Rough forcing cone in Old Army need to be smoothed?

[Tallbald]

Just getting around to disassembly, deburring, and following up with an exterior high polish on the stainless ROA I found several weeks ago. I do this with all my stainless Rugers, my personal preference.
Looking closely at my "new" specimen, a 1983 model, I see that the forcing cone is pretty rough. Looks like the machine operator did not clear chips from the reamer, or used a dull reamer to begin with.
I am thinking of polishing the cone with homemade emery cloth mandrel if this would be a good thing. I'd imagine that a rough forcing cone would gather the soft lead from ball loads, but I'm new to muzzle loading. Advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Don

 

[tek4260]

I would not use a homemade emery cloth mandrel. You may well end up with something worse than just a rough forcing cone if you change the angle too much or get it off center. Brownells sells a forcing cone reamer with all the proper bushings and cutters to do it right. It is pretty simple and straight forward. It usually takes longer to put the tool together than it does to cut the forcing cone.

 

[flatgate]

+1 to tech4260's reply.

Proper tooling goes a long way toward producing proper results.

JMHO,

flatgate

 

[robhof]

Do you have to remove the barrel from the frame to ream the forcing cone?

 

[rugerguy]

No, with the proper cutter, it could be done in less time that all these replies were made........only have to remove the cylinder to attach the cutter to the rod/mandrel, a few twists and 'voila' the job is done..............

 

[gregs45auto]

Yes, it takes a 11 degree cutter and about 4 turns. hth greg

 

[Enigma]

Mr ROA essentially had no forcing cone when I bought it used, but unfired. The breech end of the barrel was very slightly radiused, but had no proper forcing cone. This is one of the old narrow-trigger pistols. It shot into about an 8-10" group with most any load I used.

I sent it to a gunsmith I know for a forcing cone and a trigger job. It was much improved in both regards, and it shoots much better now!

I have since purchased the forcing cone reamer, and have cut several forcing cones with it. Lube the reamer with some cutting oil and 'twist a little, check a lot!' The reamer is very sharp, and cuts barrel steel quite easily. It is easy to cut too much! AMHIK.