Oneshot, my .41 Blackhawk had chambers as small as .406. The barrel slugged out to .4101.
Had the chambers reamed to .411. It works great now.
I'd definitely look at throat reaming.
Blkpwdrbuff

[cbrick]

felix, slugging a revolver bore is simply to know that groove diameter is not larger than throat diameter as in the post by Bullshop. Other than that I agree completely, throat diameter is the critical dimension. I also agree about chamber dimensions in lever guns but it is good to know your not shooting undersize boolits in an oversize bore. A good example is my Winchester 94 30-30 with a measured .3108" groove diameter. The previous owner also thought bore slugging useless which is why he sold it and I got a great deal on a very nice 1960's model 94.

So I agree completely that the objective is to completely seal the bore but ya do need to know how big a hole your plugging.

Rick

[beagle]

My Ruger has throats that will barely allow a .412" bullet (measured) to be pushed through with a pencil with some resistance.

I wouldn't worry that much about the barrel. It's the cylinder throats that are the "thing". Good fit and little leading and good accuracy.

I've been shooting 410459HPs sized .412" in mine for years./beagle

[**oneshot**]

OK, thankfully I mold for black powder and use pure lead. I punched a slug through the throats and they are .412. I also punched one into the end of the barrel and it is .411.
Never thought my muzzleloading hobby would come in handy, Brass rods and soft lead.
I'm guessing from what I just read that I should be sizing to .412.

[cbrick]

beagle,

Yes, throat dimensions are the "thing" in revolvers and since yours is not leading and it's accurate it's safe to say your groove diameter is close to your throat diameter. Life is good.

However its not that un-common to find revolvers that have a larger groove diameter than throat diameters. When this is the case it doesn't matter how well boolits fit the throats, each one of the throats is a sizing die sending undersize boolits into the bore causing leading and no accuracy. This is why you need to know your revolver's groove diameter, NOT to size to groove diameter.

Rick

[cbrick]

oneshot,

Yep, .412" and depending on what alloy your using you should be just a tick under .412".

My .412" sizes WW at .4118-9" which should make oneshot a happy camper. You can send off bullets to be sized by others but I think I would just go ahead and get the .412" die. Given variations in alloy and in sizing dies you should be pretty close.

Rick

[**oneshot**]

tried it again and took my time. Still the same result. .412 on the cylinder. .411 on the end of the barrel and just past the forcing cone.