Time to buy tools to ream cylinder throats on my 45s

[mc89]

As far as Ruger .45 caliber cylinders go, I presently have 9. They are from my three 45/45 convertible Blackhawks, two old Vaqueros, and a Redhawk. I also anticipate having at least three more cylinders in the future after I buy a New Vaquero and another Flattop Blackhawk convertible. I'm a 45 guy, what can I say?

Although I haven't had the chance to buy pin gauges yet and measure the throats in all of them, I'm sure at least some of them will need reaming, seeing that Ruger is notorious for undersized .45 cylinder throats. 

Seeing that I currently have 9 cylinders to check and ream if needed, I have decided to buy the tools and learn to do it myself. I cannot (or don't want to) afford to send all 9 cylinders out to a gunsmith to have that done. 

Any suggestions as to the pin gauges and reamer I will need or should have? As in the best place to buy, the best brands, and if there are any additional tools needed to do this properly?

Also, will one reamer stay sharp enough to do all 9 cylinders if needed?

I want to invest in this only one time if I can. 

Thanks for any replies.

[potatojudge]

I have the Manson set somewhere if you want to buy it off me.

I did one cylinder because it wouldn't chamber 300 grain bullets. Now it does and the gun shoots as well as it did before. I can't say it's a fun process doing it by hand.

Knowing now what I do about throat reaming, any future cylinders are going to Fermin for correction.

[bradshaw]

May 28, 2022 18:35:26 GMT -5 mc89 said:

As far as Ruger .45 caliber cylinders go, I presently have 9. They are from my three 45/45 convertible Blackhawks, two old Vaqueros, and a Redhawk. I also anticipate having at least three more cylinders in the future after I buy a New Vaquero and another Flattop Blackhawk convertible. I'm a 45 guy, what can I say?

Although I haven't had the chance to buy pin gauges yet and measure the throats in all of them, I'm sure at least some of them will need reaming, seeing that Ruger is notorious for undersized .45 cylinder throats. 

Seeing that I currently have 9 cylinders to check and ream if needed, I have decided to buy the tools and learn to do it myself. I cannot (or don't want to) afford to send all 9 cylinders out to a gunsmith to have that done. 

Any suggestions as to the pin gauges and reamer I will need or should have? As in the best place to buy, the best brands, and if there are any additional tools needed to do this properly?

Also, will one reamer stay sharp enough to do all 9 cylinders if needed?

I want to invest in this only one time if I can. 

Thanks for any replies.

*****

There is nothing casual about metal removal on a pistol. Easy to remove asymmetrically, and you can’t put it back. I would not buy a revolver from someone who hand-reamed CHAMBER EXIT HOLES. Chances are excellent the axis of a hand-reamed exit hole (aka throat) will end up eccentric to the chamber itself. While to drop an unsupported reamer into a chamber may produce a round hole, there is no guarantee the reamer will center the hole on the chamber axis.

A hone may be better than a reamer. However, either process requires technique.
David Bradshaw

[lar4570]

I bought the reamer and pilot set from brownells. I did one 45 Bisley and it worked fine. I used lots of Rigid dark thread cutting oil and it cut very easily.

[rickiesrevenge]

Reamer should follow the existing hole. Reaming cylinder throats is way easy. Use lots of rigid dark cutting oil, don't turn it backwards and you'll be fine.

Manson makes the reamer you need.

[bigbore5]

I respect your do it yourself attitude, but Fermin has done several cylinders for me and all have come back perfect. It's well worth the more than reasonable price he charges to get the precision his machining provides over hand reaming.

[edk]

May 28, 2022 18:35:26 GMT -5 mc89 said:

Although I haven't had the chance to buy pin gauges yet and measure the throats in all of them, I'm sure at least some of them will need reaming, seeing that Ruger is notorious for undersized .45 cylinder throats.

If any of your revolvers are older they may be oversized. That used to be the case and harder to remedy than undersized.

[contender]

You can buy a set of pin gauges easily enough. A set of pins,, .250-.500 runs under $100 shipped easily. Get the "minus" set.

Next,, if you choose to get the reaming set,, buy the Manson set. But as noted,, an out of round chamber will not be corrected easily. I have several "pilot" of cut off brass cases as "collars" for the reamer to keep everything aligned as it approaches the throat. I've had very good success with doing it that way. I cut a few pieces of caliber specific brass into 3/8" long collars CAREFULLY,, and remove any brass burrs. I slip these over the reamer to keep it aligned as it enters the throat.
Gotta keep the chambers round for sure.

[oddshooter]

Unless you have exceptional skills with hand tools, my vote goes for sending all 9 to Fermin (2Dogs). His posts on here are always exceptional.

He has rave reviews from some very, very picky people. He has experience with good and horrible cylinders. He does it all the time. His prices are MORE than fair.
I can understand wanting new tools and to learn a new skill with handgunning. However, if you like your pistolas, I would not Risk a 45 cylinder for education and a small savings, if any.

I would seek Fermin's advice directly no matter what I decided to do.
It also doesn't hurt that he appears to be a really nice guy who loves what he does.

Prescut
I would instead take the low RISK position and slug the barrels on all my 45's.  I would not let a reamer anywhere near my cylinders until that was done !!!

[boatswainsmate]

There's a gentlemen on the Cast Boolits forum that goes by DougGuy that uses a Sunnen Hone to do cylinders. He's done my Dan Wesson 45 colt and John Ross 500 Magnum cylinders. He does great work with a quick turn around. He also reamed my Ruger cylinders before he started using the Honing method.

[x101airborne]

Again, I appreciate your do-it-yourself attitude toward this. 2dogs or Dougguy both do exceptional work at a more than fair price. Fermin (2dogs) is who I have experience with and can tell you he loves the precision of what he does and it shows. He can identify out of round holes and aligns them perfectly. Fermin almost always answers his phone, lets you know pertinent information BEFORE he cuts, has exceptional turn around time and stays in constant contact with you including when he ships it back. I have the tools to ream my own and I still use Fermin. And yes, he is an exceptionally nice person and I hope to meet him some day soon.

[prisedefer]

Is there a quick and dirty way to tell if your throats are too small without pin gauges?

[parallaxbill]

Being a retired machinist with some skills left intact, I rented my reamer from 4Drentals.com. The reamer came guaranteed sharp (which it was) with all the necessary pilots required for proper fit and the job went quite well on my OM Ruger 45.

That being said, if I still had access to my shop I would probably have set up my cylinder on one of my mills with everything dialed in for more precise alignment before reaming. Heck, I probably would have bored the throats vs reaming them. But that opportunity has passed.

[junebug]

prisedefer, try dropping a jacketed bullet, then a proper sized cast bullet thru a clean cylinder. The bullets should go thru with minimal force, if you have to [FORCE] them thru it is probably under sized. That's the quick and dirty way to check.
If you do go the route of doing it yourself, I cut the head off an old Colt case and slipped it over the top part of the reamer. Extra insurance against touching the top part of the cylinder. If you go slow and be careful ,use lots of cutting fluid, and clean the tool often, its not needed, but its cheap insurance. If you lack patience ,or are not somewhat mechanically inclined, Fermin is the man to see.

[2 Dogs]

Jun 3, 2022 6:28:46 GMT -5 prisedefer said:

Is there a quick and dirty way to tell if your throats are too small without pin gauges?

Sure. Use a jacked component bullet to see if it will pass throats your throats.