Linebaugh .45 cylinder throats

[mnimrod45]

OK I finally got a custom 5 shot .45 that I have been wanting all these years... It's a Linebaugh with 5.5 inch banded barrel but nothing too fancy other than that but I wanted a good solid reliable accurate .45 that I can use for everything and think this is it. I bought it used but it is still very tight.

Since I haven't been able to shoot it yet I have been fondling it and playing with it and out of curiosity decided to drop some plug gauges down the cylinders. To my suprise, a .450- will drop through but a .451- will not making me deduce that my throats are .4505ish. I was suprised by this so pushed a .452 lead slug through that was extremely tight and measured it with dial calipers and got the same results about .4505.

This is the same "too tight" cylinder dimensions I have on both my stock Ruger .45's that I haven't had reamed yet. Do all you guys with Linebaugh or other custom .45's have the same measurements? I thought the measurements would be closer to .4515-.4525. Would Linebaugh do tight throats on request for some reason? I haven't slugged the barrel but was more worried about the cylinder throats. The chambers are a very satisfactory .478. Should I consider having them reamed? I thought about calling Mr. Linabaugh and getting his take on it.

I have several thousand cast bullets that go .452 but they are very very tight in this cylinder and would have to be pounded through. I am getting ready to order a few more styles to try in this gun and was wondering if I should order them .451 now instead of .452 since I don't cast my own yet.

Your input as always is appreciated.

mnimrod45

[2 Dogs]

Be sure that youre checking your throats from the chamber side. They very well may be tapered a bit. All the same basic rules apply. Shoot the largest diameter bullet that will seat in the chamber/throat. See how it does. Keep us advised.

[princeout]

Might want to give John a call if you're real curious. I'm certain he would be happy to discuss it.
Tim

[mnimrod45]

Yeah I did measure from the chamber side, was just suprised it was so tight. I have heard of too tight of a throats gripping against the bullet and holding the bullet and increasing pressure, but I've never experienced it and don't know if it really happens or not, never had it happen with my stock Ruger .45's.

I just don't want to order a ton of bullets and have them be too big and not chamber. Most of the .452 bullets I have are light weights (250 grains) so they don't stick into the throats that far and fall right in but plan on using much heavier bullets as a standard load. Was wanting to order some 300-325 grain WFN and LFN, just deciding to order them .451 or .452 now.

I'll see what happens.

Thanks

[mnimrod45]

OK, just did more playing around. Turns out my plug gauges aren't that wonderfully accurate. I pulled out the dial micrometer and found that the .451- plug is not perfectly round on the ends.... the .452- plug is much more round and actually barely squeezes through the throats. I never tried the .452 because I started small and worked my way up bigger and stopped at the .451, when it wouldn't fit. So looks like my throats are really about .4515 not .4505.

I mic'd the slug I pushed through earlier and measured with calipers and found that I needed the dial mic to get a more accurate reading than with the caliper, mic said it was .452 after being pushed through and the bullets I have that say they are .452 are really .453. Couldn't get that precise with the caliper I guess.

My concerns should be OK now, I'll order .452 to start with and see what happens. I hope the .452 bullets I will order from Montana Bullet Works or Beartooth really are .452, unlike the others I have that say they are.

I'm probably overthinking but I have nothing else to do until I shoot it....

Thanks again,

mnimrod45

[bigmuddy]

The proof is always in the shooting. I would try to only order small quantities of bullets to start with and see how they do. I tried a bullet from MBW one time by only ordering 100. Glad I did as it did not shoot well at all.

Good luck and look forward to the range report, with pics hopefully.

Dan