Forcing cone cutter
- Thread starter Sharps '63
- Start date
I use my lathe... Mine reamer accepts a socket to drive it... I place a long socket of the correct size in my 3 jaw chuck, insert the forcing cone reamer place the chamber over it and use the tail stock to hold the barrel on center and to feed the barrel onto the reamer. I turn at about 50 rpm and flood the reamer with cutting oil and clean the chips off when the flute get full. I hold on to the barrel with my hand usually, in some cases a wrench if applicable. I don't have the 3 jaw extremely tight and sometimes the socket may slip if the pressure and torque too high. Once you have done a few you get used to the feel of it... The chamber end of barrel may wobble a bit but that is no concern.
Brownell's recommends using a barrel guide insert and a forcing cone gauge. I believe that these come with the full kit at $280. I just bought the basic .38/.44/.45 kit.
The destructions don't make it seem like rocket science if done carefully. A pal did a forcing cone job for me on a cap & ball gun years ago and he said that the steel cut like butter.
Brownells warns that it is easy to over do it for that reason.
I just want to get rid of chatter marks and in the case of my Uberti .44 Russian model, actually cut a forcing cone. It doesn't have one, just a barely broken edge.
The destructions don't make it seem like rocket science if done carefully. A pal did a forcing cone job for me on a cap & ball gun years ago and he said that the steel cut like butter.
Brownells warns that it is easy to over do it for that reason.
I just want to get rid of chatter marks and in the case of my Uberti .44 Russian model, actually cut a forcing cone. It doesn't have one, just a barely broken edge.
Yep, all that is 'splained in the very good destructions that come with the kit, and I mentioned the gauge in a previous posting. The destructions say that you need no more than .020"larger than that of the bullet diameter you intend to shoot, so you can stop and measure with a caliper.
It also states that while a super smooth and shiny forcing cone looks good, it will soon erode from gas cutting and isn't really worth the effort.
It also states that while a super smooth and shiny forcing cone looks good, it will soon erode from gas cutting and isn't really worth the effort.
I've had a Lewis lead remover kit for years and never had occasion to use it. I've shot thousands of hard commercial bullets and my own softer cast, most at sub-magnum velocities.
If you examine the forcing cone of any revolver, you don't see a lot of bright, shiny cuts, even when new. I have Rugers, S&W's, Colts, several Italian repros, Webleys, etc. and some of the forcing cones are less than exemplary examples of the machinist's art. Some of them even seem non-concentric with the bore, giving the impression that there was not a lot of care given to the operation.
If you examine the forcing cone of any revolver, you don't see a lot of bright, shiny cuts, even when new. I have Rugers, S&W's, Colts, several Italian repros, Webleys, etc. and some of the forcing cones are less than exemplary examples of the machinist's art. Some of them even seem non-concentric with the bore, giving the impression that there was not a lot of care given to the operation.
Maybe you should try using your Lewis lead remover to see if there is any leading... I was shooting a .44 Mag with light loads and micro groove rifling and someone's 240 grain bullets ... and could not load hotter than about 700 f/s or the bullets just slid out... and I pretty well always got a little lead out of my Vaquero too. I never said you need bright, shiny cuts, I said very smooth is more important. Factories don't put a lot of care in most instances... I think that is why the forcing cone kit is manufactured.
Leading on what? My brand new Uberti #3 .44 Russian that spits? T'ain't no forcing cone to be seen! They barely broke the edge.
I've heard from a guy on CasCity what owns several original S&W #3's and he says the forcing cone is minimal and yet they do not spit lead. Obviously S&W knew something that Uberti doesn't.
I've heard from a guy on CasCity what owns several original S&W #3's and he says the forcing cone is minimal and yet they do not spit lead. Obviously S&W knew something that Uberti doesn't.
If the cylinder lines up perfectly with the bore, then little/no forcing cone is required... ...the more off center, the more a forcing cone guides the bullet into the bore, so i think you're right on the money looking to expand it.
Then there is the debate about how steep the angle (factory S&W will be a bit steeper)!
R
Then there is the debate about how steep the angle (factory S&W will be a bit steeper)!
R
Cut the forcing cone on my Uberti #3 .44 Russian today - duck soup. Looks good. Took all of ten minutes and that because I removed the cutter to check on progress once.
Used my S&W M29 as a model since they both shoot nominal .429/.430 diameter bullets. It measured .460. According to Brownells, you can go as large as .020 above nominal bullet size. I stopped at .450.
You can tell when you've cut through the original forcing cone by 'feel'. After that, it's a matter of not going too deep.
I measured the diameter of the forcing cones on three .44 cap & ball guns which use .451 RB. They measured .451, .464 and .470, so there is quire a latitude as far as makers are concerned.
Used my S&W M29 as a model since they both shoot nominal .429/.430 diameter bullets. It measured .460. According to Brownells, you can go as large as .020 above nominal bullet size. I stopped at .450.
You can tell when you've cut through the original forcing cone by 'feel'. After that, it's a matter of not going too deep.
I measured the diameter of the forcing cones on three .44 cap & ball guns which use .451 RB. They measured .451, .464 and .470, so there is quire a latitude as far as makers are concerned.
