Barrel Coning Results

[The Crisco Kid]

I coned the muzzle of my 54 caliber Rice barrel with Joe Wood's tool so I can get away from a short starter. The results are great. The target on the left was partly coned. A .535 ball still needed the short starter but the shooting was good. The right hand target is after I fully coned the barrel and switched to a .530 ball. The loading is easy with just the ramrod and the shooting is plenty good enough for a hunting rifle. Spit patch and no cleaning between shots. Thanks to Joe Wood for a tool that works! The off shots were called so can be tossed out.

 

[2 shots]

did you happen to try 530 before you coned it??

 

[The Crisco Kid]

No. I didn't have a 530 mold at the time.

 

[IanH]

Coning is good. I made a similar tool and used it on my Kibler SMR 45 and now I don't need to carry a short starter on woodswalks or hunting. I coned it deeply enough that I can push a ball in firmly about 1/16" below flush with my thumb and cut the patch with a knife if I want to do it that way. Still shoots like a laser beam, too. Glad you had good results too.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I went even one step further and used pre-cut patches. Those, a ball .010 under bore, and a coned muzzle are supposed to be a disaster, at least according to the armchair experts. What happened??

 

[IanH]

I went even one step further and used pre-cut patches. Those, a ball .010 under bore, and a coned muzzle are supposed to be a disaster, at least according to the armchair experts. What happened??

I dunno. Like you, I try stuff for myself and sort the BS from what works real quick that way. When I get my .54 finished up I'm planning to use exactly that same combo. Buddy at work gave me a yard of WWII Army mattress ticking today, it's the tightest weave I've ever seen, .018", and I already have a few hundred fresh .530 balls cast and ready to go. Heck, I might cone it on the lathe before I ever shoot it, it's going to be a hunting gun primarily so might as well just do it. My coned .32 loads with a .280" hickory rammer, no starter, .322" bore, .313 balls, .018" ticking, and spit and I have no trouble nailing golf balls at 15-20 yards offhand with it.

 

[Psycho Mike]

I went even one step further and used pre-cut patches. Those, a ball .010 under bore, and a coned muzzle are supposed to be a disaster, at least according to the armchair experts. What happened??

The armchair experts are focused on absolutes that, while they may be technically correct, don't make an iota of difference for the "average shooter."

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

I coned the muzzle of my 54 caliber Rice barrel with Joe Wood's tool so I can get away from a short starter. The results are great. The target on the left was partly coned. A .535 ball still needed the short starter but the shooting was good. The right hand target is after I fully coned the barrel and switched to a .530 ball. The loading is easy with just the ramrod and the shooting is plenty good enough for a hunting rifle. Spit patch and no cleaning between shots. Thanks to Joe Wood for a tool that works! The off shots were called so can be tossed out.

View attachment 245401

Do you have the contact information for Joe?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Do you have the contact information for Joe?

Right here, send Joe a PM:

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/muzzle-coning-tool.119992/

 

[Kmcmichael]

Distance of those groups
?

 

[maillemaker]

Distance of those groups
?

Looks like 50 yards.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I had to shoot a .526 ball in my .54 because it was so tight right at the muzzle (rebore job). I coned it with one of Mr. Woods tools and can easily start a .530 with an .018 patch. I could probably start a .535 but haven't tried them.

I shoot the same load as you and get exceptional accuracy, when I had to pound down the .526s my groups were 3" at 50 yards, now they are less than an inch.

 

[lou puleff]

I just ordered two of his one a 44 caliber and one a 58 both for pistols so I don't have to use a loading stand just want to be able to us a short starter to seat the ball on the powder luckily Joe was nice enough to make me one for the 44 since he normally does not make them he was a pleasure to speak with.
MS