This is very interesting to me. New as I am questions my sound silly, but if you don't know ask.

What is the standard angle for the forcing cone? Why was 11 degrees chosen? What effects happen with a forcing cone of a different angle? It was mentioned that Ruger can suffer from thread crush thus reducing and/or causing ripples in the bore, was this one of the reason for S&W to thread and pin their barrels, if it was effective why was it dropped?
I will sit here and wait for the answers.