throat reamer

[Josh]

I would like to rent/borrow/beg for a .4525 throat reamer, I need to ream the throats on my Blackhawk. Some sit at .448, if anyone has a reamer or could open them up on a lathe/mill I would pay to have it done/rent the reamer. I need to open up a 45 colt cylinder and 45 ACP cylinder.

Thanks
Josh

 

[Rick]

Dunno if anyone here has one. I believe Brownell's rents them or at least they used to. Probably Clymer also.

Don't rent just the reamer, get the pilot also.

 

[Josh]

It needs a whole set of pilots, I called about a set for the 41 mag and it would cost 325 bucks for that reamer.

If someone did em on a mill I may send off my 41 mag cylinder also.

 

[Brad]

I did mine with a split rod, 400 grit paper and oil, and lots of time with a cordless drill.
Polish, clean, check. Repeat.

Having some pin gauges would help. I would want a 450, 451, and 452 gauge so I can know how it is progressing.

Did I mention lots of patience?

 

[Ben]

I did a Ruger 45 Colt in like manner as Brad describes.

My project turned out great.

Go slow, you can take metal off, but putting it back on isn't so easy.

Ben

 

[Ian]

I do all mine with an MSC chucking reamer. Bush the reamer with painter's tape for a snug fit in the chamber, leave just enough of the flutes exposed out in front of the tape to just barely go all the way through the throat, and crank it through carefully by hand while using lots of cutting fluid. Polish the scratches if they bother you. Breaking the sharp angle on the leading edges of the reamer with a fine diamond stone while maintaining the proper back-cut angle helps keep it from leaving deep spiral scratches. This is more effective on out-of-round holes than is just sanding, but neither method will guarantee perfect concentricity with the chamber. This is the "Ruger" method in my book, for "working guns". If you want purty and accurate/concentric, pay a professional.

If you sand it all the way, be especially careful of "hourglassing" the throats.

Anybody know if Cylindersmith still a going operation?

 

[Dale53]

I have done a half dozen or so cylinders using the Manson (made for the job) reamer kit complete with pilots. I was trained as a machinist, so that helped a bit. I reamed mine to .4525" and they shoot extremely well, after the reaming job. Accuracy well under one inch at 25 yards off a rest with NO leading. Before, the gun leaded up in just a few shots and accuracy deteriorated quickly.

I borrowed my reamer kit from a good friend.

The simplest way to solve the problem is contact "DougGuy" and send him the cylinder only. He has a good reputation and his charges are reportedly very reasonable:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...SA-1911A1-Another-Non-Cast-Boolit-Friendly-45

FWIW
Dale53

 

[Josh]

I found him on facebook, $30 a cylinder is a great price.

 

[Rick]

I love a story with a happy ending. For $30 I wouldn't try it myself and risk a ham handed job.

 

[Cherokee]

DougGuy gets lots of good reviews.

 

[Pistolero]

I bought a chucking reamer in .452 diam from MSC or McMaster-Carr for something like
$15 new. Ream a piece of steel scrap FIRST to clean off the burrs a bit, then mount the
cylinder in a v-block in a mill vise, and let the vise free float on a mill table so the holes
can self align. Then feed the well oiled reamer at moderate speed with the quill and
let the cylinder self align laterally, it is held vertically by the v-block and mill vise. I oiled
the mill table to let if float smoothly. Reamed OK but a touch rough looking, I polished with split
dowel to .453. Did both cylinders on a convertible BH, worked well for cheap.

There is an old thread on this in the gunsmithing section of the other site, with pix.

Use the same setup with a brass lap and you will have total control of the process,
diameter and surface finish. Brass laps are about $20. Slower but safer and will be
very cylindrical, too.

Bill

 

[Pistolero]

OK, found the old thread. Reamer was $26, not $15. Lap was only $8, so prices were off a
bit. Plan on reaming .001 smaller than intended final size and polish up.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?12464-Revolver-throat-reaming-with-drill-press-mill

Bill

 

[DougGuy]

Howdy fellas, I am joined here now, in addition to cylinder throat reaming and forcing cone recutting, I am also offering throating, recrowning and polishing on 1911 barrels as well, same quick turnaround, same professional results, same very affordable pricing.

 

[DougGuy]

It needs a whole set of pilots, I called about a set for the 41 mag and it would cost 325 bucks for that reamer.

If someone did em on a mill I may send off my 41 mag cylinder also.

I have a .4125" reamer and proper pilots for the 41 mag as well as reamers and pilots for .357 9mm .38spl 10mm 40S&W, .4315" and .4325" for 44 mag 44spl and of course all of the .45 caliber flavors.