[big jerr]

ok ,you guessed it ,I"M no gunsmith , I have my old cowboy action arsenal that I' m trying to reserect and do some loading and Bullitt casting that I'm very new to ..

the problem , my 1894 older 44 mag (no safety) with the micro grove barrel . was well over do (set unused for over 10 years ) for take down cleaning and while at it, a tune of the action to Slick it up ! polishing if you will . I had read that I should make some dumby bullets to check action rather than feed live rounds thru it , so we made some dumby bullits using some of my new LEE mold 200 grain lrfn bullits made on my new LEE press in some used but cleaned 44mag & 44spec. brass .... well every one of those home made dumbys jamb and require a lil repeat of the action to go all the way in .....took apart many times and checked everything ,frustrated I grabbed some live rounds I had left over, 10 years old with 200 grain lrfn 44 mag just like what I want to make , AND THEY CYCLE FINE . not safe in the house but fine .... so Is it my dumbys or the lee bullets or my feed , the LEE 200 grain bullet is slightly shorter from the crimp then the ones I had bought years ago but the shape is dead on ... I just don't remember the gun being to picky on bullets ? any help or advise ... Jerr

 

[old-machinist]

First off, welcome to MO. Do the dummys chamber at all? If so it may just be the shape of the ogive that's causing the problem. Were the dummys resized? just a few things to check.
Regards

 

[Travis 186]

Are you getting any marks on the nose of your boolits from the leade? Did you set up your sizing die correctly? Your sizing die must touch the shell holder, and then be screwed in about another 1/4 turn. Basically, when you size, you should complete the full stroke, and then have to apply a little more pressure to get the press linkage to cam over. Should feel like a bump.

To me, it sounds like the ogive of your boolits is being crammed into the leade of the rifling, and they need to be seated deeper.

 

[big jerr]

thanks Guys ,did some fooling around and made some more of " Big Jerrs " dumb dummy's and this is what I got ,by using one of the loaded 200 grain LRfn I had for a pattern, I reset my dies (lil cornfussed as I got the 44spl/44mag lee 4set dies and 44 mag requires backing off here and ther) and crimping at the same length of bullet exposure as the loaded rounds I had ,even though the crimp is not quite at the crimp grove in bullet, it works though! BUT if I put the factory crimp on it, it becomes sluggish ,hit & miss. the factory crimp is the 4th die in the set (rolled crimp), don't think I need it as the bullet set/crimp die seems good enough >>>.again I'm real NEW at reloading , so far dummy's are all I have loaded
would post some pics but not sure how to post on this forum ?
OK , I did find that my BARREL is CRACKED at the middle dove tail cross grain ,I think some one in this guns past got rough with it . I have shot many rounds way back when and suspected it was a crack but now Im sure as tearing the action down allowed a bettar view and I ran a plastic cleaning jag and it" clics " every time it hits it , OH YES marlin don't return calls so I have no idea if they even stock one yet , ...enough ,back to it....thanks Jerr

 

[GaCop]

Sound like you putting too much of a roll crimp on the case........Bummer to hear of the barrel crack.

 

[jgt]

If I am reading your post correctly you are referring to the cartridge as a bullet. A bullet is a projectile, a cartridge is a brass case containing a primer,powder,and a bullet. Your problems more than likely are caused by the shape of the bullet you are trying to use in the cartridge. The Marlin throat is notorious for not liking bullets popular for use by revolver shooters.

 

[whitewater]

The bullet jamming issue is one thing but potential cracks in barrels get my attention. I'd bore scope that barrel or bring it to a competent gun smith and have them scope it. That sounds much more serious than the dummy round issue. That's my .02's.

 

[Travis 186]

One possibility, considering you believe that the barrel is cracked, is that the chamber could be ringed badly.