Opening Up Ruger Cylinder Chamber Throats

DixieBoy · February 1, 2002, 01:02 AM

Does anyone have any experience in opening up the
throats on a Ruger Blackhawk's cylinder chamber
throats? I've got one in .45 Colt that I believe
is just a bit under barrel groove size, after
slugging both the barrel and the throats. Think
taking just .001 or, at most, .002 out the throats
should do the trick. Do I have to send this to a
smith? I am fairly experienced with precision
tools, but I don't want to foul up this job
either. What do you guys think? Sure would like
to do this job myself if it's possible. Thanks
for any replies. - DixieBoy

George Stringer · February 1, 2002, 08:49 AM

Db, you might be able to do this fairly easily with an adjustable reamer . To my knowledge there isn't a "throater" for the cylinder but I'm sure that Clymer would be happy to make you one. I would try to find a smith who specializes in that type of work and see what they charge to do it vice what it would cost you to get the reamer and do it yourself. George

Stush · February 1, 2002, 10:51 AM

Dixie Boy,

Brownells sells a reamer for just this purpose. The cost for the reamer though will be more than the cost of having the job done elsewhere. We do these on a regular basis in our shop, and it does make a noticeable difference in group size, especially when using cast bullets. You should be able to find a smith locally that will do the job for $50 - $60 dollars. .

If can't find someone locally, send me an email. We could do the job for you via mail order. You would only need to send the cylinder, and we could turn it around to you within five working days.

If I have broken any rules by offering to do this on the forum, I apologize. Just trying to offer you an alternative if you can't find someone near you to do the job.

Stush

whiskey · February 1, 2002, 10:52 AM

Brownells sells a reamer for Ruger .45colt cylinders. You can do it yourself with it. Check http://www.brownells.com/

Stush · February 1, 2002, 11:06 AM

Dixie Boy,

Here is the direct link to the Brownells reamer. I forgot to include in my last post.

http://www.brownells.com/Product/pro...1&CategoryID=0

DixieBoy · February 1, 2002, 06:20 PM

Stush - Thanks for that link. I think that's the
ticket. I've got a friend who has a machine shop
which does high precision work. Gonna have them
hold my hand. I'm going for the reamer, and do it
myself, as I'd like to have the tool for other
Rugers I will certainly buy in the future, which
may come with the same problem. I understand that
it's not uncommon these days for the throats to be
off spec. Until I can buy a Freedom Arms, this
will do! Whiskey, and George Stringer: thanks to
you too. I appreciate the advice. I'll let you all
know how things go once I get the reamer.
- DixieBoy

C.R.Sam · February 1, 2002, 07:03 PM

Stush.....not at all inappropriate. And welcome to TFL.

I have seen quite a few recent SnWs with not only small chamber mouths, not even all the same size in a given cylinder.

Sam

DixieBoy · February 1, 2002, 08:31 PM

C.R.Sam - I've beat the bushes in learning about
this little problem, the phenomenom of undersize
cylinder throats. Seems that it's been around for
awhile. Last night I went through my copy of
Elmer Keith's "Sixguns," and he talks about this
same problem. That's over forty years ago that he
wrote that, and Brian Pearce, whose contemporary
writing about sixguns I greatly respect, also
notes that you can significantly improve your
sixgun accuracy if you ream out too-small chamber
throats. I've got one chamber that's almost right,
and I've noticed (by marking each chamber)that
this one shoots really nicely. The others vary
from .002 too small to .003 too small. I look
forward to making this Blackhawk as accurate as it
can be. I figure if I do this job correctly there
should be only one danger: I will eliminate one of
the best excuses for poor shooting that I had!
Thanks again to you all. - DixieBoy

Alaska Roy · February 6, 2002, 01:13 AM

Or sharpening shop can suppy a .453 reamer for $15.00 - $25.00

February 1, 2002, 01:02 AM	#1
DixieBoy Member Join Date: January 21, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 15	Opening Up Ruger Cylinder Chamber Throats Does anyone have any experience in opening up the throats on a Ruger Blackhawk's cylinder chamber throats? I've got one in .45 Colt that I believe is just a bit under barrel groove size, after slugging both the barrel and the throats. Think taking just .001 or, at most, .002 out the throats should do the trick. Do I have to send this to a smith? I am fairly experienced with precision tools, but I don't want to foul up this job either. What do you guys think? Sure would like to do this job myself if it's possible. Thanks for any replies. - DixieBoy __________________ Get there fustest with the mostest.

