My new ruger 45 colt has a .4515 bore and .450 cylinder mouths. SInce My brother has the same problem with his 45 and my boss has the same problem with two of his 45s, we all went in on the reamer. The pilot is .448. Can this be shimmed up with masking tape or something as the pilot kit is an extra ำ?
Brownell's Cylinder reamer
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MattC
there are shade tree mechanics and shade tree gun smiths and they have one thing in common. They often mess up a project by trying to do things jake legged.
What is your gun worth? 趚? 踰?
what is a ำ.00 reamer guide compared to the value of your gun?
Just my opinion.
tbc
there are shade tree mechanics and shade tree gun smiths and they have one thing in common. They often mess up a project by trying to do things jake legged.
What is your gun worth? 趚? 踰?
what is a ำ.00 reamer guide compared to the value of your gun?
Just my opinion.
tbc
Joined
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39,105 Posts
Matt, if you're talking the current Ruger guns then the .448 pilot is probably perfect.
Without a pilot I would not try to use a reamer. Too much chance of screwing it up. So just see how the .448 pilot fits before you try anything.
Yes you can shim a pilot but tape is usually way too thick, probably 0.004" on average, maybe more.
Go slow, use plenty of cutting oil. Only you can judge whether your mechanical abilities are up to this task. It is not really too different from tapping a hole for threads, so if you can do that, you can probably do the cylinder.
I myself like to do such things but also recognize that I could screw it up and am willing to pay the cost to have someone else fix it, if necessary.
Let us know how it turns out.
Without a pilot I would not try to use a reamer. Too much chance of screwing it up. So just see how the .448 pilot fits before you try anything.
Yes you can shim a pilot but tape is usually way too thick, probably 0.004" on average, maybe more.
Go slow, use plenty of cutting oil. Only you can judge whether your mechanical abilities are up to this task. It is not really too different from tapping a hole for threads, so if you can do that, you can probably do the cylinder.
I myself like to do such things but also recognize that I could screw it up and am willing to pay the cost to have someone else fix it, if necessary.
Let us know how it turns out.
Matt,
Both The Bullet caster and Mike have good points. I like to do things myself when possible. I have had cars etc. worked on by "proffessionals" and have had bad results. The way i look at it is "why pay someone to screw-it-up when i can screw-it-up myself!". Having said that, a reamer with a pilot of .448+/- should be o.k. as Mike mentioned. I did the job on a Blackhawk and it turned out o.k. There wasn't any great "science" involved, just go easy with the reamer, keep cleaning the cuttings off and work "little by little". I made a small fixture to hold the cylinder. A peice of pressure treated 2by6 with a circular hole in the center cut from a hole saw that is slightly undersized of the cylinder which was then "ripped" through the hole half-way with 2 threaded rod "bolts" on either side of the hole to clamp the two halfs after the cylinder is inserted into the "fixture", then held in a vise did the trick.
On the other hand, if you are apprehensible about doing this, then by all means heed Bullet Casters word!
Good Luck!
Scott in Vermont
Both The Bullet caster and Mike have good points. I like to do things myself when possible. I have had cars etc. worked on by "proffessionals" and have had bad results. The way i look at it is "why pay someone to screw-it-up when i can screw-it-up myself!". Having said that, a reamer with a pilot of .448+/- should be o.k. as Mike mentioned. I did the job on a Blackhawk and it turned out o.k. There wasn't any great "science" involved, just go easy with the reamer, keep cleaning the cuttings off and work "little by little". I made a small fixture to hold the cylinder. A peice of pressure treated 2by6 with a circular hole in the center cut from a hole saw that is slightly undersized of the cylinder which was then "ripped" through the hole half-way with 2 threaded rod "bolts" on either side of the hole to clamp the two halfs after the cylinder is inserted into the "fixture", then held in a vise did the trick.
On the other hand, if you are apprehensible about doing this, then by all means heed Bullet Casters word!
Good Luck!
Scott in Vermont
I second the quote: "why pay somebody to screw it up, when I can do it myself for free:.
I have an OM Blackhawk .45 that came with way undersized chamber throats. Took it to a gunsmith who reamed it out. I told him I wanted them reamed to no more that .453, preferably .4525. They ended up at .454. From on extreame to the other. Now I still have a severe problem with leading.
Only now I need a new cylinder.
Had this reamer kit been out then, and I had known about it, I would have done it myself.
I wouldn't have saved anything, but I think it would have been a better job.
I have an OM Blackhawk .45 that came with way undersized chamber throats. Took it to a gunsmith who reamed it out. I told him I wanted them reamed to no more that .453, preferably .4525. They ended up at .454. From on extreame to the other. Now I still have a severe problem with leading.
Only now I need a new cylinder.
Had this reamer kit been out then, and I had known about it, I would have done it myself.
I wouldn't have saved anything, but I think it would have been a better job.
Well we used a 4 jaw chuck on a lathe at about 50 RPM, it worked nicely, perfectly round holes .4525. Only problem was a scratch on the cylinder of one of the ones done. We have 2 to go, unfortunately mine is still to go, will be nervous until its done.
the pilots aren't too expensive...i think ำ or so for a package of them ranging in size from .448 to .451 or so??? compare this cost to a new cylinder...or a 趁 unchambered cylinder from bowen. and i have also had bad experiences with some gunsmiths (had one literally RUIN a NIB super blackhawk years ago and he went ballistic when i told him i wouldn't pay for it) so i say buy the right tools and do it at home if able. the reamer should be useful for a long time too since i'm not sure why anybody would actually want to buy a sixgun chambered for anything other than .45 colt...
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