The Freedom Arms 45 Colt Chambers...

[Encore64]

I don't dispute that. But, all manufacturers have tolerances, minimum and maximum, that they adhere to.

When a cartridge had been around as long as the 45 Colt, specs will vary.

I only had Starline 454 Brass, Starline 45 Colt Brass and Top Brass 45 Colt Brass handy to measure. I did so accurately.

I'm sure different brands and even different batches will most certainly vary.

[45MAN]

NEED TO CHECK IF NEW UNSIZED STARLINE AND TOP BRASS BRASS FIT IN MY CUSTOM TIGHT 45 COLT CYLINDERS AND FA 454 CYLINDERS.

[bigbore5]

Aug 9, 2024 21:31:53 GMT -5 45MAN said:

NEED TO CHECK IF NEW UNSIZED STARLINE AND TOP BRASS BRASS FIT IN MY CUSTOM TIGHT 45 COLT CYLINDERS AND FA 454 CYLINDERS.

Probably not. It doesn't in my Linebaugh spec cylinder. Starline brass comes set up for .454" bullets. I have to size it for my .452" bullet or there's no neck tension and it won't chamber in my gun

[sharps4590]

Might not some of that depend on the age and number of cylinders the reamer has been used for?

[45MAN]

FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH: I JUST GOT 3 EACH, PICKED AT RANDOM, OF NEW, UNFIRED, UNSIZED 45 COLT STARLINE, WINCHESTER AND TOP BRASS CASES AND TRIED THEM IN A FREEDOM ARMS 454 CYLINDER AND A SUPER TIGHT JRH CUSTOM RUGER 45 COLT CYLINDER (A RECHAMBER OF A 44 MAG CYLINDER) AND THEY ALL FIT, SOME SLID IN EASIER AND FELL OUT/EJECTED EASIER AND, IN THE JRH CYLINDER, SOME ALMOST DID NOT FIT, BUT THEY ALL FIT, AND IT FELT LIKE THE JRH CYLINDER WAS A A LITTLE TIGHTER THAN THE FA 454 CYLINDER (WAY TO GO JACK!).

ALL MY NEW BRASS GETS RESIZED BEFORE ITS FIRST USE. LINEBAUGH WAS A PROPONENT OF TIGHT CHAMBERS FOR THE 45 COLT AND IN OVER 50 YEARS OF LOADING FOR THE 45 COLT, AND LOADING HEAVY, I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING YET THAT TELLS ME THAT TIGHT  ain't better THAN LOOSE.

[45MAN]

Aug 10, 2024 7:45:52 GMT -5 45MAN said:

FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH: I JUST GOT 3 EACH, PICKED AT RANDOM, OF NEW, UNFIRED, UNSIZED 45 COLT STARLINE, WINCHESTER AND TOP BRASS CASES AND TRIED THEM IN A FREEDOM ARMS 454 CYLINDER AND A SUPER TIGHT JRH CUSTOM RUGER 45 COLT CYLINDER (A RECHAMBER OF A 44 MAG CYLINDER) AND THEY ALL FIT, SOME SLID IN EASIER AND FELL OUT/EJECTED EASIER AND, IN THE JRH CYLINDER, SOME ALMOST DID NOT FIT, BUT THEY ALL FIT, AND IT FELT LIKE THE JRH CYLINDER WAS A A LITTLE TIGHTER THAN THE FA 454 CYLINDER (WAY TO GO JACK!).

ALL MY NEW BRASS GETS RESIZED BEFORE ITS FIRST USE. LINEBAUGH WAS A PROPONENT OF TIGHT CHAMBERS FOR THE 45 COLT AND IN OVER 50 YEARS OF LOADING FOR THE 45 COLT, AND LOADING HEAVY, I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING YET THAT TELLS ME THAT TIGHT  ain't better THAN LOOSE.

JUST TRIED 5 ROUNDS EACH OF FACTORY AMMO IN THE 45 COLT JRH CYLINDER: ORIGINAL F C HEADSTAMPED BRASS AMMO AND SOME REMINGTON AMMO, THEY FIT TIGHT BUT THEY ALL FIT. 

[gcf]

Great info here guys!

[pacecars]

Slightly loose might be better in a defensive double action but not in a hunting or target gun

[Encore64]

There is lots of knowledgeable people on here. Therefore, always lots of good information.

