How do I polish my feed ramp?

rgoudy1975 · September 29, 2005, 07:11 PM

I am a mechanical guy, good with my hands, not afraid to take my stuff apart and put it back together. I am, however, afraid of screwing up a handgun because I don't know what I'm doing. I've never had to polish a feed ramp, but I'm wondering how to do it...uh, help?

Wildalaska · September 29, 2005, 07:16 PM

If you really must, lightly with a cratex wheel!

Polish.....LIGHTLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY....DO NOT REMOVE METAL

Thank you

WildmrwizardAlaska

rgoudy1975 · September 29, 2005, 07:19 PM

What the heck is cratex? Is that a moon-mined material or something?

**Unclenick** · September 29, 2005, 08:35 PM

Cratex is abrasive in a rubber matrix. There are other brands, but have a look at the catalog page here. I have also used stones. You need to pick something with the same radius as the original ramp. Final polish can be a felt bob on a Dremel tool loaded with a little Flitz or other metal polish.

Nick

Sorry. PDF attachement didn't work. Will try in new reply.

**Unclenick** · September 29, 2005, 08:46 PM

I hope this works.

Nope. System just just says "attachment in process" and leaves all three attachment options open.

I'll see if I can save it as an image? Not necessary. It was some kind of system glitch. I went into my membership panel and deleted the failed load effort from the attachments, then we did O.K.

Nick

Jart · September 29, 2005, 09:22 PM

If it's your first time, I'd recommend against polishing an alloy frame feedramp (i.e. Kimber CDP).

If, ONTH, it's steel, 'snot hard at all. Cruise on over to Brownell's (dot com) and check the stuff out. Lots of good advice on the site as well.

If I had your background, I might not be dissauded by an easily "reduced by too much" allow ramp. Only you know.

That said(c), has the feedramp been a problem, or is this a "pre-emptive" tuning issue?

The old advice is still the best: If it t'aint broke, don't fix it...

I've got a pantload of Brownell's parts and have been real happy with the results, but there were some, unh, learning experiences in there...

rgoudy1975 · September 29, 2005, 09:26 PM

Pre-emptive, but no real problem. I've just heard various people say,"yeah, I just bought this ______ and I polished the feed ramp..." I know that certain makes of autoloaders are less prone to feed funky stuff, but I was just curious how it was done and with what tools.

T. O'Heir · September 29, 2005, 11:54 PM

Jeweller's rouge on a cloth wheel will do it. So will emery paper.

kymasabe · September 30, 2005, 12:11 AM

I used a Dremel and the finest polishing compound I could get my hands on. Took only minutes and was a mirror finish in no time.

cntryboy1289 · September 30, 2005, 12:16 AM

Start slow using a medium crocus cloth. Wrap it around a wooden dowel about the same size as the ramp is and rub it back and forth blowing off any dust you create often. When you get it to shine fairly well, move on to a fine crocus cloth. You don't need to try to remove any material, just polish the ramp's surface. This is simple to do by hand and does quite well. I use power tools to do the throat area myself, but to just polish the ramp itself, this does just fine. Good luck with it.

rgoudy1975 · September 30, 2005, 01:43 AM

Then what is "polishing the chamber?" I hear that also...what else do you polish? *buh doomp doomp* Har, har, no dirty jokes please...

cntryboy1289 · September 30, 2005, 02:34 AM

Since you have said you were having any feeding troubles nor or you experienced at the work, the ramp is just fine for now.

No need to polish the chamber nor would I suggest to a noobie to do any other work to the areas of the gun that feed or help to feed the round.

mete · September 30, 2005, 05:11 AM

Are you talking about 'polished so you could shave in it' or polish to improve feeding . For feeding improvement all you need is 400 grit paper on a dowel.Don't round things off or change angles . If you want it mirror polished just continue with finer and finer grit and only use a dremel with rouge for the final polish.

T. O'Heir · October 2, 2005, 02:05 AM

crocus cloth, emery cloth. Same thing. I tend to forget cross-border terminology. To just polish steel, 'Flitz' will do.

Harry Bonar · October 7, 2005, 06:56 PM

Dear shooter:

As CNTRYBOY1289 says use a dowell with some 240 or finer grit and try to polish at the same angle as factiory - DO NOT ALTER THE ANGLE. Then I take a Dremel with a felp tapered bob with the grey Brownells 555 on it and make a mirror finish. Now; as you put your bbl on the naked frame all the way to its stop there should be maybe .030 gap there from coming to the polished fed ramp top surface. If not, consult a smith.

Hope this helps Harry B.

