Coning question

[Risky buisness]

Hi folks, Im going to cone the muzzle of my .40 flint gun, I did this to several others and it is a great addition. And yea, I could google where to find the fixture, but this way it sparks a conversation and everyone can see
, even if only marginally interesed in doing it where they might find the device. Thanks for any and all participants

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I used a coning tool from Joe Wood, AKA "flintsteel" on the Muzzleloading Forum to do a couple rifles.

MUZZLE CONING TOOL

These precision made tools are the preferred way to cone the muzzles of roundball guns either rifled or smoothbore. Greatly eases starting the ball and the long cone allows the ball to be gently swaged into the bore without damage. I believe accuracy is unchanged. There are many guns that have...

www.muzzleloadingforum.com

Just follow his simple directions and you should get good results. I used a tap wrench to turn the tool.

I recommend using double-sided carpet tape rather than glue to hold the sandpaper to the tool. I tried glue and it didn't work well but made a big mess.

After coning my rifles I saw absolutely no difference in point of impact or group size at 50 yards.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

I've used a 3/4 inch carbide ball shaped cutter in a old style brace. Cleaned it up with a ball shaped medium grit stone in the brace. Works well enough.

 

[Lefty38-55]

I've used a 3/4 inch carbide ball shaped cutter in a old style brace.

But that is crowning ... not coning. Coning puts a long taper into the bore ...

It works, I've done dozens, including this 5-shot offhand @ 30-yards to win the smallest group contest. In the best score contest all my shots were in the X-ring in the bullseye. Never missed all day, also went 15 for 15 on the woodswalk with novelty targets out to 80-yards, having used the Joe Wood tool on my 50-cal left-handed Issac Haines flint longrifle. That same rifle and me also shot the highest scores offhand @ 100-yards at the last 2 NE Flintlock Championship shoots.

Yeah ... coning doesn't hurt accuracy one bit ...

 

[Risky buisness]

The accuracy of the rifles I've done has not suffered, at all. Someone ' borrowed my .50 cal tool, can't remember who, and didn't remember where I got it. But I did keep a short starter laying around, just to remind me how suckee that is.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I coned my Jeager, for ease of loading. I was not concerned over a small loss of accuracy, but like others I didn't see any decrease although I've never really done much target shooting with that rifle, other than sighting it in, and playing around with different loads/patches/ball size/lubes now and then lets me know how she shoots. It's for bears, deer, and elk, so as long as I can get it in the boiler room I'm good. I did gut-shoot a bear, but the coned muzzle made me feel better about going into the brush after it. That would have been a bad time to be short-starting.

 

[Lefty38-55]

Joe Woods make them … out tonight, will post his contact info later …

I strongly recommend against the one that uses jags of various calibers (due to runout).

 

[Risky buisness]

Thanx Lefty38-55, I thought Joe....somebody but didn't recall. I have done my two .50s and really like the outcome, so, my dedicated coyote flinter .40 is next in line. This time Im not letting it outa my sight.

 

[Risky buisness]

I coned my Jeager, for ease of loading. I was not concerned over a small loss of accuracy, but like others I didn't see any decrease although I've never really done much target shooting with that rifle, other than sighting it in, and playing around with different loads/patches/ball size/lubes now and then lets me know how she shoots. It's for bears, deer, and elk, so as long as I can get it in the boiler room I'm good. I did gut-shoot a bear, but the coned muzzle made me feel better about going into the brush after it. That would have been a bad time to be short-starting.

Everytime short starting is a bad time.