Coning tool

[rollingb]

Well I finally broke down and ordered a .58 calibur "coning tool" from the Firelock Shop. Purty soon I'll be able to "thumb start" my balls with tha "best of'em"!! :eek:  

[docux]

Exactly what does the coning tool do?  :grin:

[rollingb]

A coning tool puts a taper of about 1 1/2" long in tha muzzle of yore rifle, which allows "thumb start'n" a ball when load'n. It also can improve accuracy in some cases.

Check out the "Firelock Shop" for full details of the coning tool.

[docux]

Hi rollingb;  I have a 50 TC black Diamond with no rifling in the first inch of the muzzle to make starting bullets easier & I have read some reports that say that may hinder accuracy, you said it may help accuracy, what is the thinking on this??  Thanks for the reply :grin:

[rollingb]

docux,.... I believe ther might be quite a difference 'tween a "coned" muzzle, and TC's "QLA". I'm jest not exactly sure what the "QLA" is (or even if thet's how you spell it).

However, a "coned" muzzle has a gradual 1 1/2 inch "taper" run'n from, "almost" no groove to full-height rifle'ns (depend'n on depth of rifle'ns).

The purpose of a "cone" is to allow the ball to be gently swaged to bore diameter, with as liddle distortion to the pure-lead roundball as possible.
This long cone gives the ball room to slowly and gently conform to the bore. Thus completely eleminate'n the need for a short-starter, as the ball can be easyly started with "thumb pressure".

Does the TC/QLA have a "step" in it's transition from no rifle'ns to rifle'ns?? :?:

[docux]

Rollingb; The rifling on my TC bl. Diam. goes from no rifling to a very short taper up full rifling . I like to cast & shoot conicals,the one that shoots the most accurate is 320 gr. patterned after aTC maxiball. Have tried 320 gr.Lee REAL conicals but they are not very accurate. Recently found out 28 ga. plastic shotgun wads are 50 cal. & if you cut the cup off & use them behind any of the flat base conicalsyou can enhance accuracy & also get a better gas seal. Got a 500 pack recently but haven't been able to try them. We have had more snow here in NW Iowa in last 2 wks.than we've had in last 3 yrs. :grin:

[Winter Hawk]

rollingb,

I coned my .54 Lyman GPR with this tool.  I think I got a might hasty with it, and didn't turn the barrel quite as much as I turned the tool.  The result is that it is a touch off center, so I have rifling showing a bit higher on one side of the cone.  It doesn't seem to have hurt accuracy, though.  Also, don't push down on the tool or you will rip the sandpaper.  And you are going to need a tap handle like for a tap & die set to hold the tool.

Good luck.  It ain't hard to do, and you can't screw up.

-Winterhawk-

[rollingb]

Winter Hawk,.... I think my main difficulty is gonna be find'n the "thin" carpet tape to hold the sandpaper to the tool.

I got'a lot of tap handles. The suggestion of use'n 3M spray adhesive, stead of the carpet tape, was made by a feller over on anuther site,... what'a ya think of thet idea,.. think it'd work OK??

This tool is for .58 calibur, and will be "FOR RENT" ($5.00+ postage)!!
I figger if I rent it out 8 or 9 times, it'll purty much pay for itself!!

[tryit]

Gents, the coning is o.k. for plinking and nontarget shooting but if you want to wring out the best accuracy do not cone. I have had to shorten 3 barrels in the last 10 years because somebody read that the orginal Hawkens were coned and they had to have their guns coned. In most cases the accuracy falls off from 1 to 2 inches. I have seen a few that only 1/2 to 1 inch was lost to group size. If the barrel has a good crown on it loading can be accomplished with a short starter with little effort. Lets face it we do not have the same problems that the folks had in the days of yore and the life and death reasons for a quick reload.Tryit.

[rollingb]

Tryit,.... I wunder if those coned barrel you shortened,.... were "machine coned"?? Everbuddy I've talked to says "machined" cones are far too short, and often off-center!!

Don Getz, of Getz Barrel company, says he's never seen a coned barrel (use'n one of these tools) thet didn't shoot better.

[KING]

Well........at least I have something to try now that MIGHT make me shoot a little better....right now I will take about any sugestions that might improve it...................stay safe.....King

[rollingb]

King,.... I got the cone'n tool today,.... what "calibur" is give'n you problems?? This'ns a .58 tool!

[jrdavis]

rollingb...you got that thing conned yet? only takes a couple of hours. you ought to had it pointed at paper by now!

[rollingb]

Jrdavis,.... I ain't had a chance to pick up any "grit paper" yet!!

The only "business" in this liddle one-horse-town, is the U.S. Post Office, and the only kind of "paper" they's got, is envelopes!! :-D  

[Winter Hawk]

Rollingb,

Sorry to be so long in getting back to the forum.  When I bought my coning tool, I also got the tape & sandpaper from the Firelock Shop.  he doesn't do it for everybody, but if you are remote and can't get the stuff he has it.  I think he charged me $10 for it.

-WH-

[jrdavis]

rollingb, seems like I found the tape over at Wally world...might give them a try :eek:

[rollingb]

Thanks fellas,.... I'll be go'n to Cody in 'bout 1 1/2 weeks (they have a WalMart ther) fer material, so I'll check on the thin carpet tape then,... and if they ain't got it I'll contact Joe!!