February 1, 2002, 10:51 AM	#3
Stush Junior Member Join Date: February 1, 2002 Location: Saltsburg, PA Posts: 3	Dixie Boy, Brownells sells a reamer for just this purpose. The cost for the reamer though will be more than the cost of having the job done elsewhere. We do these on a regular basis in our shop, and it does make a noticeable difference in group size, especially when using cast bullets. You should be able to find a smith locally that will do the job for $50 - $60 dollars. . If can't find someone locally, send me an email. We could do the job for you via mail order. You would only need to send the cylinder, and we could turn it around to you within five working days. If I have broken any rules by offering to do this on the forum, I apologize. Just trying to offer you an alternative if you can't find someone near you to do the job. Stush __________________ Stush

February 1, 2002, 10:52 AM	#4
whiskey Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2000 Location: Clarksville, TN Posts: 431	Brownells sells a reamer for Ruger .45colt cylinders. You can do it yourself with it. Check http://www.brownells.com/ __________________ "So he cocked both his pistols, spit in the dirt and walked out in to the street."

February 1, 2002, 11:06 AM	#5
Stush Junior Member Join Date: February 1, 2002 Location: Saltsburg, PA Posts: 3	Dixie Boy, Here is the direct link to the Brownells reamer. I forgot to include in my last post. http://www.brownells.com/Product/pro...1&CategoryID=0 __________________ Stush

February 1, 2002, 06:20 PM	#6
DixieBoy Member Join Date: January 21, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 15	Thanks Stush - Thanks for that link. I think that's the ticket. I've got a friend who has a machine shop which does high precision work. Gonna have them hold my hand. I'm going for the reamer, and do it myself, as I'd like to have the tool for other Rugers I will certainly buy in the future, which may come with the same problem. I understand that it's not uncommon these days for the throats to be off spec. Until I can buy a Freedom Arms, this will do! Whiskey, and George Stringer: thanks to you too. I appreciate the advice. I'll let you all know how things go once I get the reamer. - DixieBoy __________________ Get there fustest with the mostest.

February 1, 2002, 08:49 AM	#2
George Stringer Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Earlington KY Posts: 2,299	Db, you might be able to do this fairly easily with an adjustable reamer . To my knowledge there isn't a "throater" for the cylinder but I'm sure that Clymer would be happy to make you one. I would try to find a smith who specializes in that type of work and see what they charge to do it vice what it would cost you to get the reamer and do it yourself. George

February 1, 2002, 07:03 PM	#7
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Stush.....not at all inappropriate. And welcome to TFL. I have seen quite a few recent SnWs with not only small chamber mouths, not even all the same size in a given cylinder. Sam

February 1, 2002, 08:31 PM	#8
DixieBoy Member Join Date: January 21, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 15	I do believe you are right C.R.Sam - I've beat the bushes in learning about this little problem, the phenomenom of undersize cylinder throats. Seems that it's been around for awhile. Last night I went through my copy of Elmer Keith's "Sixguns," and he talks about this same problem. That's over forty years ago that he wrote that, and Brian Pearce, whose contemporary writing about sixguns I greatly respect, also notes that you can significantly improve your sixgun accuracy if you ream out too-small chamber throats. I've got one chamber that's almost right, and I've noticed (by marking each chamber)that this one shoots really nicely. The others vary from .002 too small to .003 too small. I look forward to making this Blackhawk as accurate as it can be. I figure if I do this job correctly there should be only one danger: I will eliminate one of the best excuses for poor shooting that I had! Thanks again to you all. - DixieBoy __________________ Get there fustest with the mostest.

February 6, 2002, 01:13 AM	#9
Alaska Roy Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 1999 Posts: 281	Any Reamer Supply House- Or sharpening shop can suppy a .453 reamer for $15.00 - $25.00