Reloading for 3rd generation Colt SAA New Frontier

[tarheelreloader]

First of all, I hope I'm doing this correctly. If not, I apologize in advance. Fairly new to reloading but have been shooting for many years. Constantly reading reloading books and info. I have a Colt New Frontier SAA with 7 1 /2" barrel that I want to start reloading for. Read some info that said you should determine dia. of cylinder chamber throats and also bore dia. Info said bullet should be sized to largest of chamber throats. The bore on my revolver is .451. The largest chamber throats is .455. So I'm thinking I need to use at least a .454 bullet (since I don't cast my own ), and a .454 is the largest I have been able to source. Commets, thoughts,recommendations, and any/all help would be very much appreciated. I want my reloads to be first and foremost SAFE for me and my gun but also as accurate as I can make them.

 

[BobWright]

So long as your chamber throats are larger diameter than the bore you'll likely be fine. The big problem arises when chamber throats are less than bore diameter, as then the bullets will never "slug up" to bore size for any accuracy. If you bore is .451" then bullets pf .452" will be fine.

Bob Wright

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

The most common commercially available bullet diameters for 45 Colt are .452 and .454. This is because during the 19th Century Colt groove diameter was .454 min, .455 max.

After WWII 45 Colt groove diameter was standardized at .451 to be the same as 45 ACP.

Generally speaking, 452 bullets work fine in modern Colts. I have always used .452 in mine, even though like most 2nd Gen Colts the chambers are a bit oversized at about .455.

The information you are quoting is based on the general theory that bullets should only be ever so slightly smaller in diameter than chamber throat diameter, to cut down on leading. .001 undersize of chamber throats is just about perfect. If bullets are undersized for the chamber throats, exhaust gasses from the powder burning can blow past the bullet as it leaves the cartridge case and soften the sides slightly. This can cause to leading .

A lot of guys use .454 because of oversized chamber throats, you can use either.

Like I say, I have always used .452 bullets for my Colts. I never noticed any leading in the bores.

You can use .454 bullets if you want, but you will experience a very slight increase in pressure as the bullets are sized down in the forcing cone.

 

[tarheelreloader]

Thanks guys for your replies. Sounds like good advice. I feel much more informed and at ease now about loading for a gun I have had no experience loading for. Also, will one size bullet versus the other (.452 vs .454) make a noticeable difference in accuracy?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Ask the gun. Try both sizes and see which it likes best.

For really large throats, there is a trick. Get a $20 toaster oven from Wal Mart and a cannister of powder coating from Harbor Freight. Buy unlubricated bullets (or cast your own) and coat them in the oven. Try them single-coated, double-coated and so on.