The importance of bullet fit

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  • John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,736
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I was cleaning up my work table and found a couple of targets that I decided to post and share their story.

    Both targets were shot at 20 yards with me sitting with my arms resting on my gun case.

    Both of these bullets are from Lee molds. One mold drops .451 200gn and one drops .451 255gn bullets. Shot as cast in my guns, I can manage 2.5 inch groups at 20 yards. Since I wanted to see if bullet fit was the problem, I 1) sized the 200gn bullet from .451 to .432 and "beagled" the 255gn bullet to drop at .453.

    The .44 Mag target has examples of before and after sizing the bullet down to .432. As you can see, the squashed bullet resembles a slug of lead yet it gives target grade accuracy.

    The 255gn bullet used with the Pietta SAA only gained .002 yet the group went from 2.5 inches to 1 inch and that is with an old man's eyes. :lol:

    BTW, the sizing job just happened to work with the Lee 200gn .45 bullet but it won't work with a 255 gn as you need closer tolerances on the dye to keep lead from forming a flange on the bullet.
     

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    ironhead7544

    Active Member
    Oct 27, 2018
    188
    My Marlin 1894 Cowboy in 44 Magnum needs a .433 for best accuracy.

    Testing is required for a cast bullet.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    This got me thinking about my Pistol load accuracy thread as well as the Accurate revolver thread.
    I have a Taylors Marshal SA pistol in 45 Colt.
    I have been shooting soft lead with that same Lee bullet Alox lubed and sized to .452
    I have never really looked at the accuracy of it, just hitting steel plates at 25 yards.
    I slugged the barrel and it was .450"
    I think I'll start with the loads I already have next time I can to see what I'm getting.
    I still have some sized soft lead lubed .452 bullets but also some Powder coated .452 as well.

    That pistol has a light 2lb trigger on it, but a little bit of creep.
    e9efbd43d7576a777805d2cc51be2b39.jpg
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,736
    Socialist State of Maryland
    The issue is rarely the bbl diameter , what's your * Throat * diameters ?

    As BF44 has stated, chamber throats, as well as, forcing cones are the critical areas of a revolver. If your throats are .448, you could put a Douglas barrel on it and it won't give top accuracy.

    You really need plug gauges to check throats properly but, if you are handy, you can pour Cerrosafe in to them and measure the Cerrosafe with a good micrometer. When using this method, You have put a piece of the metal tape used in air conditioning and heating work to block the front of the chamber.

    Italian replica forcing cones are always shallow and can benefit from cutting re cutting to 11 degrees.

    If you find that they are undersized, I might be persuaded to lend you my reamers if you think you can cut it. Pardon the pun. :lol:
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    Diameter of the cylinders at the dangerous end?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    I'm an Engineer, last week I could not spell Engineer, now I are one.

    .452

    I took a lubed and sized .452 bullet and slipped it in from the back. It will stop and then takes a light push to move it all the way through. Diameter on the calipers does not look like it swaged any significant amount. If it did, its less than 0.0005"
     
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