Spit forcing cone at the range today

[NuJudge]

The pistol was a .44 Stainless Interarms Virginian Dragoon. The report from the 4th shot in a cylinder was not as sharp, and recoil was far less, so I thought I had a bullet stuck in the barrel. I unloaded the cylinder, pulled the cylinder axis pin forward and popped the cylinder out to the right side. Looking down the barrel there was no obstruction. Looking at the rear of the barrel, it looked like a bullet puller collet.

Does anyone have any ideas? An Internet search shows only Virginian .45LC barrels. Does anyone know of anyone who fabricates new barrels, or shortens and re-installs the originals?

Christopher Dingell

[44man]

I have heard of it happening. My SBH has over 57,000 hot loads through it with no trouble. Only a little sandbasting on the cone.
Any good gunsmith can set the barrel back. I am sure there are some here that can recommend a good smith and even some that will install a new barrel.

[Bass Ackward]

Yep. I lost a Super Blackhawk to a cracked cone and thank goodness it didn't damage the frame. There are a lot of pistol Smiths that can do the job. I don't know how difficult it would be to obtain another factory barrel for a Drag. You can call around and ask for options and pricing. A guy that has done superb work for me is Jim Stroh. But there are others I am sure.

http://www.alphaprecisioninc.com/

I need to clarify this. The cracked forcing cone did damage the frame from using a factory barrel, but was able to be cleaned up to be salvaged for a custom barrel using a larger threaded shank.

[Uncle R.]

Help me out here, guys - it seems I need a little learning.
Split forcing cone? I've seen forcing cones wear, burn away, especially with jacketed bullets - but I've never seen one split. What causes it?
Thanks...

[felix]

Heat destroys the forcing cone. The more nitroglycerin (hot) the powder has, the worse it is on the cone. Usually, though, a metal with too much carbon, or a normal metal with a bad heat treatment, will cause the metal to get way to hard in hot powder use. Using bullseye loads should never break the cone because of the low force presented, but changing the gun from a bulleseye gun to a full house gun will take its toll. ... felix

[lar45]

Can you take pics of it?
Does anyone know what threads it takes? Could it be similar or the same as a Ruger? What about calling up one of the Big pistol builders, maybe Clements and see if they have any 44 take off barrels from guys going to 475 and beyond and then have that fit to your gun? Sounds like that could be a less expensive way to go.
Maybe try clements, Reeder, Hunington?(he might be doing rifles only now?)
Have you tried Numerich?
http://www.e-gunparts.com/products.a...zVIRGINIAN&MC=
Looks like they only have 357 and 45 colt barrels.
You could try the gunsmithing forum at AR to see if you could find a good pistol smith there.
http://forums.accuratereloading.com/.../frm/f/9411043

[lar45]

Here's a blued Ruger barrel for $65
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ruger-S-A-Barrel...QQcmdZViewItem

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=54797885
Here's a complete gun for $249, but still a few days to go.
Would you be spending more money on getting it fixed?
maybe see if there is a local smith that could cut the barrel back for a reasonable fee?

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/di...%20SS%20BARREL
Here's a stainless Ruger barrel for $27.50

[StarMetal]

Don't forget cutting the barrel back entails moving the ejector rod housing threaded hole or stud, depending on which method that revolver used. So it's not as easy as unscrew the barrel, chuck it in the lathe, screw it back on. Also the right amount has to be cut from the shoulder to make sure the front lines up perfect vertically when the shoulder snugs up tight against the frame. Gunsmith work isn't cheap.

Joe

[lar45]

Don't forget Gunsmith work isn't cheap.

Joe

exactly. So if you could find a complete pistol for $250-300 on gunbroker, then the repair would have to be significantly lower than that unless the gun has big sentimental value.

I have a Ruger BH 45 barrel in the safe and took some measurements on it.

I have the measurement from the barrel sholder to the ejector rod houseing. If it doesn't match the Dragoon measurements, then maybe put a Ruger houseing on it, if that would be cheaper than makeing a new hole?

I posted a thread on AR to see if the parts might match.

[NuJudge]

A guy I know with several of them had it squirreled away. Now I need to find a gunsmith to replace it.

CDD

[9.3X62AL]

Lucky find, NJ. Those critters don't exactly grow on trees.

[StarMetal]

A guy I know with several of them had it squirreled away. Now I need to find a gunsmith to replace it.

CDD

NuJudge,

If you have any mechanical knowledge and common tools rebarreling a revolver barrel isn't all that hard. Probably the hardest part is making a fixture to grab and hold the barrel tight as you screw the frame off it. Usually, and I say that loosely, if the replacement barrel is from the same company that makes the revolver, the barrle will just snug up a tad short of the front sight being straight up and down vertically. In that case you loosen it and then have another go a tightening it. Each time you loosen and tighten you will gain alittle clockwise (right hand) rotation. Other then that you check your cylinder/barrel gap and usually (again used loosely), the breech is long and you just file it to specs with a good flat file and do it evenly. Revolver barrel gaps should be checked by have an empty case in the cylinder, brought up to the firing position, with proper headspace flat feeler gauge between it and the receiver breech face (yes revolvers have headspace specs too, then you gauge the cylinder/barrel gap with a feeler gauge. That's it, I've done alot of them. Admittly if complications arise it's a little harder.

Joe

[lar45]

I used to have a Stainless 44 Dragoon(Pachmeyer grip and wide trigger shoe), but some sh*&^t head in Alaska that was supposed to be by buddy stole it from me along with 3 other guns.
If anyone knows Brian Norton, formerly of Anchorage, give him a good kick in the balls for me.
I still have the original wood grips for it somewhere in the gun room.

So did you say that your buddy has a barrel for it? or a bunch of guns?

[jim4065]

I used to have a Stainless 44 Dragoon(Pachmeyer grip and wide trigger shoe), but some sh*&^t head in Alaska that was supposed to be by buddy stole it from me along with 3 other guns.
If anyone knows Brian Norton, formerly of Anchorage, give him a good kick in the balls for me.
I still have the original wood grips for it somewhere in the gun room.

So did you say that your buddy has a barrel for it? or a bunch of guns?

Hey - I just bought a 44 Dragoon from Anchorage. In case I hate the Pachmeyer, do you want to sell your wood grips? http://www.auctionarms.com/Closed/Di...mNum=8262511.0