NV Chamber Sizes

[Coal Creek Griff]

I've had my NV in .45 Colt for a couple of years and I reload using Lee dies.  I have always noticed that the cases seem kind of bulged after firing and seem to size way down in the sizing die.  The other day, I had two cases split when firing.  The cases were bulged even more than usual surrounding the splits (which were length-wise on the cases).  The two were in different chambers when fired.  I'm not real sure how many firings the cases had; I'd have to check my log book, but I don't keep real accurate count of the number of times I use a case in this caliber.  I don't recall every having had a moderate pressure revolver reload split a case before.  To have two in the same batch concerned me.   I load moderate loads and I'm very careful about overcharges.

I measured the chambers at the mouths and they were correct, but I'm not sure what the correct measurement should be for the rest of the chamber.  I wonder if my die is on the tight side and my chambers on the loose side, causing metal fatigue and short case life...

Does anyone here have suggestions?

CC Griff

[Ramblin Ron]

I’ve reloaded the same .44 Magnums cases 7-8 times at non-CAS “full power” velocities for my Super Blackhawk and only have had one split case in 20 years. Brass does work-harden over time and I believe that your 45 Colt cases have a thinner wall that may split easier. You could test out whether annealing would help by dividing a batch of cases and annealing half of them. I annealed probably 10% of my .44 Mag cases when I started reloading but didn’t find any real benefit for all the trouble and stopped.  But brass is expensive and you may find it benefital for the 45 Colt cases.

The way I remember doing the annealing was to stand the cases in a shallow pan of water about halfway up and then applied torch to the necks until they were heated to a very dull red, and then tip em over to cool.   You can google “annealing brass cases” or something similar for better annealing instructions.

[Will Blastem]

Howdy CC ...According to Jerry Kuhnhausen "The Ruger Single Action Revolver, Shop manual, VOl 1&2", the 45 Colt chamber dimensions should be .4806"-.4846" at the primer end with the throat at "approx. .001" larger than bullet diameter ( ie: if your bulleet is .452 the throat should be .453 t0 .4535"). It is rumored that a lot of NV's are tight at the throat...As a matter of fact My 2 NV's measure .451 & .452 respectively. I need to have mine reamed to .453+/-.

Hope this helps.

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[Coal Creek Griff]

Thanks for the replies, gents.

CC Griff

[Kinda Sudden]

I would quit using that brass obviously but the resizing you mentioned is normal. You don't ream throats to  .4535 for a .452 bullet. .4525 is perfect for a .452 bullet and many New Vaqueros go .452 and they shoot just fine. If Kuhnhausen said that in his book, he's wrong even if he is God. The New Vaqueros are much better then the old with cylinder throats but they are still egg shaped and not concentric.

[Coal Creek Griff]

Thanks again for the info.

Coal Creek

[Cyrille]

You didn't mention if you were useing Brass cases or nickle cases. I find that the nickle cases split after for or five reloads on avarage and I always shoot and have always shot moderate loads in my Vaqueros. Whereas with Brass cases I've shot over twenty reloadings with no problems.

[Coal Creek Griff]

The cases are Remington brass cases.  In conversations with Lee, they make their dies on the tight side to accomidate thin walled brass and undersized bullets.  They do produce an oversized die. 

I looked back at my records and I have reused that brass more times that I had thought.  I guess that they just don't last forever...

Thanks again for the comments!  I always find the help I'm lookin' for here.

CC Griff

[Trailrider]

Howdy, Pard,
I'm not a lover of Remington brass, especially in the old BP cartridges.  I'd switch to Winchester or Starline.