48 cal starr revolver?

[H Wally]

Finally decided to slug the bore on my starr revolver and was surprised that the bore measured 48 caliber groove to groove. Am I missing something here or is this just a little over size? The rifling is pristene - shiny, sharp, deep, no pitting or wear at all. Cylinder diameters are 46 cal.

Any ideas?

 

[mooncoon]

Does not surprise me too much. I recently bought a Ballard 32-40 with the bore .007 oversize and slugged the bore on a friend's Ballard and it was .008" over. On my gun very soft slugs shoot reasonably well with black powder so try using a stiff charge and pure lead balls.

cheers mooncoon

 

[smellie]

They tried honestly but there were great variations in quite a few 19th-Century guns, even some of the ones coming from factories which were state-of-the-art. It's just the state of the art wasn't quite as high as what they were hoping.

I have a Martini-Henry Mark IV (very end of production) with a bore that is .004" over, at least: you can pop a fired .303 case into the muzzle. Also have a '58 Remington with a bore the size of a sewer-pipe... "correct" .44 slugs fall right through it, gaining speed all the way.

They tried, and they ended up giving us the world we have today with the technology that's a part of it.... but all they could do, really, was try. Let's be kind and say that their aspirations were higher than their accomplishments.

That said, real soft lead and hollow bases both are real, common-sense 19th-Century ideas, ones that WORK.

 

[H Wally]

Eh - I love the gun to pieces, looks like it has only been fired a couple of times in its existance, just wasn't sure if over sized bore meant anything in them. I've got other guns I shoot instead of it... it's the only real safe queen in my collection right now... only one I'll tolerate not being able to shoot because of how nice it is

 

[Incurable Collectoer]

I used to have a Starr revolver all that I have now is the original mold for it and it throws conicals that measure .464 and the one I had the bore was near .47 I would expect quite a lot of variation.

 

[oldiron]

Hey Wally..I have a '63 Starr with a nice bore, measures .460, chamber, throat, and groove to groove. I haven't loaded mine either. but I should. Bill...

 

[H Wally]

Been messaged about this as well - seems there is some variation in bore and cylinder diameters. Ah well, good to know that it's not just my gun

I'm same as you Oldiron - been sitting on this gun for a while but just never seem to get around to shooting it.

 

[smellie]

Something like that is just too nice NOT to take out.... just once, you understand.

How many people can say HONESTLY that they have shot one? I sure can't, for one.

Admit it: you love the old girl and you want to make her bark, even just half a dozen times.

Have fun!