WB
I checked with 3 different calipers, the 145 is 0.353".
Friday, November 22, 2019, 07:56

The main gripes with the ball round is mediocre accuracy compared to the $1.50 a round hunting ammo that is said superb. Winchester themselves list the "official" bullet diameter as 0.357". I checked.

Randy hinted that chambers may be tight, perhaps he read something. I have a test round I plan to check today for fitment with a larger jacketed bullet. If that works I'm gold. The throating looks a bit brisk with my bifocal-ed eyeball straining to spy down the bore. I can fix that if I really need to. I'm also going to see if I can reload the round using 9mm or .357 dies, or at least to what extent.

My vote based upon only looks is for 296 on the factory powder. Tiny and really uniform perfect balls. I was a bit surprised at only 18.5 grs. That would be a light .357 Max. load. A normal .357 Max. load using 296 and a 140 gr. bullet would be around 25 grs.! I just can't imagine it's a slow powder like 296, must be some non-canister, faster stuff. I think the round is loaded under the potential for the masses. It's not really ahead of the ancient .351 that was lots shorter and a BLOW BACK action! On a blow-back round you can't really monkey with it too much. High pressures with the action opening is bad ju0ju. I've been there (blew a .41 Rem. case in half 6" from my nose). You can take the new bullets and load them in the .351 easily, that would be a hoot! I sold mine and kept the larger and more desirable .401 M1910. My platform is a gas gun so I will need to paint my bullets to keep the system clean. You can shoot lubed lead out of an AR but it is not pretty.

I'm going to have some fun with this and I'll take some notes.