Spoke to Jack yesterday about a part he was needing and the FA83 500 JRH Project. Didn't think to ask about his 45 Colt Reamer Specs.

I'll probably call Bob this next week and discuss FA Specs too.

[45MAN]

Aug 10, 2024 9:42:08 GMT -5 pacecars said:

Slightly loose might be better in a defensive double action but not in a hunting or target gun

ALTHOUGH THE OP WAS IN REFERENCE TO SA FA REVOLVERS, GOOD POINT IF YOU ARE SPEED LOADING A DA REVOLVER, EASIER GOING IN WOULD BE BETTER BUT BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DO NOT CREATE A DIFFICULT EXTRACTION ISSUE.

[sharps4590]

Aug 10, 2024 8:09:10 GMT -5 45MAN said:

Aug 10, 2024 7:45:52 GMT -5 45MAN said:

LINEBAUGH WAS A PROPONENT OF TIGHT CHAMBERS 

So were most early German gunsmiths.  If you've ever made any chamber casts and/or slugged the bore of many pre-WWI German sporting rifles you will see tight.  Many is the 9.3 rifles, (.366), one can easily and successfully use .358 bullets in.  I have two.

[bigbrowndog]

I think that would be more tight bore than tight chamber.

Trapr

[45MAN]

GOOD NEWS (I THINK)

FIRST, I WANT TO THANK ENCORE64 (HUEY) FOR THIS THREAD AS IT MADE ME REVISIT MY 5 FREEDOM ARMS MODEL 83 454's EACH WITH AN XTRA 45 COLT CYLINDER.

I STARTED BY GETTING SOME ONCE FIRED, RESIZED, WINCHESTER BRASS THAT I HAD SHOT AT 454 LEVELS OUT OF MY 45 COLT CYLINDERS. I HAVE 5 FA 454's, 4 WERE ACQUIRED IN THE 1990's AND FITTED WITH THE XTRA 45 COLT CYLINDERS, IIRC, ALL IN THE 1990's. MY 5th ONE, A 12", WAS ACQUIRED USED circa 2008 AND SENT TO FA IN 2008 OR 2009 FOR SOME WORK INCLUDING THE XTRA 45 COLT CYLINDER. BY THE TIME I GOT THE 12" I HAD STARTED USING 454 BRASS/CYLINDERS FOR MY AFRICAN SAFARIS AND DO NOT RECALL SHOOTING THE 12" WITH THE 45 COLT CYLINDER, SO ALL OF THE ONCE FIRED, RESIZED, 454 LEVELS, WINCHESTER BRASS WAS PROBABLY SHOT OUT OF THE FIRST 4 CYLINDERS and not the 12". ALL OF THE FIRED AND RESIZED BRASS FIT INTO THE FIRST 4 45 COLT CYLINDERS but not the 12". ALSO, NONE OF THE FIRST 4 WOULD FIT IN THE TIGHT JRH CYLINDER NOR MY FA MODEL 97 45 COLT CYLINDER. CONCLUSION: THE LATER 12" 45 COLT CYLINDER AND THE MODEL 97 45 COLT CYLINDER WERE REAMED TIGHTER THAN THE XTRA MODEL 83 45 COLT CYLINDERS FROM THE 1990's. BTW, THE MODEL 97 IS A RECENT GUN.

TO SAY I WAS giddy AT THE THOUGHT OF HAVING A 12" MODEL 83 WITH A REASONABLY PROPERLY CHAMBERED 45 COLT CYLINDER WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

SO I WENT TO MASS YESTERDAY AFTERNOON SO I COULD HIT MY RANGE ON THE RIO GRANDE THIS MORNING. I PUT THE 12" 45 COLT CYLINDER ON AND HEADED TO THE RANGE THIS MORNING WITH SOME OF MY 454 EQUIVALENT LOADS FROM YESTERYEAR, ALL USING VIRGIN WINCHESTER BRASS, FEDERAL 155 OR 155M PRIMERS AND HEAVY DOSES OF 296 POWDER:

1. FIRST UP WERE SOME 2008 LOADS USING A 300gr XTP MAG. MUST HAVE BEEN A 1 CANNELURE BULLET 'cuz IT HAD NO 2nd CANNELURE SHOWING. 3 SHOT AVERAGE WAS 1,687fps BUT SOME PRIMER FLOW. RESIZED THESE WOULD FIT IN THE FA MODEL 97 BUT NOT THE JRH CYLINDER. THE MINI-BELT THAT RESIZING FORMS DOWN ABOUT 1/4" FROM THE REAR OF THE CASE FEELS SMALLER THAN THE BRASS FROM THE FIRST 4 XTRA CYLINDERS.

