Need help with Dan Wesson cylinder

[captaint]

I have an old (late 70's) Dan Wesson mod 15-2. Now that I'm casting all my projectiles, I find that the cylinder throats need to be opened up a couple of thou.

I know what you're thinking. That's easy. Hasn't been for me. I contacted a couple of members here thinking they would do the job. No. Got on Cylindersmith's website - "we only do 45's any more". Does anybody know a smith that is set up to do this work ?? I'm talking about somebody you trust to do it right. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I suppose I could contact Dan Wesson directly. They certainly know how to "build" 1911's. Thanks in advance.

Mike [smilie=b:

[john hayslip]

I believe I've read that CZ has bought out D Wesson. You might inquire there

[leftiye]

Lossa threads on opening chamber mouths here, do a little research. Long story short you can do it with a dowell and sandpaper on a drill, you can do it with a chucking reamer and a drill press and vise, you can do it on a mill with a special jig and a rotary table, you can do it on a lathe with a chucking reamer, (zero on each chamber mouth) you can buy a special reamer from the reamer makers that uses the chamber for a guide. Believe it or not, the sandpaper thing is just about as good as any if you are careful, and exercise good sense.

[captaint]

Well, thanks guys, but there's no good info on the search threads. It's all - take a split dowel with sandpaper, etc. I've done that with sizing dies and it works, but I'm not doing that to my cylinder. Need them all the same, for real. Thanks again, Mike

[John Taylor]

You should be able to find the reamer size you need here. http://www.mcmaster.com/#reamers/=ivg4f9.
Without the proper jigs to hold the cylinder and the drill/mill to run the reamer you run the risk of messing it up. Pore mans reamer guide is to use masking tape around the reamer about half the length of the flutes and let that ride in the chamber as a guide, running from the chamber end with a slow drill and plenty of cutting oil. Best to go .0005" smaller and polish with the wood dowel and fine emery clothe.

[TCLouis]

Surely someone other than CAS has reamers to do the calibers/diameters other than 45.

[dragonrider]

Brownells sells a kit to accomplish the task, I don't believe it will require a split dowel.

[leftiye]

Things don't get more uniform than using a pin gauge, and sanding each chamber mouth to a uniform resistance. That's where the common sense comes in. Pull gauges are the next step up in accuracy from micrometers when honing automobile cylinders. When removing only a thousandth, or two you will not have problems with cylindricity, or straightness if you insert the dowell (I use steel rods with a slot sawed down the center on a drill, 400 grit - it wears down and isn't too coarse) from the rear and keep the cylinder straight. Obviously one must do their part to not put side pressures or anything other than straight forces while sanding. This method will also increase the smoothness and taper at the front of the chamber going into the chamber mouth. I have chucking reamers. I have the milling machine and the rotary table, and I have a lathe, and if it made a lot of difference I'd use them. The first Colt Officer's model .38 special that I did this to in 1974 was capable of shooting ground squirrels at 60 yards (with wadcutters no less). I've done it to some very fine pistols.

[rmcc]

PM sent about DW 15-2

[Frank46]

Gunsmith, now there is an oxymoron. I've seen gunsmiths that could take a trashed springfield and hand you back a custom rifle anyman would be proud to own. Then again I've seen a rifle that not even the poorest afgani tribsman would not even consider shooting much less than own. Getting harder and harder to locate what I would call a good guncraftsman rather than gunsmith. I'm currently enlisted the services of one gun smith in north Carolina because I'm tired of substandard work, being blown off when calling to find out when it will be ready. Frank