Author Topic: opening cylinder throats on Ruger (Read 1261 times)

Jim 44-40 · « **on:** February 10, 2006, 06:26:51 AM »

Have a ? for you sixgunners. If my Ruger 45 Colt won't allow a .452 JHP to slip into the throats,should i think about opening them up to .452.5? Not even the nose of the bullet makes it to the end of the cylinder . With the dial caliber I'm using, it reads .450-.451 not all six are the same either. And what would the cost be? J Hager Green Co. PA

RCL · « **Reply #1 on:** February 10, 2006, 07:14:14 AM »

Here's the guy to ask...........

http://www.cylindersmith.com/

bpjon · « **Reply #2 on:** February 10, 2006, 08:50:44 AM »

I have sent several cylinders to cylindersmith, and have been 100% satisfied with the work and the value.

I should ask, how does the gun shoot? If it shoots well and doesn't lead up unduly, you might be just as well off leaving it alone.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #3 on:** February 10, 2006, 11:26:03 AM »

ill give cylinder man another vote of confidense.

KN · « **Reply #4 on:** February 10, 2006, 12:11:26 PM »

Mine was the same. I just happened to have an expandable reamer that would cut it so I did it myself. Easy to do. I just hated the thought of forcing a .452" jacketed bullet through a .4505" hole. I reamed them so a 452" bullet would just push through with my fingers. Accuracy is great by the way. KN

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #5 on:** February 10, 2006, 05:09:33 PM »

Quote

With the dial caliber I'm using, it reads .450-.451 not all six are the same either.

Been there. I slugged all throats and the barrel and was still spent alot of time measuring (read agonizing) over measurements.

Tell you what to try though. Slug your barrel then try that slug out in the cylinder throats. Mine proved to be the perfect slip fit which was saying at the least, that the cylinder throats were not undersized.

Quote

Not even the nose of the bullet makes it to the end of the cylinder

I dont think that they are exactly suppose to fall through. You are going to need a dowel and some firm pressure to push it through from front to back. You may be able to push it from back to front with thumb pressure as was true in my case.

Quote

I should ask, how does the gun shoot? If it shoots well and doesn't lead up unduly, you might be just as well off leaving it alone.

This is the bottom line. If you are too bad off you will be seeing patterns instead of groups not to mention fouling problems

Tom C. · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2006, 05:55:19 AM »

I have had about 12 Ruger .45s and all have been undersized. Some have been worse than others: Chamber throats varying in diameter, or slightly oval or S shaped. All kinds of interesting shapes, but not cylindrical. I broke down and bought a reamer myself. Reaming will usually clean up the imperfections and inconsistency. I have cleaned up all of them. Each of them benefited from the work.
That isnt the end of the work, though. Because the barrel is choked as it is overtorqued when fitted, you can cut out some extra metal, or firelap the barrel to make the barrel true. They usually need the forcing cone cleaned up. I have the 11 degree cutter for .44 and .45 and the 5 degree cutter for .38. I just redid a .357 last week and it really helped it.
That said, the .44 Super Blackhawk I got last year was spot on. The cylinder throats were .431 and the forcing cone was beautiful. It shot great from the beginning and is just as tight now as it was then.

22popnsplat · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2006, 05:23:57 AM »

I had a few cylinders to do , I bought the tools and did the job myself its a prettty easy project . about the time you have 3 cylinders it is time you have the tools . You may even be able to share the cost with some other shooters with the same problem.

22popnsplat · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2006, 05:29:31 AM »

Just another note: If you know somebody that has a dealers license with brownells they get a nice discount , I bought the tools and then found out a good freind has the dealers license .

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2006, 07:46:59 AM »

It really SUCKS that Ruger can't put a revolver on the market with the cylinder throats properly sized. After all, Ruger is supposedly ALL ABOUT revolvers!! The only good news is that Cylindersmith does good work at a fair price and returns your cylinder in a timely manner.

DakotaElkSlayer · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2006, 02:06:42 AM »

Ya, CylinderSmith is THE MAN! My Ruger SBHH in .45 Colt showed .450 and wanting to shoot lead I sent him my cylinder. I had it back real quick and she shoots great.

Jim

Tom C. · « **Reply #11 on:** February 24, 2006, 02:34:50 AM »

I think Ruger has learned something along the way. The new Vaquero I saw was spot on. The throats measured .452" with a dial caliper (not the best way to measure anything). They are supposed to be boring the cylinders one chamber at a time. In the past they gang bored the cylinders. The two 50th Anniversary .357 Flattops I bought are the best made Rugers I have seen. The throats are .358" and the chambers are nice and smooth. They shoot very well. It would be nice if these process changes were incorporated into the Blackhawk line.

Jim 44-40 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 27, 2006, 01:09:06 AM »

For now i'll live with this Ruger.Slugging is the way to go instead of dial caliper reading... Thanks guys

Jim 44-40 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 27, 2006, 01:10:31 AM »

For now i'll live with this Ruger.Slugging is the way to go instead of dial caliper reading... Thanks guys

Tom C. · « **Reply #14 on:** February 27, 2006, 10:25:38 AM »

I finally got around to buying an inexpensive set of pin gages. Individual pins in .001" increments from .250" to .500". I use them to measure the throats now.