2. SECOND UP WAS MY 1995 SAFARI LOADS USING THE FA 300gr BULLET. I WAS USING MY GARMIN ZERO C-1 TO CHRONO AND PICKED PISTOL UP TO 1,700fps. IN No. 1 ABOVE 2 LOADS WERE 1701 & 1702 AND IT PICKED THEM UP. I FIRED 2 LOADS AND GOT NO READINGS AT ALL, AM THINKING THESE WERE SIGNIFICANTLY FASTER THAN 1,700fps. EACH SHOT LOCKED UP THE CYLINDER WITH PRIMER FLOW SO RATHER THAN TRYING A 3rd SHOT WITH THE GARMIN SET FOR RIFLE OVER 1,700fps I JUST QUIT. RESIZED THESE 2 FIT IN THE MODEL 97 BUT NOT THE JRH CYLINDER.

3. THIRD UP WAS MY 2001 SAFARI LOADS USING A 305gr COR-BON FP FMJ PENETRATOR. I SET THE GARMIN FOR OVER 1,700fps AND GUESSED RIGHT AS THE FIRST SHOT WAS 1,777fps BUT IT LOCKED UP THE CYLINDER SO I QUIT AT 1 SHOT. THE CASE, RESIZED, FITS IN THE MODEL 97 BUT NOT THE JRH CYLINDER.

4. FOURTH (AND LAST) UP WAS MY CAPE BUFFALO LOAD FOR MY 1993 SAFARI USING A 320gr DUAL CANNELURED COR-BOB RN FMJ PENETRATOR. I GUESSED RIGHT ON THIS ONE AND SET THE GARMIN FOR UP TO 1,700fps AND GOT 1,668fps. PIERCED PRIMER, DIFFICULT EXTRACTION BUT NO LOCK-UP. I JUST SHOT ONCE. THE RESIZED CASE FITS IN THE MODEL 97 BUT NOT THE JRH CYLINDER.

TO ME THE ABOVE CONFIRMS MY CONCLUSION THAT MY MODEL 97 AND MY 12" REVOLVER's XTRA 45 COLT CYLINDER SHARE SIMILAR AND TIGHTER CHAMBERS THAN THE 1990's XTRA CYLINDERS.

I ALSO THINK THAT THE LOOSER CHAMBERS IN THE FIRST 4 AND THE MORE BULGED BRASS ABSORB SOME OF THE PRESSURE SO THAT THOSE LOADS FUNCTIONED WELL IN MY OTHER CYLINDERS BUT CAUSED PRIMER FLOW, DIFFICULT EXTRACTION AND/OR LOCK-UP IN MY 12" REVOLVER.

SO WHAT NEXT: I AM GOING TO TONE DOWN THE 45 COLT LOADS AND INSTEAD OF USING OVER 30grs OF 296 I WILL LOOK FOR ACCURACY WITH 300gr BULLETS BETWEEN 26-28grs OF 296. ALSO, I WILL SWITCH TO STARLINE CASES. AM HOPING TO GET TO WHERE I AM CLOSE TO 1,600fps, REAL GOOD 100 METER ACCURACY AND BRASS THAT WHEN RESIZED WILL FIT IN THE JRH CYLINDER. NOW TO DECIDE WHAT 300gr BULLET TO USE, SOME PULLED 300gr SWIFT AF's, 300gr XTP's, 300gr XTP-MAG's OR THE SIERRA 300gr JFP. LOOKING TO USE THIS REVOLVER FOR DEER HUNTING SO THINKING I WOULD PREFER A HP. 

[Encore64]

Rey, excellent information. Leads me to believe if I send my FA83 Octagon Barrel back, newer chambers would be tighter than early ones.

This information was my prime reason for asking about these dimensions...

[45MAN]

Aug 11, 2024 12:44:54 GMT -5 Encore64 said:

Rey, excellent information. Leads me to believe if I send my FA83 Octagon Barrel back, newer chambers would be tighter than early ones.

This information was my prime reason for asking about these dimensions...

WHEN YOU TALK TO BOB BAKER, DOUBLE CHECK MY CONCLUSIONS.