Revolver Question

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  • Last Post 30 December 2015
gpidaho posted this 30 December 2015

Hello all, I had a post a page long explaining the ins and outs of this but it can be shortened to this,  Do you believe that .001 clearance between the OD of a loaded round and the chamber in the neck area of a revolver provide enough expansion for safety when using cast bullets.  Thanks in advance for your thoughts.  Gp

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Brodie posted this 30 December 2015

Yes

B.E.Brickey

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Ed Harris posted this 30 December 2015

How are you going to ensure you have 0.001 on every round and in every chamber?

Have you gaged all six charge holes and determined which is the tightest, or have you reamed them all the same.

Do you check every round with a ring gage, or drop them in and flop them out, of their own weight, to be sure none are too tight,

Or do you neck turn every case, or inspect every case with a tubing micrometer?

Yes, 0.001 clearance is enough, but HOW do you intend to achieve it?

THAT is why then industry standard is 0.001 RADIAL clearance, or 0.002 on diameters.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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gpidaho posted this 30 December 2015

Thank you Ed and Brodie: I'll try to keep this brief as I can. I own one of those notorious Ruger 44-40s that I've heard Ruger just slapped a 44-40 cylinder behind a 44mag barrel. Correct me if I'm wrong on this. As it came to me the cylinder throats were .003 smaller than the bore. I've had the throats opened to .432. The rounds in question have an OD of .444. I've used the minus .0002 pin gauges to check the charge holes and all will accept a .445 pin, none a .446. I have a 1” Starett micrometer and a Mitutoyo tubing mic. Also a set of .251 -.500 pin gauges. The cylinder is easy to remove to use as a gauge for drop in fall out fit. My options are to use the .430 Lee push through size die to match the bore size or use my Saeco lube sizer die at .429 that once again puts me back to a bullet that is smaller than the bore. So with this in mind do you think it better to match the bullet to bore size with the .4305 bullet or drop back to my .429 size die using a softer alloy in the hopes it bumps up on firing. Thanks for your thoughts on this guys. Gp

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Ed Harris posted this 30 December 2015

Yes, the Ruger .44-40 cylinders are too tight in the chamber neck and also too tight in the cylinder throat.

I sent my Ruger Vaquero cylinder off to John Taylor to have all six chambers recut and the cylinder throats opened up. Not much needs to come out, but you need somebody with a full chamber reamer to produce proper dimensions, enlarging chamber necks to .446 to get safe neck clearance and cylinder throats to .4305 to use .430 bullets which are required to fit the .44 Magnum barrel.  Cost was about $125 plus Priority Mail shipping both ways.

Money well spent.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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RicinYakima posted this 30 December 2015

Gp,

I can't help you directly with the Ruger. However I have done the softer alloy trick. How soft depends upon how long the bullet is; short bullets must be softer than long ones. In .455 Webley, a 250 grain bullet will upset at 98% lead 2% tin at about 9000 CUP or 3.5 grains of Bullseye. So with a short .44 bullet at 200 grains, you have to be really soft or shoot close to maximum loads, I would think.

FWIW, Ric

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gpidaho posted this 30 December 2015

Thanks Ric:I fired 100 rounds through it Christmas day, some lubed and some powder coated. These were loads I'd made before having the throats opened (I was warned that 431 bullets might be too big to chamber) I'm not having ANY more trouble with leading now and these rounds had bullets sized .429. I might stay with the .429 sizer and not push my luck, I can always have the necks opened a little if need be. I believe the PC gives you a LITTLE leeway when things aren't JUST right. All's well that works well. Much better than before having the throats opened. I'm going to shoot some more rounds through it before having any more work done. Thanks Guys Gp

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