jacketed bullet reloading question....
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jacketed bullet reloading question....
Im reloading 45 LColt for a SAA...i know it is standard procedure to size cast bullets .001 + larger than groove diameter but is it ok for jacketed bullets to be .001 over groove diameter? I have some .452 jacketed and the barrel slugs .451. Thanks. Matt
Hunting with and shooting 85's, 86's, 92's, 94's in Texas!
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J Miller
- Member Emeritus
- Posts: 14885
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:46 pm
- Location: Not in IL no more ... :)
Re: jacketed bullet reloading question....
Matt,
That .452" bullet will be fine. The important dimension in a revolver is actually not the grove diameter, it's the chamber throats. To get proper sealing the bullet should be sized as close to the throat diameter as possible, as long as the throats are not smaller than the grove diameter. That situation creates all sorts of problems by itself.
Here is an extreme example: My S&W 25-5 in .45 Colt has as best as I can measure it, .4515" grove diameter. The chamber throats are .457". Horribly over sized. If I shoot .451" to .452" jacketed bullets through it the accuracy is mediocre to decent at best. However if I shoot .452" lead bullets through it, the accuracy goes down the toilet and the gun leads like a fiend. This is because although the bullet matches the bore, it's grossly undersized for the throats. When this happens the powder gasses blow past the base of the bullet and soften the lead till it smears as it enters the barrel.
Now, if I use .456" to .457" lead bullets this revolver shoots superbly. No extra pressure and no leading either.
Another example is my Uberti Cattleman. According to Uberti the grove diameter is .450". I haven't measured it, I'm taking their word for it
. The chamber throats are sized so that a .452" jacketed bullet can be pushed with some pressure through them.
This gun shoots beautifully with .452" jacketed and lead bullets. It also shoots .456" lead bullets increadibly well. No extra pressure because of the bullet diameter either.
So go ahead and use those .452" bullets and you'll be OK. However you might find that SAA, it it's a Colt has chamber throats on the large size. From what I've read Colt still makes them using the old black powder ( SAAMI ) specs.
Joe
That .452" bullet will be fine. The important dimension in a revolver is actually not the grove diameter, it's the chamber throats. To get proper sealing the bullet should be sized as close to the throat diameter as possible, as long as the throats are not smaller than the grove diameter. That situation creates all sorts of problems by itself.
Here is an extreme example: My S&W 25-5 in .45 Colt has as best as I can measure it, .4515" grove diameter. The chamber throats are .457". Horribly over sized. If I shoot .451" to .452" jacketed bullets through it the accuracy is mediocre to decent at best. However if I shoot .452" lead bullets through it, the accuracy goes down the toilet and the gun leads like a fiend. This is because although the bullet matches the bore, it's grossly undersized for the throats. When this happens the powder gasses blow past the base of the bullet and soften the lead till it smears as it enters the barrel.
Now, if I use .456" to .457" lead bullets this revolver shoots superbly. No extra pressure and no leading either.
Another example is my Uberti Cattleman. According to Uberti the grove diameter is .450". I haven't measured it, I'm taking their word for it
. The chamber throats are sized so that a .452" jacketed bullet can be pushed with some pressure through them. This gun shoots beautifully with .452" jacketed and lead bullets. It also shoots .456" lead bullets increadibly well. No extra pressure because of the bullet diameter either.
So go ahead and use those .452" bullets and you'll be OK. However you might find that SAA, it it's a Colt has chamber throats on the large size. From what I've read Colt still makes them using the old black powder ( SAAMI ) specs.
Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts 
.***
.***Re: jacketed bullet reloading question....
Joe, Thank you very much! Ive been reloading for rifles for years but this is my first time for a revolver. I will check the throat diameter of the colt and go from there. Thanks again!!
Hunting with and shooting 85's, 86's, 92's, 94's in Texas!
-
J Miller
- Member Emeritus
- Posts: 14885
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:46 pm
- Location: Not in IL no more ... :)
Re: jacketed bullet reloading question....
Matt,
I'm glad to be of help.
Oh, just FYI, the factory bullets in Remington .45 Colt Standard factory ammo measure out at .455". Those in the Winchester are .456". The R-P bullets have a concave base while the Winchester bullets are still a hollow base.
Joe
I'm glad to be of help.
Oh, just FYI, the factory bullets in Remington .45 Colt Standard factory ammo measure out at .455". Those in the Winchester are .456". The R-P bullets have a concave base while the Winchester bullets are still a hollow base.
Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts .***
.***