bullet size question.

[mr wack]

Hi folks , I have just fitted a Kirst Gated converter in my 1858 NMA and was wondering what size bullet do I need to cast ( yup I cast all my bullets ) , OH! my gun is a Pietta .
I tried my bestist to get a chamber measurements and the average .451" but the bore of the gun definitely not going to be that size .
Now what size do Pietta send their guns out with nowadays ,?.
Do I need to size my bullets down to 452 or 452 ?.
What size do you size to ?, I slugged the barrel but getting a measurement with just some Vernier's is a real inaccurate PITA.
Any help here Ladies and Gents would be mind blowing for me.
Thank you All.

 

[troy fairweather]

one .001 over grove size is best, most times

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

If you have a Harbour Freight in your area you can pick up a digital caliper for under 20.00. They are accurate to .0001. It beats trying to read those little bitty lines on a standard vernier caliper. I would go with a .452 diameter on the bullets but mike your barrel to be sure.

 

[arcticap]

Which gated converter did you get?
The .45 ACP [.451] or the .45 LC [.452]?

Don't some folks load their cartridges with round balls?

 

[Loyalist Dave]

My Pietta Colts LOVE .451 round ball, and my Armi San Marco 1858 Remington copy when using the simpler type conversion cylinder for .45 Colt loves .452 200 grain lead alloy bullets. I think that's because they were meant to shoot soft lead bullets, and using a .452 bullet vs. a .454 bullet gives less stress on the handgun. I didn't see any accuracy problems using .452 bullets. https://leeprecision.com/mold-dc-452-200-rf.html


LD

 

[DD4lifeusmc]

best tool for measuring is a split ball gauge
nextbest sherical end telescoping TEE quage Harbor freight has the latter

 

[Mizar]

How is one suppose to measure bore size on a rifled barrel (7 grooves) with a split ball gauge?

By the way, a good .001 vernier caliper is just as precise as a digital one - don't mistake resolution with accuracy. Both are guaranteed for the same accuracy - .001". Every reading above that is just a number on the screen, nothing more.

 

[mr wack]

Sorry guy's , my converter is for 45 colt / Schofield .
Don't get me wrong I prefer my Starrett's verniers over any digital calipers , I did a 5 years apprenticeship using nothing but verniers , and I agree when the decibel point gets over 4 digits behind you then it doesn't exist anymore .
Last night I " slugged " 2 random chambers and they both read .451" ,, maybe a zillionth of an inch smaller but hey remember the 4th digit rule .
I could prolly get by with 452 but 454 might be more accurate ,,, ha !! I have choices.

 

[mr wack]

My Pietta Colts LOVE .451 round ball, and my Armi San Marco 1858 Remington copy when using the simpler type conversion cylinder for .45 Colt loves .452 200 grain lead alloy bullets. I think that's because they were meant to shoot soft lead bullets, and using a .452 bullet vs. a .454 bullet gives less stress on the handgun. I didn't see any accuracy problems using .452 bullets. https://leeprecision.com/mold-dc-452-200-rf.html


LD

I have loaded some of my Schofield brass with the old Ideal 452640 , 200 gn , SWC , roll crimped just over the shoulder.
Have not been shooting yet but will soon ,, bloody hope so anyhoo.