Palouse Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Assume pure-lead 0.389" diameter round ball, and Colt cylinder chamber diameter of 0.377". Is ball too large to seat in a Colt clone using the attached loading leaver while holding revolver? (Not removing the cylinder for a load press.) My NIB Uberti 1861 Navy, manufactured 1969, has cylinder chambers at .377". Hornady swaged round ball, .375" diameter, drops straight to bottom of chamber. Chamber mouths are slightly "chamferred". Looks like the factory used a course grinding ball, instead of a cutter on the chamfer. Diameters measured via ball gauge and caliper. I do not feel comfortable using 0.380" round ball available via various molds, or swaged as 0000 buckshot from Ballistic Products, Inc. I do not think that .003" is enough difference between ball and chamber diameter to get a good seal on the chamber. Next available ball diameter is .389, cast, from Track of the Wolf. Some .390 round ball molds available. I also want to load while holding the revolver, and not break the loading lever. I don't want to spend $11 plus shipping to find out that I bought a bag of 99 Wrist Rocket marbles. What say you? (Prefer "Been there, done that, ...") Works; too big; alternative? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Have you actually tried a .380" round ball or the 0000 buck? It may be that the .003" interference is sufficient to hold the balls in the chambers under recoil. I don't recall the exact chamber diameters, but when I shot a repo Spiller & Burr, I used .380" balls with no problems. I'd suggest trying it out. Load up a cylinder, perhaps measure the distance from the face of the cylinder to the top of the ball. Fire a shot and measure the seating depth after each shot. If the depth decreases or even locks up the cylinder, then the .380's won't do it. If not, you are good to go with .380. BTW, measure each chamber individually. That way, if one or more balls have a slight variation in the seating depth, you won't conclude there is movement if there really is not. The .389" balls, even pure lead, are going to be very difficult to swage down using the loading rammer alone. You might even break the rammer. The only feasible alternatives would be obtaining (having machined) a swaging die that would give you, say .381 or .382 balls from the .389, which would effectively produce a "conical" bullet. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Killya Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Crushing 0.013" off while on the revolver sounds like a bit to me. The .003" should be enough, of course a shaved ring would be better. A grease cookie will help seal it up if you're worried about chain fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 I have a Uberti 1851 marked "Westerner's Arms", dated 1972, that has oversized chambers like that. A .375" ball rolls right in, so I bought a Lee .380" mold, and they work just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Lizard Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 That size rounds out of my 51.... Texas Lizard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokey Dave Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Uberti .36 Cal Navies just seem to need .380 sized balls. .375's roll out of mine, but .380's swage in, with a thin lead ring left behind. Even soft lead .389/.390 sized balls are going to give the loading lever a real workout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrel Cody Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Take your .380 round balls and put them on a hard surface, such as the "anvil" on the back of a vise. Hold them lightly with a pair of needle nose pliers and whack them a time or two with a hammer. This will make them a tad wider and give you a nice visual flat spot that should be up when loading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E.B. Rawton Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 My uberti use .375 just fine. I have read on his website that Longhunter does bore the cylinders to .378 to use .380 ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 I tried 0000 Buckshot in my Uberti 1851s and bent a loading lever because they are so hard. Buckshot is not pure lead and should only be used when charging chambers off the gun. I know your chamber mouths are larger than normal, but I would still be very cautious about loading buckshot on the gun. I would try the .380 pure lead ball first. If you are using light powder charges, 18 grains or so, you may not get enough ball drift from recoil to worry about. You can always recast the .380s if you find you need to use a larger home cast ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 The rule of thumb has always been: Uberti 380, 454 Pietta 375, 451 Ruger 457 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Crimes Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 2 hours ago, Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 said: The rule of thumb has always been: Uberti 380, 454 Pietta 375, 451 Ruger 457 Damn, this explains a lot. I used to get a very small (generally a half) ring of lead with my Uberti's (.375 balls) and now I dont seem to get any and my groups are getting worse (Yes I get that is probably me). I have also noticed I am getting varying levels of recoil and noise between chambers in the same cylinder (I put it down to poor powder or damp). I am guessing my loads are moving between shots? I will measure the chambers and see what I come up with. Getting .380 balls here in Aust seems impossible may have to cast my own Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 4 minutes ago, Major Crimes said: Getting .380 balls here in Aust seems impossible may have to cast my own Dick Dastardly has a nice 6 cavity.380 ball mold on his Big Lube website. http://www.biglube.com/BulletMolds.aspx?ItemID=8ea1b8fc-d133-4c8d-83d9-20b3e2959d21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Gentelmen (using the term loosely). If I may be so bold (I am, obviously). If you are in search of an optimum .380 projectile, might I suggest you skip the ubiquitous "Round Ball" entirely. I no longer shot round balls in my 36 Navys. My suggestion is the EPP UG - 36 Big Lube Bullet. Drops from the mold at .380 "as cast" and is super accurate. The other benefit, is pan lubed to retain the .380 diameter, it carries a shipping container of lube. A virtual GOB of lube. Cookies or over ball lube not required. MAJOR CRIMES .... if you are going in search of .380s to resolve your availability problem "down under" allow me to highly recommend the EPP UG - 36. My results have been marvelous. The EPP UG -36 also has a "step" below the lower driving band that aligns the bullet squarely over the chamber for ramming. I believe, you guys will probably find the mold for the EPP UG - 36 on Dirty Dick Dastardly's "Big Lube Bullets" web site. A most excellent projectile indeed (Shameless Plug for DD). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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