I have a new pistol that where I want to improve the loading.

I have seen two current schools of thought here on the forum.
#1 Polish the ramp ever so gently, being careful not to distort the original geometry and to not remove too much metal.
#2 Shoot 500 rounds and then reassess your feeding issues. Let the bullet tips do the polishing.

Problems:
#1 runs the risk of being ham handed with sandpaper, a file, polishing compound or even a dremel too for the really brave. If you go too far, you can ruin a gun.
#2 This is obvious. 500 rounds of .22 is $29+ Anything else is $150+ for 500 rounds

Copper is softer than steel. What if you took a copper plated bullet (not a complete round) and put it in a slow speed drill chuck and polished the ramp with it? The goal is to knock down tiny burrs and surface irregularities and not to actually remove metal. Even out the microscopic hills and valleys.

This essentially replicates plan #2 with the cost being only one bullet instead of 500 rounds. Since the copper is softer than steel, the worries about plan #1 should be mitigated.

What's your opinion?? Am I stupid, or is this a workable plan?
Or is this an old trick that everyone else except me already knows?

What is wrong with the loading that you want to improve whit polishing?

Plan #1: I would NEVER try and polish a feed ramp with sandpaper. I is too coarse. A FILE? Go find the person that suggested that and slap them in the face.

I would NEVER try and polish a feed ramp with a Dremel. You will remove too much metal, change angles and in some cases ruin the heat treating

Plan #2: Copper jackets are not an abrasive against steel. Those 500 rounds are break in, not ramp polishing.They allow all the other parts to wear into each other for smoother functioning

You basically want to do both of these things. First, unless there is visibly something wrong with the ramp, break in the firearm.

If at that point this "loading" issue remains you can polish the ramp.

The way to do that is with #800 emery cloth. Wrap it around a pencil or wooden dowel. Work slowly and do not change angles

Often times a feed problem is caused by the magazine.Try a different mag first.

I agree with others. Break in the gun with a minimum of 500 rounds and if it is still having feed issues, take it to a gunsmith or send it back to the factory. The feed issues may not have anything to do with the ramp, It could be the slide is not moving fast enough, it could be the magazine, it could be the ammunition or many other problems. If after breaking it in and it hasn't gotten any better have an expert look at it.

__________________
Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

F l i t z.

It would be very helpful if you could detail exactly the problems you are experiencing.

I have polished some feed ramps, but the most abrasive compound I use is Flitz. I do use a proper fitting felt bob on a Dremel at it's lowest speed. But I do so carefully and never generate any heat. No metal removal, just putting a light shine on the ramp. Flitz on a T shirt will do the same thing.

Not trying to be a smart alec but how would polishing mess with the heat treating? Isn't the feed ramp exposed to much more extreme heating from the rounds being ignited in the chamber right next to the feed ramp?

As mentioned above Flitz ,a cotton cloth and ten minutes of time.

My opinion? Okay.

If you feel this is something that you must do, something that is genuinely needed...let a professional do it. Period.

Polished my Kimber's feed ramp with a Dremel tool & a soft cotton buffing attachment, made just for applications like this. Moistened it, and a dab of Flitz and about 15 seconds or so and it was done. No metal removed, and the ramp is like chrome. I also polished the inside of the slide stop, where it might come in contact with the left side of the bullet thats on top of the mag. Its a 3" Ultra and it really helped in this case..

I use jewelers rouge and a buffer tip on a dremmel tool. it takes a good while but its so gentile you cant get it wrong. Shines it like a mirror, i've done this to every automatic i've had for years.

Ditto! What kind of gun? How new? What type of ammo have you used? How many rounds have you put through it already? How many feed issues?

Heck, what better reason to put 500 rounds down range than to break in a new gun. Sounds like a good day at the range to me. Take different mags and ammo and maybe you can narrow down the problem a bit.

Note that when we talk about "polishing" gun parts and feed ramps, we DON'T mean "like a mirror".
We mean SMOOTH.

All that's needed is to reduce any roughness that might catch on a bullet nose. It usually doesn't even need to be super smooth, just enough not to catch.

Polishing parts to a mirror shine does no good at all and often ruins parts.

So why does a custom gun have a mirror bright feed ramp????
Because the customer paid us to "polish" the ramps and if he can't see himself in it, he figures either the pistolsmith forgot to do it, or ripped him off by charging for something not done.
So, we give the parts a mirror shine.
The difference is, a professional knows how to do it without causing damage.

That's also why a professional is not a hazard with a Dremel or a Flex-shaft. He knows how to use it, when to use it, and when NOT to use it.