Update: Velocity & Bullet vs. Cylinder Throat Size for .44 Magnum

[TheTinMan]

If you can't shoot lead bullets through a ported barrel, why would anyone want such a barrel?

Well I'd shot factory jacketed soft point ammunition through it for years without a problem. Did need to remove the barrel shroud occasionally to clean the barrel, but nothing like what happened after I dug out some old, cast lead bullets and made some handloads.

The problem was made worse by the fact that these old lead bullets measure .431". I bought them for a mid-1980s Smith & Wesson with ginormous throats. The Dan Wesson barrel slugged at 0.428" and the cylinder throats at 0.4285", so the bullets were getting squeezed way too much.

I got a Lee resizing die for the old bullets but haven't tried it yet.

When all is said and done, porting a 2-piece barrel probably is a bad idea.

 

[stansdds]

If you can't shoot lead bullets through a ported barrel, why would anyone want such a barrel?

Porting can sometimes sell a gun to an individual who may be a little recoil averse or just thinks it's a good idea to have holes drilled into barrels. When the revolver comes with holes in the barrel, they don't have to send it to a gunsmith for porting.

 

[Forrest r]

I learned a long time ago not use cast bullets in bbl's with that type of porting. I used external ported bbl nuts on my dw's.

 

[stansdds]

I learned a long time ago not use cast bullets in bbl's with that type of porting. I used external ported bbl nuts on my dw's.

If you really want a ported, sleeved type barrel, the extended barrel nut with porting is the way to do it. It's a shame that Dan Wesson revolvers have, once again, gone out of production as have the different barrels, shrouds, and accessories.

 

[gwpercle]

Size them cast bullets .429" and roll them in a little extra lube , a light coat of Lee Liquid Alox or whatever you have ...
and you should be good to go !
Keep us posted !
Load Safe,
Gary

 

[TheTinMan]

If you really want a ported, sleeved type barrel, the extended barrel nut with porting is the way to do it. It's a shame that Dan Wesson revolvers have, once again, gone out of production as have the different barrels, shrouds, and accessories.

You can buy some barrels and shrouds today. Email Genny Spencer at [email protected]

I was able to buy the 8” barrel and a 4” barrel & shroud assembly. The new shroud fits my Monson made DW fine, although the writing is laser etched instead of stamped.