Been wanting to do this for a while. Found a new in box Clymer 12g forcing cone reamer and Craftsmen Tap Handle for $90 and since I have two 12g SxS shotties inbound for customizing.....(Goodwife wants a light handy for around the house and yard) I figured what the heck.
The pair of Winchester 1300 riot guns are the experimental barrels......Kick like mules so maybe this'll help some. In any event, first one went well and needs a bit of final polish to be done....second one went perfect, probably does not need any final polish. All told, 30 minutes to put a 1 3/8" long forcing cone in both barrels.
Easy peasy and the Clymer reamer self centers and really smooths out the final cuts to an almost polish.
The factory forcing cone, not really a forcing cone, more like an abrupt shoulder that appears to be an o-ring in front of the chamber.
The first of two forcing cones cut today in the photo below. This one I went a bit too heavy handed on and will have a bit of polishing to do to complete the job. No worries, just another 10 minutes work. (The other barrel was done with a much lighter hand and the final cuts were almost a polish. The cone in the second is lovely. I'll prolly polish it for the practice but I don't think it really needs it......)
I set things up horizontal on the bench for the second barrel to get some photos, the reaming is done vertically. The cutter self centers and gently pulls itself in, very little down force is needed as I found out with a much better finish on the second try.
The supplies, reamer, tap handle, patches, cleaning rod, brush, lots of good cutting oil.
Only turn the reamer about 3 to 5 full turns and then pull and clean it and the barrel. Initially, when hoggin out the abrupt factory cone, the shavings are long and fill the flutes of the reamer quickly....as the cutting progresses, the chips become fine like sawdust and the finish becomes smooth as a babies behind.
Here the reamer is just starting the cut......After remounting vertically, I reamed slowly, carefully and cleaning and oiling often until the reamer end was even with the lip of the chamber where the cartridge rests. You can check the work as you go, watching the factory forcing cone disappear as it gets longer and gentler. A neat process. Can't wait for them other SxS's to get here. Meantime, I'll have to make up a polisher and finish these barrels up to a high polish.
The pair of Winchester 1300 riot guns are the experimental barrels......Kick like mules so maybe this'll help some. In any event, first one went well and needs a bit of final polish to be done....second one went perfect, probably does not need any final polish. All told, 30 minutes to put a 1 3/8" long forcing cone in both barrels.
Easy peasy and the Clymer reamer self centers and really smooths out the final cuts to an almost polish.
The factory forcing cone, not really a forcing cone, more like an abrupt shoulder that appears to be an o-ring in front of the chamber.
The first of two forcing cones cut today in the photo below. This one I went a bit too heavy handed on and will have a bit of polishing to do to complete the job. No worries, just another 10 minutes work. (The other barrel was done with a much lighter hand and the final cuts were almost a polish. The cone in the second is lovely. I'll prolly polish it for the practice but I don't think it really needs it......)
I set things up horizontal on the bench for the second barrel to get some photos, the reaming is done vertically. The cutter self centers and gently pulls itself in, very little down force is needed as I found out with a much better finish on the second try.
The supplies, reamer, tap handle, patches, cleaning rod, brush, lots of good cutting oil.
Only turn the reamer about 3 to 5 full turns and then pull and clean it and the barrel. Initially, when hoggin out the abrupt factory cone, the shavings are long and fill the flutes of the reamer quickly....as the cutting progresses, the chips become fine like sawdust and the finish becomes smooth as a babies behind.
Here the reamer is just starting the cut......After remounting vertically, I reamed slowly, carefully and cleaning and oiling often until the reamer end was even with the lip of the chamber where the cartridge rests. You can check the work as you go, watching the factory forcing cone disappear as it gets longer and gentler. A neat process. Can't wait for them other SxS's to get here. Meantime, I'll have to make up a polisher and finish these barrels up to a high polish.
