Coning

[jackpine54]

I've coned 2 of mine and one for a buddy. 2-.54s and 1-.58. haven't seen any difference in accuracy. I used Joe Woods tools.

 

[TDM]

Probably depends on the quality of the work. I've never coned or had it done. I do rework the crown on all my barrels and find the idea of coning intriguing but don't want to risk doing it.

Same as longcruise here. I’m a big believer in muzzle polishing but never tried coning.

 

[Percy]

Like any thing else, if it's done right it will not affect accuracy and it sure makes loading easier.
Percy

 

[Snapshot in Norway]

My friend have all the available calibers of Joe Wood coning tools and he is a firm believer in coning the muzzle! It does make for an easier reload! I will ask to borrow his custom .47 tool in order to cone my muzzle even a little more. It is coned but it seems not to have been made deep enough!

 

[sw8496]

You might want to watch this duelist1954 video. He says he does it and it doesn't affect accuracy.

 

[Snapshot in Norway]

I did the coning of my custom .47 Early Virginia flintlock rifle. had to go to my friends place and spend the evening there in order to do the coning. I have to shoot the rifle again to check the accuracy after coning..!

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Just DO NOT use the "all in one" tool (that someone else makes, not Joe W.) that just has a long taper upon which you put your jag of your choice on the end. There is TOO MUCH run-out inherent in that assembly for it to make a reliable cone concentric with the bore.

If one thinks it through, there is run-out in:

• The lathe chuck
• Each tool end, if machined separately
• The female hole in the tool to accept the jag
• The female hole in the brass jag to accept the threaded steel post
• The steel post itself
• The brass jag end, if done as a separate operation

... that's waaaaaaay too many chances for an eccentric coned muzzle for me ...

Which is why Joe makes his all in one setup between centers.

 

[DrLaw]

I finished today, coning the third barrel of three that I was going to cone of my ML guns.
I used the Joe Wood tools (.45 and ,54 calibers) and it could not have been easier. Joe even e-mailed me while I was coning the first to see if I was coming along okay on it. It helps to take the barrel out of the stock, but if you have a long narrow tang like on the Kibler SMR, he recommends keeping it in the stock and finding a spot where you are above the muzzle, as on a chair or stairway (my choice).
From what I have seen on the posts here, I do not expect any loss in accuracy but more enjoyment of shooting is expected since I can skip using a short starter.

The Doc is out now.

 

[wattlebuster]

All my rifles are coned. I wont have one that is not.

 

[duca]

How is Joe? Is he still making them? Heard he was under the weather. I need a.54 Coning tool.

 

[DuncNZ]

Some competitions (mainly national and international ) require rifles to be as origional. and coning is banned , as are aperture sights

I don't suppose that anyone wants to sell or rent me their 54 cal coning tool? I only have one rifle to cone and thought I'd ask? Thanks.

You could try to find someone to file cone your rifle , it works if properly done and looks great .

 

[morehops52]

All of my rifles are coned now except the one i just got. The difference in loading is much appreciated and my groups look the same. Joe Woods.

 

[LT Joe]

I coned my 20 Ga. French Fusil by just wrapping sandpaper around a brass plumb bob and sanding it down by hand and it worked fine. Accuracy was great.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

Joe does not suggest coning the barrel of a rifle that is used to shoot conicals.

@duca I have a .54, do you have a .45? I'll swap you.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

They were not coned. People think filing the grooves to the muzzle is coning, but it's not. The coning tools used today allow shooters to use oversize ball / patch combinations without a short starter that were not used in the old days. Friendship shooters began using such combinations in the early years of the NMLRA. In the old days accurate target rifles were choked to improve accuracy just like the slug rifles used today.

What about regular rifles? I'm guessing the old timers just used a patch/ball combo that was tight enough to start with their thumb?

 

[Uncle Miltie]

What about regular rifles? I'm guessing the old timers just used a patch/ball combo that was tight enough to start with their thumb?

They were. The dearth of short starters in original shooting bags and the ball size of molds found with original rifles bears this out.

 

[DrLaw]

How is Joe? Is he still making them? Heard he was under the weather. I need a.54 Coning tool.

He is still up and above the ground when I was chatting with him a couple weeks back. Yes, he still has the coning tools and is making them. You should be able to find him on the web or here under the name of Flintsteel. He still checks out the forums, too.

He also has a great sense of humor.

The Doc is out now.

 

[Sam squanch]

This guy was used to cone cannon barrels…

 

[TDM]

This guy was used to cone cannon barrels…

From a long time ago and a world far, far away.

 

[user 58311]

Just bought 3 coning tools from Joe last week. Send him a PM he'll get right back to you.