should slug a n/m blackhawk barrel and cylinder throats

[rob-c]

I am going to shoot hard cast out of my 357 Blackhawk for hunting and I have been reading up on checking throats and slugging the forcing cone and barrel.so I had some swaged speer swc that I know are soft and pushed the slug through the cylinder throats and all had some drag so I measured the throats with my caliper and I got 357.5.i know that one wants lead bullets slightly larger than bore to seal.so I guess what I want to know is do I really have to slug the barrel or can I get away with just going with the 358 hard casts?

 

[contender]

Generally, the 357 will accept .358 slugs quite well. If you try some & are not satisfied, then you should slug the barrel & check the throats.

 

[mikld]

Slugging the barrel is no big deal. Done right, and slowly, it shouldn't take more than 15 minutes. You will have info about your gun, which is always good. As important as knowing the groove diameter of your gun is, the cylinder throats are just as, if not more important. I size all my lead bullets to the same size as the cylinder throats (my .38 Special throats measure about a loose .358" so I size my bullets to .358"+ a hair, averaging .3585"). I know from slugging, that the groove diameter is .357" so I have a bullet slightly oversize. This reduces any leading and gives me the best accuracy from my guns...

BTW; measurements to .001" are all that's necessary, I just go a bit farther for my stuff...

 

[Rodfac]

There's no voodoo to slugging a barrel...use a black powder round ball of pure lead or a hollow sliding sinker then drive either down the bore with a brass punch. A steel punch will work as well if you tape the sides to keep it from damaging your muzzle. Oil the bore before driving the slug down it for an easier time of it. For the cylinder, drive them in from the ratchet side, allowing the internal forcing cone to re-size the slug.

That said, I've yet to hear of anyone having trouble with a Ruger .357. You can use .358 or even .359 lead alloy bullets with compete confidence...I've done so for more than 50 yrs now. Best Regards, Rod