![]() |
|
Forum Rules | Firearms Safety | Firearms Photos | Links | Library | Lost Password | Email Changes |
Register | FAQ | Calendar | Today's Posts | Search |
![]() |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
![]() |
#1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 24, 2008
Location: Naples, Fl
Posts: 5,440
|
Experience with .44 Magnum, .44 Special in BP Cartridge
Guys,
I have not slugged the bore yet, but I am assuming it will be fairly standard when I do. Standard sizing die for this revolver is .429. Is there anyone out there who had to go to a larger sizing die for BPCR to keep the leading under control?
__________________
Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath. |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,380
|
I used .430-432 cast bullets with no problems. Don't try that with a 44-40 tho.
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 24, 2008
Location: Naples, Fl
Posts: 5,440
|
Thanks, Hawg
I took the plunge and bought a .429 sizer.
I'll see how it works and then if that don't work, I'll move to a .431.
__________________
Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath. |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,380
|
Cast bullets should be .001-.002 over bore size. I should have mentioned that earlier.
|
![]() |
![]() |
#5 |
Junior member
Join Date: October 19, 2004
Location: michigan
Posts: 578
|
you want a lead bullet to be over bore size, but you can only make it as big as your chamber will allow.
You wont be getting magnum performance. |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 21, 2000
Posts: 1,379
|
Its BP the sharp shock of the detonation will pound the slug up to bore size. Most any original loads used slugs that where under bore dia and pretty much just at grove diameter.
|
![]() |
![]() |
#7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 6, 2004
Location: Rocky Mts
Posts: 859
|
Uh, don't you mean that the other way around? Bore diameter is the size inside the tops of the lands, the smallest possible part, what the barrel was bored before it was rifled. Groove diameter is the largest part.
|
![]() |
![]() |
#8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 7, 2001
Location: Washington State
Posts: 2,166
|
Your problem is more than likely NOT the size/diameter of the bullet--but the alloy from which it is made.
Consider this.... You are probably experiencing a LOT of leading in .44 Special, even with smokeless powder--if you are using a hard cast bullet. Ditto with .44 Magnum with BP loads. .44 Special smokeless pressures hover right around the 9000-10,000 psi level. You'll find the same with BP loads, which burn at a much softer rate than smokeless. In the Magnum round, you have the same with BP cartridges. Smokeless loads, however, start around 15K psi and can go as high as 40K. This is more than enough to make the hard cast slug obturate to seal the bore. If you are using the hard cast bullets at low pressures, the bullet will not obturate--instead, you will have hot gas cutting around the sides of the cartridge. This will actually help to plate lead into the walls of the grooves and lands. The solution is simple, especially if you cast your own. Use dead soft lead to cast your bullets for those black powder loads. For loads pushed at higher pressures--but still the lead bulleted loads--I would use nothing harder than wheelweights.
__________________
Hiding in plain sight... |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|