Questions about reaming and forcing cones [Archive]

opos

09-11-2012, 11:45 AM

I shoot 45 Colt and 44 Special and load with trail boss or Unique and load quite light loads using Missouri #12 hardness projectiles....not a SASS shooter but an old guy with arthritis. I have a couple of Vaquero's in 45 Colt, a Pietta in 45 Colt and a couple of Blackhawks in 44. I have had no cylinder reamer work done on any of the guns either throats or cutting the forcing cones. I have been lucky as I don't seem to be bothered with much if any leading to speak of...it may well be because of the really light loads and soft projectiles I use....I want to step up some loading in the Rugers and don't want to create a leading issue...but I also don't want to just "wholesale" send off the cylinders to be reamed and try to find someone to do the forcing cones here....Is there a way to check which, if any of the cylinders or cones might be prospects for some work or should I just go ahead and load em up and have at it and see the outcome....I tend to think (purely an observation) that people mess with things just because it's "the thing someone else does"...like wholesale reaming, performing the "poor boy" trigger job, etc...I'm just a pleasure plinker and my eyes are bad enough I'm not a real precise target shooter...if it needs fixing I'll probably do it...if not I'd rather not...I can't really see how to observe the condition of the forcing cones by the way...what's the proper procedure? Many thanks
opos

fecmech

09-11-2012, 02:02 PM

I would load what you want to load and see if it works to your satisfaction. I'm inclined to think if you're not having problems with the light loads you won't with heavier ones. I would go with the 12 bhn bullets you have for starters and see how things work out. You are somewhat limited as to sizing etc due to the fact you're buying not casting but have at it. Worst case scenario is you get some lead in a barrel, not the end of the world.