Your bbl ought to have a "throating" reamer run in it to cut the "leade" for cast or hardball bullets. At that time your gap can be taken care of if there is one and the headspace corrected if necessary and the chamber polished in the same way you did the ramp. If you need help my e-mail is on the forum somewhere - or post - NOW IF YOU'RE CAREFUL YOU CAN DO THIS YOURSELF (all but the reamer).

ScottsGT · October 10, 2005, 02:46 PM

Just make sure it's not an anodized alloy frame. You might cause some real damage if you remove the anodized surface.

Mike40-11 · October 12, 2005, 12:36 PM

Had some feed issues with a 1911 so I wanted to polish. As others have said, you do NOT want to alter any of the angles or remove any metal.

I didn't want to use a dremel or even emery cloth on a dowel for just that reason. I just got some 400 and 600 grit wet sand cloth (from the auto parts store) and used it with the ball of my pinky. By not using a hard dowel or other tool to hold the paper you have no choice but to just follow the shape of parts as they are.

After shining it up for a few minutes with the 400, switched to the 600. Then used a little polishing compound (probably overkill, but what the heck) on a rag to really shine it up. I couldn't locate any Flitz around here so I used valve-grinding compound and it worked great.

Did the same thing to the breach face and what I could reach of the chamber. Feeds great now.

The British Soldier · October 13, 2005, 05:50 AM

I agree with the others that the Dremel with a fine polishing paste is brilliant for feed ramps.

I had a batch of SIG P230s to work on for our unit in N.Ireland and they were getting a witness mark on the feed ramp from the softer gilding metal jacketed rounds we had [Dynamit Nobel]. The ramp is steep on the 230 and a quick go with the Dremel had it looking like a mirror; it made the rounds feed okay but eventually changing suppliers to a hard jacket solved the problem totally.

Harry Bonar · October 15, 2005, 08:18 PM

To: THE BRITISH SOLDIER:
Glad to have you on and thank you for your service to your country.
Harry B.

September 29, 2005, 07:11 PM	#1
rgoudy1975 Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2005 Location: Reynoldsburg, OH Posts: 163	How do I polish my feed ramp? I am a mechanical guy, good with my hands, not afraid to take my stuff apart and put it back together. I am, however, afraid of screwing up a handgun because I don't know what I'm doing. I've never had to polish a feed ramp, but I'm wondering how to do it...uh, help?

September 30, 2005, 12:11 AM	#9
kymasabe Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2005 Location: SW Florida Posts: 2,747	I used a Dremel and the finest polishing compound I could get my hands on. Took only minutes and was a mirror finish in no time. __________________ God's creatures big and small, eat them one, eat them all.

September 30, 2005, 12:16 AM	#10
cntryboy1289 Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2004 Location: Ms Posts: 1,160	tip for you Start slow using a medium crocus cloth. Wrap it around a wooden dowel about the same size as the ramp is and rub it back and forth blowing off any dust you create often. When you get it to shine fairly well, move on to a fine crocus cloth. You don't need to try to remove any material, just polish the ramp's surface. This is simple to do by hand and does quite well. I use power tools to do the throat area myself, but to just polish the ramp itself, this does just fine. Good luck with it.

September 30, 2005, 02:34 AM	#12
cntryboy1289 Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2004 Location: Ms Posts: 1,160	ramp is fine for now Since you have said you were having any feeding troubles nor or you experienced at the work, the ramp is just fine for now. No need to polish the chamber nor would I suggest to a noobie to do any other work to the areas of the gun that feed or help to feed the round.

October 7, 2005, 06:56 PM	#15
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	polishing feed ramp Dear shooter: As CNTRYBOY1289 says use a dowell with some 240 or finer grit and try to polish at the same angle as factiory - DO NOT ALTER THE ANGLE. Then I take a Dremel with a felp tapered bob with the grey Brownells 555 on it and make a mirror finish. Now; as you put your bbl on the naked frame all the way to its stop there should be maybe .030 gap there from coming to the polished fed ramp top surface. If not, consult a smith. Hope this helps Harry B. Your bbl ought to have a "throating" reamer run in it to cut the "leade" for cast or hardball bullets. At that time your gap can be taken care of if there is one and the headspace corrected if necessary and the chamber polished in the same way you did the ramp. If you need help my e-mail is on the forum somewhere - or post - NOW IF YOU'RE CAREFUL YOU CAN DO THIS YOURSELF (all but the reamer). Last edited by Harry Bonar; October 7, 2005 at 07:00 PM. Reason: addition

September 29, 2005, 07:16 PM	#2
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	If you really must, lightly with a cratex wheel! Polish.....LIGHTLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY....DO NOT REMOVE METAL Thank you WildmrwizardAlaska

September 29, 2005, 07:19 PM	#3
rgoudy1975 Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2005 Location: Reynoldsburg, OH Posts: 163	What the heck is cratex? Is that a moon-mined material or something?

