AWA SAA review in Shoot Magazine.

[Slickshot]

I've also got an AWA Peacekeeper, purchased back close to when the first come out.  My serial number is P6485 and I just measured the chamber mouths and from what I can gather is mine are also .425.  It looks like I will have to have a gunsmith ream out my mouths to at least .429 to be able to achieve any sort of accuracy with this firearm...

AM I correct in my thinking?

Please advise.

Slickshot

[Fox Creek Kid]

I've also got an AWA Peacekeeper, purchased back close to when the first come out.  My serial number is P6485 and I just measured the chamber mouths and from what I can gather is mine are also .425.  It looks like I will have to have a gunsmith ream out my mouths to at least .429 to be able to achieve any sort of accuracy with this firearm...

AM I correct in my thinking?

Please advise.

Slickshot

Have you slugged the bore? Do that now and then report back. AWA originally used ASM barrels that slugged at 0.431" to 0.432".

[Slickshot]

I have not slugged the barrel, if it slugs at .431 or .432 the darn thing won't group...at least that's what I am hearing.. since the soft lead bullets are already compressed down to .425, either way, when shot the bullets just richochet down the barrel and will be worse if it slugs at .431 or .432. 

Now my question is:  how much would it cost to get this corrected so it could possibly shoot fairly welll?

Slickshot

[Fox Creek Kid]

I have not slugged the barrel, if it slugs at .431 or .432 the darn thing won't group...at least that's what I am hearing.. since the soft lead bullets are already compressed down to .425, either way, when shot the bullets just richochet down the barrel and will be worse if it slugs at .431 or .432. 

Now my question is:  how much would it cost to get this corrected so it could possibly shoot fairly welll?

Slickshot

You would need to have the chambers & throats opened up. About $10 or so per hole. Relax. Better that the chambers are too small than too large as it can be easily fixed. SLUG THE BARREL & report back.

[Pettifogger]

Before you get too excited shoot it.  The guns from the old west had throats and barrels that measured all over the map and many gave (and give) acceptable accuracy.

[Fox Creek Kid]

...The guns from the old west had throats and barrels that measured all over the map and many gave (and give) acceptable accuracy.

Minute of "Longbranch." 


I agree to shoot it first, IF you can chamber a round. I had a BP frame ASM 44-40 that had a 0.431" barrel and the chambers were at 0.429" if I remember correctly. I could barely keep a group on a garbage can lid BENCHED at 15 yds. with BP loads. I had the chambers & throats opened up to 0.4315" and it tore a ragged hole with 0.430" MAV bullets cast from WW's.

I've never been lucky shooting undersized chambers with lead bullets. 

[Slickshot]

Thanks everyone for your adise on my AWA Peacekeeper .44 Special.  I will just have to break the bank so to speek and buy some ammo and shoot it; It has been a while since I've shot it.

Once I do I will report back.  I have never slugged the barrel, but can't one just take measurements of the rifling and get a fairly accurate reading that way?

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[44caliberkid]

My AWA 44 Special was just as you describe, .425 chamber mouths and a .431 groove diameter.   Six shots at a 25 yard pistol bullseye target wouldn't always all even be on the paper, much less any kind of grouping.  Shoot yours first to see how it performs.   I bought a revolver chamber mouth reamer set for 44 caliber from Brownells, but I think it was made by Dave Manson reamers.   This was 5 or 6 years ago.  It enlarged the chamber mouths to over .430, I can't remember exactly.   But it solved the problem, giving me a 3 to 3.5 inch group at 25 yards with a Lyman 230 grain lead bullet and about 6+ grains of Unique.   I'd loan you the reamer but I traded it for some gunsmithing work a while back.