correct way to slug a barrel

[zacharoo]

I want to slug all of my 45 LC barrels.  I have some soft lead .454 dia. bullets and a section of 7/16 wooden dowel. What next??

Zacharoo

[Mikey]

Just for the fun of it I would prefer to load those round balls into cases you have charged with about 2 grains of powder, just enough to get them out the barrel and into a wad of old towels or something and measure them after.  I just hate having to drive a round ball down a barrel with a 7/16 wooden dowel. 

Either way you should get some decent rifling marks on the round ball and be able to get a decent measure.

I think you can also try some slightly oversized soft slugs, over just enough powder to get it out the barrel, and they might give you a good measure. 

[zacharoo]

Drove soft lead bullet down barrel. Was not hard put a little cooking oil on the bullet first. Only did it for my liberty model 4 5/8 in. Bore is a strong .451 and the cylinder troats run .454 to .456.  nThat is why groups are only fair 2 1/2 in. at 25 yards with .454 dia. bullets. That is the best I can do. I guess I will be satisfied with that.

Zacharoo

[Mikey]

Zach:  what loads are you using, and what manufacture is your Liberty Model?

[Tommyt]

So you Slug your Barrel then what 
,A custom Mold
or hopes of a diameter that's all ready on the shelfs
I am curious I see this Slug come up from time to Time
Tell me if you would
Thanks
Tommyt

[zacharoo]

Ruger 4 5/8 in. Liberty Model.  Did the other two ruger blackhawks. All three models have .451 barrels. 

[Richard P]

  Slugging a barrel will tell you the diameter of the most constricted point in the barrel. Ed Harris (Castbulletassoc.org) has related that Rugers are sometimes tight where the barrel threads are in the frame. Of itself this is just interesting information. To have any meaning it must be coordinated with measurements of the barrel throat (forcong cone) and the cylinder throats. What benefit is there of a barrel of .451 when cyl throats are .448 ? None.
  You want uniformly round throats at .451 to .452 so the bore is sealed as quickly as possible. Also you want the bullets to enter as concentrically as possible.  None of either matters unless the revolver locks up tightly and is in time.  rp

[Tommyt]

Richard P

Thank you

Tommyt

[Richard P]

   Tommy, Thank you.  Perhaps Zach already had the other information but did not indicate that he did.  I just tried to put his interest into perspective as being part of the overall system.  rp