am i doing this right?

[unclebill]

i want to measure the forcing cones on my pietta S.A.A.'s
but it this how it is done?
i dont know anything about this stuff you guys so please bear with me.
thank you
bill
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l272/billhedges/zsmithwesson27-2013-13.jpg

[Pepe Ray]

unclebill;
NO!
You'll never get a reliable measurement that way.
Use soft lead slugs, pushed or bumped thru the chambers and then measured.
Pepe Ray

[unclebill]

ok
thank you!
i am off to go get some egg shaped lead sinkers!

[Newtire]

If you have a split-ball gauge to stick in there, that will get it but the soft lead slug is the simplest & nothing more accurate than that.

[44man]

Hey, those are the throats, not the forcing cone!
Ball gage, pin gage or lead slug, not calipers.
You should also have a mike that reads to .0001" to be real accurate too.

[Tom W.]

O.k 44 Man, you beat me to it...

[unclebill]

i tried to google split ball gauge to find one.
i never heard of one and i dont know where to look.
yesterday i went to 5 different sporting goods stores and 1 fishing store.
i dont think they sell/make pure lead sinkers anymore.

[Newtire]

A split-ball gauge like the one you need is sold in automotive tool stores. You might try Enco machine tools. I believe Harbor Freight sells some "offshore" ones cheap. Then you need a 0-1" micrometer to check the ball gauge's diameter after you expand it into the hole.

They are called "small hole gauges"

Here's one link.

http://www.compperformancegroupstores.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PH&Product_Code=POW205015&Category_Code=GAUGES

[Echo]

I inheirited my Dad's toolbox, and used his small hole guages to measure the throats on my revolvers... Takes a fine touch, and one should have some training in their use.

[Calamity Jake]

10-4 on EasyEd, they can be very difficult to use, but accurate if used properly and like 44 said a good 0-1" mic that reads in 10'es(.0001) is required.

[unclebill]

i am getting a little discouraged.
i am burned out on buying expensive specialized tools i will use once for 15 minutes out of the rest of my life.

[unclebill]

maybe i will just slug them ,label the slugs and take them to a machinist to measure.
i'll give him 5 bucks

[leftiye]

Pin gauges!

[unclebill]

Pin gauges!

ok ,
i give...
what do i ask for and where would i buy them?
i googled it and was swamped with technical jargon.

[MtGun44]

Enco USA, you can get a nice set of Olympic* pin gages from .250 to .500
in .001" increments (get the minus set) for $60. (* = Chinese)

Lifetime tool. Rent them to friends with revolvers for $5 a measure and
pay for them. Bad joke. :-)

Here's the link.

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INSRAR2&PMAKA=616-8131&PMPXNO=951510

If you only have one revolver. Use the lead slug and drive it thru and measure
it.

Bill

[454PB]

unclebill, I'd be glad to measure your slugs. If you are interested, you could drop a few in a padded envelope and mail them to me, the postage would be less than $5. Send me a P.M. if you need an address.

[45nut]

Bill,, swaged muzzleloading balls from hornady and speer should be available from a local sporting goods store. Pure lead or as close as anyone can make.
Don't get discouraged, I agree spending for the neatest tools to be used very infrequently at best is counter to the frugal minded boolit caster type, there is usually a very simple and cheap alternative available though.

[26Charlie]

That you don't need to actually measure them. Take a bullet of known diameter, say .452, and see if it will slide through, is a tight fit, or rattles a little. That gives you a comparative measure. one thousandth can barely be seen, 6 thousandths is a definite slight rattle in the hole.