Forcing cones lengthened

[popcan]

If I have the forcing cones lengthened in my shotgun, is there any potential for change to the way it patterns?

...and....

who do you recomnend to do the work (I live in North Vancouver, but I suppose I could ship the barrels someplace if need be).


thanks

 

[Sharptail]

In theory, lengthened forcing cones should improve patterns by reducing pellet deformation. In reality, this may or may not occur, depending on a number of other factors in your barrel. It usually it helps a little. In an older gun with an abrupt forcing cone, lengthening helps patterns the most, and will reduce recoil as well. There is no point in lengthening the cones past 2 inches, no further benefit is to be gained past this point.

Sharptail

 

[popcan]

Thanks, good info Sharptail...

It's an old but hardly fired Win 101. Everyone keeps saying these kick hard, but I haven't felt that it is worse than anything else, using my regular trap loads ... I had heard the theory somewhere that lengthening the forcing cones could improve the pattern a bit, so I thought I would see if anyone could confirm it.

 

[Claybuster]

Some guys claim it improves patterns while other say it does that and reduces recoil. Forcing cones are often done in conjuction with backboring and porting so the entire package would be expected to reduce recoil somewhat.

I've never had forcing cone alterations on any my guns although am considering a little polishing on the cones in a gun that has a severe plastic build up issue.

I've owned a couple of 101s and never found they kicked any more than other guns and if they do it's probably because of the stock design.

 

[popcan]

I've owned a couple of 101s and never found they kicked any more than other guns and if they do it's probably because of the stock design.

That is what I've heard too - but the first time I shot mine I came home with two Hams in a prize shoot, so I guess it fits ok.

I do like the 20g 101 better though. Shot some trap with it and did better than I thought I would, once I remembered that my 20g loads were a lot slower than the 12g...

 

[TReX300]

I have a Rem 3200. One of the guys that I shoot with has one as well. They have the same barrel length same choke constriction (within .001) and the serial #'s are less than 1000 different but mine has been shot more. The only difference being that my gun has had the cones lengthened and the bores opened .003" all around (.006" total) and his is untouched. When we pattern these guns side by side with various 1 oz loads mine will consistently pattern tighter (%) and more even (looks) then his. It's not a lot, less 3%, but there is a difference. My gun does seem to have softer recoil as well but that's most likely got to do with the fit (I've worked on mine). It would have been nice to have been able to do a before and after test with the same gun/barrel but that wasn't possible. As far as velocity goes we haven't noticed much of a difference. If there is its that his maybe a bit more consistent but minimally. I don't know if the difference between the guns is because of the work or just the way that particular gun shoots for other reasons (???). I do know that difference doesn't make me a miracle shooter because he's almost always laying a severe whooping on me with his stock 3200 but he does that with just about every gun he shoots. This testing was all doen on pattern board and in the backyard so it's not very scientifc or been computer checked but I thought I'd share it with you.

Tim