44 specila and 44/40 bullet sizes

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Olsherm

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Just got a new USFA in 44 special with an extra 44/40 cylinder.The cylinder mouths on the 44 special cylinder measure .428 to .429 and the bore slugs (best I can tell).427 to .428 give or take a little.The 44/40 cylinder mouths measure .427 to .428 same bore of course.
The question I have is:would the best bullet size be .428? I drove a pure lead .429 bullet thru the bore but it was pretty tight.Seems to me the .428 bullet would be about as close to correct as I can get? Let me know what you think. Thanks olsherm

Also I got a Colt Frontier Six Shooter 44/40 at the same time and the cylinder throats on it measure .426 to .427 best i can measure with a caliper.However a .428 sized bullet falls thru. Can't explain that.Bore slugs out at about .427 to .428. I am thinking the .428 same bullet here?A .429 pure lead bullet was pretty tight to drive thru the bore.
I think I would like to have a set of "pin gauges" if not too expensive. I also do not know where to obtain a set. Thanks Sorry for the lenghty post.
 

Cholo

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I also use the Grizzly plug gauges. Neat tools to have! I get much better accuracy than trying to measure throats with calibers.
 

WIL TERRY

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I have those same convertibles and use .428-.429 in all of 'em with no problems with the 44-40.
With the 44SPL I use .430" OD bullets and they shoot to perfection.

I MUCH PREFER PIN GUAGES TO PLUG GUAGES. Pin guages can measure to .0001" with NO problems. PLUG guages cannot really measure anything to a finite degree because they must have TOO LARGE of tolerances to even get into the hole. STOP and think about this !!! A set of pin guages are damnear free and you can carry the entire set capable of measureing ANY gun ID surface in your hand like three short BIC pens

YOU cannot measure an inside circle with ANY accuracy using a Vernier/dial caliper as the ID of the inside circle arcs across the edges of the caliper blades.
 

rkrcpa

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I didn't want to spend $75 or more for a complete set of pin gages that I would never use. Instead, I bought individual gages in the sizes I needed.

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Then I bought a $2 box to store them in. Total invest is around $27.

DSCN1717.jpg
 

WIL TERRY

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MY pin guages cost $20.00 for the entire set. The only real expense was the MIT electronic micrometer that measures to 50 millions of an inch with which to read the pin guages. OF course a regular .0001" reading Mike is just fine too.
The plug guages are fine except for one minor detail : they DO NOT tell you the real size of the hole !!
 

Rancher Will

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I hesitate to write this since I am sure that most of you will find fault with what we do. However, here goes.

I have a Ruger Blackhawk, .44 Mag, a S&W Model 29, .44 Mag, and a S&W Model 24, .44 Special. My wife carries a Charter Arms 2-1/2 inch Bulldog, .44 Special.

For over 50 years all of our .44's have been loaded with the same bullets. I Use a Lyman U429421 Mold to cast hard lead alloy, lubing with pure bees wax, with out resizing any. We have never noticed any problem from leading or accuarcy with these bullets loaded and lubed just as they come from the mold, with H2400 powder in the Mags and Unique powder in the Specials and all lubed with the Bees Wax.
 

WIL TERRY

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Rancher Will said:
I hesitate to write this since I am sure that most of you will find fault with what we do. However, here goes.

I have a Ruger Blackhawk, .44 Mag, a S&W Model 29, .44 Mag, and a S&W Model 24, .44 Special. My wife carries a Charter Arms 2-1/2 inch Bulldog, .44 Special.

For over 50 years all of our .44's have been loaded with the same bullets. I Use a Lyman U429421 Mold to cast hard lead alloy, lubing with pure bees wax, with out resizing any. We have never noticed any problem from leading or accuarcy with these bullets loaded and lubed just as they come from the mold, with H2400 powder in the Mags and Unique powder in the Specials and all lubed with the Bees Wax.

BINGO !!! HERE is where the rubber meets the road, folks. IT is NOT rocket science and simplicity like this man's counts like no other !!!
 

Olsherm

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It may be simplicity but, I know enough that if you shoot a .430 bullet down a .426 chamber mouth it is goin to get squeezed down to a lot smaller size than what your bore may be. I have shot some as cast bullets as well but the chamber to bore size was appropriate.
Thanks for all the info. I think i may have said plug guages but I should have said "pin guages". Sorry about that.
I am not sure anyone really answered my question very well tho?
 

WIL TERRY

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Olsherm said:
It may be simplicity but, I know enough that if you shoot a .430 bullet down a .426 chamber mouth it is goin to get squeezed down to a lot smaller size than what your bore may be. I have shot some as cast bullets as well but the chamber to bore size was appropriate.
Thanks for all the info. I think i may have said plug guages but I should have said "pin guages". Sorry about that.
I am not sure anyone really answered my question very well tho?

TWO THOUSANDSTH [ .002" ] OF AN INCH on a side, using cast bullets is really NO big deal atall. As a matter of fact, being .002" on a side bigger than the groove diameter can sometimes really give spectacular accuracy.
Using Taylor Throating in a sixgun I've used cast bullets ten thousands [ .010" ] over size with absolutely NO problems.

Your question was answered EXACTLY. but maybe it was not what you wanted to hear, huh ??
 

BearStopper

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It certainly does make a difference if the throats are grossly over or undersize to the bore, but in alot of cases they are close enough to give good accuracy. Some chamberings are worse on average than others.
 

Olsherm

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I have tried guns with .456 plus cylinder mouths and .451 bore(namely Colt and it does not shoot worth a hoot with .451 ,452 bullets. .454 bullets work fairly well but not great.I have a USFA 45 colt with the proper diminsions and it will shoot circles areound the Colt with .451 or .452 bullets. I had(past tense) a Great Western ll with large cylinder mouths and .448 bore. Leaded severly and did not shoot very well.
I appreciate all of the responses. olsherm
 
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