.22 Chamber Reamers

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smoothshooter

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I’m wanting to smooth up the chambers in a couple of revolvers and one automatic. I am aware that there are a couple of Manson reamers that smooth them up a little, one of which is a polishing reamer, and the other one has cutting flutes for removing tiny amounts of metal.
Which one(s) should I get?
 
Finishing Reamer for the wheelguns...not sure on the automatic

Like said in the title... you need the Manson finishing reamer for the revolvers because it does remove a very little metal. Actually it is more like "metal dust" called angel hair by machinists.

I guarantee you your problems will be over with revolvers but the Manson reamer has a "face cutting edge" to it that when you are reaming the diameter of the charge hole in the cylinder you go just deep enough for the face cutting edge to "kiss-cut" the recessed area of BOTH the cylinder AND the extractor star. Very slightly, but I have found necessary for all rounds to seat flush in all chambers afterward.

I have not ever reamed any semi-automatics but my old slab side Browning Buckmark, and my several Colt Woodsman never seemed to need anything and would eat any brand ammo fed to them. On the other hand my semi's always needed vigorous cleaning after shooting as 22 LR is pretty dirty ammo.

Good luck with you reaming, and let us know how you make out.
 

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You need a cylinder finishing reamer for the revolver. It has a larger pilot than a regular finish reamer to fit the throats. A regular finish reamer pilot has to fit in the rifling because the chamber is part of the barrel. You can also get reamers with replaceable pilots that are different sizes.
 
I just used a .22 cal mop and jewelers rouge. Took a section of cleaning rod and screwed the mop into it and chucked it in a drill. I have a block of jewelers rouge that I have had for years. Fired up the drill and ran the mop over the rouge to load it up. I then commenced to ream(polish) the chambers. After a few passes on each chamber the round came out easily. Then tried fire cases and they did the same. At the range it was the same. Saved getting a chamber reamer.
 
I have done around 8 or 9 .22 revolvers, and it always amazed me that some removed considerable metal, and a few had literally minimal metal removed. My "guess" was it determined by how old the factory reamer was when they decided to replace it. My hunch is many were worn out before replaced.
 
A nickel model 34 I picked up last year had really tight chambers. I started much like AJ and used a drill and a 22lr chamber mop. I used Mothers Mag polish instead of rouge. I didn’t go straight for a reamer as I was concerned about removing too much metal. I figured I could always remove more. Putting it back wasn’t an option…..

After several passes with the polish it will now chamber and eject without drama.
 
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71vette said:
A nickel model 34 I picked up last year had really tight chambers. I started much like AJ and used a drill and a 22lr chamber mop. I used Mothers Mag polish instead of rouge. I didn’t go straight for a reamer as I was concerned about removing too much metal. I figured I could always remove more. Putting it back wasn’t an option…..

After several passes with the polish it will now chamber and eject without drama.
Click to expand...

It does work and is better than trying to replace metal if you screw up. A new cylinder is expensive to this old person.
 
AJ,
Did you use more than one Rouge color/grit and did you avoid
the cylinder throat?
The 63-3 project might need that.
The lube on 22LR lead ammo gets a bit soft down here, and I often wipe each round's case before chambering.
 
Last edited:
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AJ said:
I just used a .22 cal mop and jewelers rouge. Took a section of cleaning rod and screwed the mop into it and chucked it in a drill. I have a block of jewelers rouge that I have had for years. Fired up the drill and ran the mop over the rouge to load it up. I then commenced to ream(polish) the chambers. After a few passes on each chamber the round came out easily. Then tried fire cases and they did the same. At the range it was the same. Saved getting a chamber reamer.
Click to expand...

Being a gear head I have some valve grinding compound handy.

I have done a couple of tight cylinders. To be truthful the cleanup is harder to do than the actual opening up work.:D
 
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Imissedagain said:
AJ,
Did you use more than one Rouge color/grit and did you avoid
the cylinder throat?
The 63-3 project might need that.
The lube on 22LR lead ammo gets a bit soft down here, and I often wipe each round's case before chambering.
Click to expand...

I used a block of red jewelers rouge that I have had for about 40 years. I used a rifle mop that was longer than the chamber. Polished the entire length of the cylinder. Has not effected the accuracy at all. The affect was a polished chamber and easy extraction & ejection. Just go slow and check results often. Slow & easy!
 
cmansguns said:
Like said in the title... you need the Manson finishing reamer for the revolvers because it does remove a very little metal. Actually it is more like "metal dust" called angel hair by machinists.

I guarantee you your problems will be over with revolvers but the Manson reamer has a "face cutting edge" to it that when you are reaming the diameter of the charge hole in the cylinder you go just deep enough for the face cutting edge to "kiss-cut" the recessed area of BOTH the cylinder AND the extractor star. Very slightly, but I have found necessary for all rounds to seat flush in all chambers afterward.

I have not ever reamed any semi-automatics but my old slab side Browning Buckmark, and my several Colt Woodsman never seemed to need anything and would eat any brand ammo fed to them. On the other hand my semi's always needed vigorous cleaning after shooting as 22 LR is pretty dirty ammo.

Good luck with you reaming, and let us know how you make out.
Click to expand...

As mentioned above the Manson revolver cylinder reamer has a secondary "face cutting edge", from recent experience with that cutter you can wall cut until the face cutting edge is about 1/16" from making contact and the cylinders will still work 100%. By the time your Manson cutter gets close to the face surface the cylinder will have removed plenty enough material to work great. Use plenty of cutting oil and clean the reamer throats often before reaching the final depth.

BTW: Manson is a quality business and has great customer service.
 
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