September 29, 2005, 08:35 PM	#4
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,060	Cratex is abrasive in a rubber matrix. There are other brands, but have a look at the catalog page here. I have also used stones. You need to pick something with the same radius as the original ramp. Final polish can be a felt bob on a Dremel tool loaded with a little Flitz or other metal polish. Nick Sorry. PDF attachement didn't work. Will try in new reply.

September 29, 2005, 09:22 PM	#6
Jart Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2001 Location: Grand Prairie, TX Posts: 1,647	If it's your first time, I'd recommend against polishing an alloy frame feedramp (i.e. Kimber CDP). If, ONTH, it's steel, 'snot hard at all. Cruise on over to Brownell's (dot com) and check the stuff out. Lots of good advice on the site as well. If I had your background, I might not be dissauded by an easily "reduced by too much" allow ramp. Only you know. That said(c), has the feedramp been a problem, or is this a "pre-emptive" tuning issue? The old advice is still the best: If it t'aint broke, don't fix it... I've got a pantload of Brownell's parts and have been real happy with the results, but there were some, unh, learning experiences in there...

September 29, 2005, 09:26 PM	#7
rgoudy1975 Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2005 Location: Reynoldsburg, OH Posts: 163	Pre-emptive, but no real problem. I've just heard various people say,"yeah, I just bought this ______ and I polished the feed ramp..." I know that certain makes of autoloaders are less prone to feed funky stuff, but I was just curious how it was done and with what tools.

September 29, 2005, 11:54 PM	#8
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Jeweller's rouge on a cloth wheel will do it. So will emery paper.

September 30, 2005, 01:43 AM	#11
rgoudy1975 Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2005 Location: Reynoldsburg, OH Posts: 163	Then what is "polishing the chamber?" I hear that also...what else do you polish? buh doomp doomp Har, har, no dirty jokes please...

September 30, 2005, 05:11 AM	#13
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	Are you talking about 'polished so you could shave in it' or polish to improve feeding . For feeding improvement all you need is 400 grit paper on a dowel.Don't round things off or change angles . If you want it mirror polished just continue with finer and finer grit and only use a dremel with rouge for the final polish.

October 2, 2005, 02:05 AM	#14
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	crocus cloth, emery cloth. Same thing. I tend to forget cross-border terminology. To just polish steel, 'Flitz' will do.

October 10, 2005, 02:46 PM	#16
ScottsGT Senior Member Join Date: September 20, 2001 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 236	Just make sure it's not an anodized alloy frame. You might cause some real damage if you remove the anodized surface.

October 12, 2005, 12:36 PM	#17
Mike40-11 Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 841	Had some feed issues with a 1911 so I wanted to polish. As others have said, you do NOT want to alter any of the angles or remove any metal. I didn't want to use a dremel or even emery cloth on a dowel for just that reason. I just got some 400 and 600 grit wet sand cloth (from the auto parts store) and used it with the ball of my pinky. By not using a hard dowel or other tool to hold the paper you have no choice but to just follow the shape of parts as they are. After shining it up for a few minutes with the 400, switched to the 600. Then used a little polishing compound (probably overkill, but what the heck) on a rag to really shine it up. I couldn't locate any Flitz around here so I used valve-grinding compound and it worked great. Did the same thing to the breach face and what I could reach of the chamber. Feeds great now.

October 13, 2005, 05:50 AM	#18
The British Soldier Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2005 Location: England...that green and pleasasnt land. Posts: 295	Dremel is king! I agree with the others that the Dremel with a fine polishing paste is brilliant for feed ramps. I had a batch of SIG P230s to work on for our unit in N.Ireland and they were getting a witness mark on the feed ramp from the softer gilding metal jacketed rounds we had [Dynamit Nobel]. The ramp is steep on the 230 and a quick go with the Dremel had it looking like a mirror; it made the rounds feed okay but eventually changing suppliers to a hard jacket solved the problem totally. __________________ Mike When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains And the women come out to cut up what remains Just roll to your rifle and blow out your brains An' go to your Gawd like a soldier. Rudyard Kipling.

October 15, 2005, 08:18 PM	#19
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	feed ramp To: THE BRITISH SOLDIER: Glad to have you on and thank you for your service to your country. Harry B.

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