Conicals in an Uberti

[dikman]

When I bought my Rem.44 it came with some flat-bottom conicals (the guy is still trying to find the mold). The conicals measure 0.428. I've made a casting of one of the chambers and it measures 0.447 at the mouth, 0.444 1/2" down.

Are these conicals going to work, given the size difference? I'm aware that they should be lubed with a hard wax of some sort, but given how easily they drop into the chambers when dry I'm wondering whether they'll suffer from recoil creep.

 

[Zonie]

I would not recommend using them in your gun.

Without the cylinder actually cutting off some material when the bullets are loaded they will move with the guns recoil.

Not only that but with a .019 clearance between the bullet and the chamber there is nothing there to seal the mouth of the chamber.

That sounds like a good way to get a chain fire to me.

Stick with some .451 or .453 diameter lead balls and have fun shooting your gun.

 

[redwing]

You have some cast bullets for the .44-40 cartridge. These will not work properly in your Uberti.

 

[dikman]

Thanks guys, while I was told that these would work, a little voice in the back of my head said to seek further advice first (I've learnt not to ignore these little voices). Guess I'll melt these down and re-cast as roundballs.

I have read of using conicals in the Remingtons, so what exactly are they talking about?

 

[Leatherbark]

Did the conicals have a rebated base that measured .428? The reason I ask is that the upper bands may be closer to .450. If the bullets are .428 throughout their length they are not for a .44 percussion (which actually uses .451-454 balls) but are for a 44 cartridge revolver.

Bob

 

[nkbj]

dikman, for flat bottomed bullets to work worth a hoot they usually need very good alignment with the base evenly perpendicular to the centerline of the chamber and barrel. Making that happen is usually difficult unless the back end of the bullet slips into the chamber and the front end shears off on the lip of the chamber as Zonie was saying.
By the way, just about the most inaccurate design is conical. Round noses and flat noses usually offer better accuracy. People often call all percussion revolver bullets conicals because during the Civil War period pointy noses were put on revolver bullets to help low powered firearms burrow through heavy clothing. Heavier bullets penetrate better just by virtue of inertia and getting a hole started by concentrating the force into a small tip was the best they could come up with. But just as with bullets for any revolver in any age, long nosed cast bullets are not likely to be the best choice for accuracy because of the propensity for their mass to become misaligned with their center of rotation.
Personally I've enjoyed tinkering with muzzleloaders as a hobby and started shooting percussion revolvers over 35 years ago. My first one is still awesome accurate with properly fitted bullet or ball because the chambers diameter match the barrel groove diameter. That's not the way Italian manufacturers produce revolvers now making accuracy more of a problem. But, those undersized and tapered chambers can be fixed. If you find yourself bit by the tinker bug shop around and find a competent smith to set it right.
I need a cinnamon roll and another cup of coffee.

 

[dikman]

A cinnamon roll? What, no donut? :grin: . From what you chaps have said, it appears that these bullets are indeed meant for a cartridge gun. They are uniform in measurement (not tapered), have two lube grooves and are probably more round-nosed than conical (poor choice of words due to inexperience on my part). The gentleman I bought it off said they were for the gun, but I don't think he ever actually used them (from what fellow club members have said, I don't think he shot the revolver much at all).

He also said it used .457 balls, but asking questions on a local forum pointed out that they were the wrong size, and should be .451, confirmed when I took accurate chamber measurements (this was why I wasn't sure about using these "conicals").

I have a .451 mold on the way from TOW, so I'll stick with roundballs.

Thanks for the help, guys.

 

[Heelerau]

I have recently tried conicals in both Navy and Dragoon, the moulds were with these pistols, and the little step at the bullet base was well under the id of each chamber in both pistols, reckon it was pretty hit and miss when I loaded them over wax felt wads. No chain fires, but not as accurate as rb. I have never tried any of the more modern designs.

cheers

Heelerau

 

[dikman]

Given that the gun has tapered chambers, I can see now that loading these things could be pretty hit-or-miss. No problems, I'm happy shooting little round lumps of lead .

 

[nkbj]

When I bought my Rem.44 it came with some flat-bottom conicals (the guy is still trying to find the mold). The conicals measure 0.428. I've made a casting of one of the chambers and it measures 0.447 at the mouth, 0.444 1/2" down.

Are these conicals going to work, given the size difference? I'm aware that they should be lubed with a hard wax of some sort, but given how easily they drop into the chambers when dry I'm wondering whether they'll suffer from recoil creep.

Is the mold supposed to be part of the deal?
If so then it would be a very good mold to alter to make the bullets fall out of the blocks ready for use in those chambers. Like maybe .445 on the rear end and .452 on the front.

 

[dikman]

Yep, supposed to be - if he can find it. I'm not sure if I'd be up to modifying such a mold, as I'm assuming I'd need a mill, which I don't have.

But if he finds it I'll keep it anyway (just in case, never know what's around the corner). Besides, I collect things :wink: .