44 magnum, coal and finding lands.

[Pat73]

I was wondering if finding the lands in a lever gun would be:

1- Useful
2- Possible.

In various reloading manuals, there's a myriad of coal. Lyman, for example, show longer coal for lead bullets.

Would it worth the effort to try different coal, keeping in mind that bullets longer than 1.610" might not chamber or feed properly in a lever action.

If was to try to find lands, shoud i proceed the same way as in a rifle? Slightly seat the bullet, insert the dummy round in the chamber and closed the lever action?

What are your experience and what do you think?

Have a great day folks.

 

[wanderinwalker]

My first reaction to this is to say it's not worth the time and effort to chase lands in a lever gun, especially a pistol caliber rifle. The accuracy potential of the rifles doesn't justify fiddling with finding the lands, figuring out your optimal bullet jump, etc. Chasing the lands is something you do when you're looking for the last nth of accuracy out of a rifle capable of sub-MOA accuracy. Save your time and energy for something that will make more of a difference than trickle weighing charges and chasing lands.

I feel it's important to note that I've had and loaded for 3 different .44 Magnum rifles (a Marlin 1894PG, a Ruger 96/44 and an NEF Handi Rifle). The best of them on the absolute best day ever *might* have been good for 2-MOA. Maybe. Otherwise just accept that it's a 125 yard brush gun and set your expectations and goals accordingly.

To me, part of the beauty of loading for and shooting with PCCs is the simplicity of reloading pistol calibers versus centerfire rifle cartridges.

 

[Pat73]

My first reaction to this is to say it's not worth the time and effort to chase lands in a lever gun, especially a pistol caliber rifle. The accuracy potential of the rifles doesn't justify fiddling with finding the lands, figuring out your optimal bullet jump, etc. Chasing the lands is something you do when you're looking for the last nth of accuracy out of a rifle capable of sub-MOA accuracy. Save your time and energy for something that will make more of a difference than trickle weighing charges and chasing lands.

I feel it's important to note that I've had and loaded for 3 different .44 Magnum rifles (a Marlin 1894PG, a Ruger 96/44 and an NEF Handi Rifle). The best of them on the absolute best day ever *might* have been good for 2-MOA. Maybe. Otherwise just accept that it's a 125 yard brush gun and set your expectations and goals accordingly.

To me, part of the beauty of loading for and shooting with PCCs is the simplicity of reloading pistol calibers versus centerfire rifle cartridges.

You are 100% right!

 

[Varminterror]

It’s easy enough to find the lands, or corresponding reference length to the lands, and for the ~5min it would take, sure, it might be interesting to know. I don’t “chase the lands” in any of my rifles, but I do know where they are and I do know how far my bullets can and will jump without issues. I haven’t ever done this with my straightwall leverguns, but have doneso with my 30-30’s.

I’d bet none of us will find a land length which would be remotely short enough to ride the carrier, but honestly, I’m kinda intrigued. Not sure when I can get into the office to check, but it’s so easy, I’m going to check a few.

 

[CraigC]

No, crimp in the groove/cannelure and go on about your business. I have never concerned myself with the overall length of revolver cartridges, except when using bullets with multiple crimp grooves.

 

[mdi]

Finding the lands is the last, 5th step I use in developing accuracy for a rifle. For my PCCs I use the same dimension's used for the handguns. My revolver style bullets are all seated to the cannalure or crimp groove and somewhat disregard book OAL Semi-auto cartridges are all book OAL and plunk tested...

 

[Varminterror]

No, crimp in the groove/cannelure and go on about your business. I have never concerned myself with the overall length of revolver cartridges, except when using bullets with multiple crimp grooves.

Really the same - I've loaded revolvers either to the crimp grooves/cannelures or to the front of the cylinder, and have loaded revolver/straightwall cartridges for leverguns either to the crimp grooves/cannelures OR to the carrier tolerance for almost 30yrs.

But I'm curious now, though, to see just how far I'm jumping with some of my loads - I generally run midweight to lighterweight bullets in 44mag and 45-70 (240's and 300-350's), so I wouldn't be surprised to find out that I'm jumping more than 100 thousandths. MIGHT be surprised to discover I'm within 50 thou.