Old Question

quicksylver

quicksylver

Well-Known Member
SO, Here it is, got a new to me 686. I've never bartered to slug (pin my cylinders but this time I decided to check them as i got a NTM358311Ideal mold, I have Lyman HI dies in ,357, 358,359.all size .5 tho under stamped dia.I started by trying to push the bullets sized .3565through the cylinder throats, can't push any through with considerable force using a 1/4" dowel. any suggestions on best bullet size. BTW Alloy is CWW+ 2%, thanks Dan.
 
Try them at the .3565 first. If you see leading in the barrel, open the throats and increase bullet diameter until the leading goes away.
 
A few years back I bought my wife a 686. It too had tight throats. I got a temper from Brownells and not the throats are fine. Perfect for a .358 bullet.
I polished the forcing cone too. It just doesn’t lead.

Cylinder throat reaming

Today I got the 686 ready for the throat reamer. Taking the cylinder out is easy. Getting the ejector rod out was a bit more of a challenge. Yes, Visegrips would grab it easily they also leave some nasty scars. A thin Al l shim wouldn't hold it tight enough so I thought of what non-marring...
www.artfulbullet.com www.artfulbullet.com
 
300BLK said:
Try them at the .3565 first. If you see leading in the barrel, open the throats and increase bullet diameter until the leading goes away.
Click to expand...
I don't agree with that. I never check the cylinders on my 686 38/357. I have shot some cast at .360 inch and have never had any leading... Bhn of 7 to 10. Maybe just lucky..
 
If I understand it correctly, the possible problem is the cylinder throats being smaller than the groove diameter and therefor swaging the bullets down to undersize, is that right?
 
Interesting, read/reread an old lyman ReloadIng Manual from the 60's,under the 357 load section it said they used a Smith Model 27,bore sized .356, also it said 38.Specials were .358 and 357's were ,357.? The only rounds I have put through it was a box of jacket soft point reloads there was no jacket fouling, just powder fouling. I'll try the .3575lead next and see what happens, besides a friend of mine said the easiest way to clean a revolver after using lead bullets was to put 6 rnds of mid to high vel. loads through it.
 
quicksylver said:
SO, Here it is, got a new to me 686. I've never bartered to slug (pin my cylinders but this time I decided to check them as i got a NTM358311Ideal mold, I have Lyman HI dies in ,357, 358,359.all size .5 tho under stamped dia.I started by trying to push the bullets sized .3565through the cylinder throats, can't push any through with considerable force using a 1/4" dowel. any suggestions on best bullet size. BTW Alloy is CWW+ 2%, thanks Dan.
Click to expand...
My first thought on this is a measurement error.

While it’s possible you have a bunch of sizing dies that are under size according to their markings but it’s far more likely the micrometer you are using is off OR there’s an error in the measurement.

I have found S&W throats, particularly the .357 Magnums, to be very close to .357”.

It’s possible you have one that is tight, but it’s also possible there’s an error somewhere else.

Typically, a .356” bullet should just about fall through the cylinder throats. A .3565” should also pass easily. I generally find a .357” – (minus), pin gauge will just pass through a S&W 357 throat, a .357” + will usually go and a .3575” pin gauge will not pass. This is measured over many different cylinders with the pin gauges and cylinders at the same temperature.

SO – Before you start reaming throats and sizing dies, slow down and take a breath.

Regardless of the actual measurements, Size the bullets so that they just pass through the throats with a little resistance – whatever measurement that equates to. Don’t get wrapped around the axle over the numbers. That throat is the last sizing die the bullet will go though before reaching the barrel so it will likely have the final say.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.