51 Navy chamber diameter

Just got around to shooting the 51 Navy .36 made from a Dixie kit [Pietta] and the accuracy leaves some to be desired. :hmm:

Perhaps the chambers were never reamed to final size? They measure at .367
The barrel groove is .370 when slugged.

Can some one post the chamber size of a normal re-production Navy .36?

I rammed a ball into a chamber of my Pietta and pushed it out with a rod. If I remember correctly, it came out as .367 or .368. Then I used it to slug the barrel. As I was pushing it through the barrel, I took my Surefire and shined it in the other end. I didn't see any light. It also took a great deal of force to get it past the forcing cone.

Maybe the bad accuracy is from something else?

The product page for Dixie's 1851 Navy Yank revolver kit states:

7 lands - .360 and 7 grooves .372....Six shot - .367 chamber diameter.
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/produ...Csid=0d6543e9424cf61a1408154019497eeb[/quote]

Their 1851 Navy brass frame kit states:

.368 chamber diameter.
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/produ...Csid=0d6543e9424cf61a1408154019497eeb[/quote]

The chamber measurement seems to be normal. Perhaps the hammer sight affects shooting accuracy or the barrel needs a break-in period. There's expected to be a learning curve with virtually any new gun.
When accuracy testing loads, start by shooting at targets at a really close distance and gradually move it out only a few yards at a time. That will eventually show the average effective range and accuracy for the gun with that load while breaking it in and practicing with it.
And some guns will shoot differently after they start heating up and getting fouled. :hatsoff:

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There are no set chamber sizes. They will vary from one make to the next. Ideally, the ball should be groove diameter to .001 over when it leaves the chamber. It used to be very common for these imports to have under sized chambers, and that will definately affect accuracy.

Dixie lists .372" as the groove diameter of all .36's in their catalog but I've slugged several at .375". I prefer to ream chambers with a common 3/8" reamer and shoot a .380" ball but unfortunately if you don't cast your own you're kinda stuck with .375 balls and I'd not recommend that in a .375" chamber.
A chamber diameter of .367" is certainly too small for best accuracy but undersize chambers are pretty common in replica revolvers. I guess it's a CYA thing, they want to be extra sure the ball will be a tight fit.

1977 Pietta 1851 Navy, 7 lands at 0.357, 7 grooves at 0.367, chambers 0.368. Tack driver.

mykeal said:

1977 Pietta 1851 Navy, 7 lands at 0.357, 7 grooves at 0.367, chambers 0.368. Tack driver.

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2010 Pietta 1851 Navy steel frame, 7 lands at 0.364, 7 grooves at 0.370, chambers at 0.367 = Can't hit a target consistantly at 25 feet :surrender:

Another problem is when they rolled the cylinder to press the battle scene, the chamber holes are now slightly out of round by 0.002
So one way the chamber measures 0.367, then at 90 degrees measures 0.365 :idunno:

When I pushed a ball into the chamber then pushed it back out, using that one to push past the forcing cone and down into the barrel, there is daylight galore around the ball using my mini flash light.

I think I will try and find a 0.370 reamer and open up the chambers a bit. Maybe I can still use all my 0.375 balls.

Thanks for the help. :thumbsup:

I used to shoot match with rem repro.s in .36. I reamed cly. to .375 and used .380 cast ball. Only reamed 1/2 depth of cyl. I always used 25 gn 3f and corn meal filler to keep ball at mouth of cyl.
worked very well and shot some very good 50yd groups. did compete with some of the best shots on the west coast.did shoot expert.