Forcing cone

Thinking of sending a barrel off to have the forcing cone lengthened after the season.

Anyone have this done? Does it really make much difference?

I'm still on the fence about it and skeptical that it will make much of a difference. Im currently happy with the way my gun shoots and patterns. It doesn't cost that much to have it done so if it makes a little bit of a difference I'm fine with it.

It makes a difference.

Don’t waste your money.

Have two 870 barrels, both 28 inch, one bone stock, one with forcing cone lengthened 1.5 inches.

With the same choke, shooting 00/000 buckshot at 40 yards, the stock barrel on average patterns 1-2 inches tighter with the stock barrel than with the long forcing cone barrel, with more pellets in the center.

Didn't do anything for me.

YMMV,
LeonCarr

I'm reading alot about it. Most people state it makes minimal difference if any. I have a problem with always jacking with stuff even when its not broken. Still on the fence about it....

I've done it to a bunch of different shotguns.
It helped all of them that I did
The f cone and bore should be polished also
to make it work right.
This works better on the older guns that
were bored in the old way. Most of the
never ones are backbored and would probably
benefit more from experimenting with
different brands of the better ammunition
I don't think I have a 12 and 20 reamer any
more. I'm sure I still have a 10 gauge but
not any of the flex hones

You might find out what the standard forcing cone length is on your shotgun. Today, competition shotguns have forcing cones as long as 5". I have three K-80's that have long cones from the factory. I too have sent barrels to have the cones lengthened. Some of my older Berretta's were done. The only major difference I can tell is on the recoil. When the charge jumps out of the shell, rather than say a standard 3/8" cone which will create more felt recoil, the charge is squeezed down over a long cone which produces less felt recoil. This I know works. Years ago I was shooting upwards of 40K shot shells a year. At that time I could tell the difference. Today, approaching 75, it's a different story.
If you decide to have it done, make sure whoever does it knows what they are doing. You can mess up a barrel real quick if they don't know.

Contact Rob Roberts,I bet he can answer the question for you

I have forcing cone reamers for .410 ,20 ga. 28 ga 12 ga. . Plus a chamber reamer for .410 to make a 2 1/2 chamber into 3 ". Also have the flex stones and the oil they say to use . Every shot gun i have owned got reamed , and it helped on all patterns .Brought the fliers in 2-4 inches.

The last thing I do is take recommendations from the salesman

Seriously? The dude doesn't need your business, he's one of the best, of not the best in the game.
But I'm sure the thf brain trust can give you better info than an expert in the field.

Well if extended forcing cones made such a difference why wouldn't every manufacture send them from the factory with the extended cone? Or atleast your top end guns.

I do my research before making decisions. That includes alot of online reading from real world experience. Alot of what I read is people stating no difference to very little difference in pattern test.

Leon confirmed that. Everyone else that says it makes a difference does not have any support to back it. Frio only states he felt less recoil.

Not trying to jump in the debate, but the A400 comes with a longer forcing cone. Just FYI.

Backboring on a lot of the new shotguns helped, by having more open bore diamenter. Then the forcing cones were not as steep and they didn't squeeze the shot and wad as much before entering the bore.

Is there a particular problem with the patterns your shotgun throws?

Then do the full research and call Rob. See what he says about it. If you've done your research then you know the right questions to ask.
You shouldn't be sold anything you're not ready to buy if you have done research

Leon also tested using 000 buckshot... kind of a limited sampling to determine it makes no difference.

Like i said, I'm not calling rob, he's the salesman. Of course he will tell me how great extending the forcing cone is. Its an easy job to do and easy money in his pocket.

I am considering sending my gun to him this off season for a cerakote job. While its there I'm considering him doing the forcing cone.

True, but I am also doing online research from other forums and articles. It seems like most peoples consensus is it makes minimal difference and you still need to find a particular load that your gun likes. Further articles state that is why the majority of shotguns do not come from the factory with extended forcing cones. Through the manufactures R&D they could not locate any sound conclusions or findings.

I feel like the forcing cone theory is similar to the after market extended chokes theory. Its just a gimmick.... with that said I shoot extended chokes and am still considering the extended forcing cone when I send my gun off to rob roberts. I may just have to play around some more with the patterning board when it gets back.

Sounds like you had your mind made up before you even asked here. Good luck with whatever route you take.

Just do a quick social media search and whatever the flavor of the month is Kwood will recommend lol

For a bird hunting gun, you will not kill any more birds using lengthened forcing cones. Time at the pattern board with various loads and chokes, at the ranges you intend to shoot will show you the patterns you are looking for. Practicing until you can center your patterns where you want them is almost always the best answer to improved performance from a shotgun. I have seen just as many wing shooters beat the piss out of the birds with bone stock shotguns and cheap bargain priced shot shells as I have guys shooting top of the line stuff blame deficiencies in their gear for their lack of prowess.
Spend that forcing cone money shooting the snot out of that shotgun in the off-season.

You're something else.
Let's not talk to the professional. Like I said, he doesn't need your business, and he could give you answers, but nooo. Smh

That is because it is the best 12 ga auto

This

Well I'm probably 20 hunts in with the extended forcing cone. I had my doubts about it, but so far just by some of the shots I've made it seems to be the real deal. I'll probably have it done on some of my other guns as well.

What do your patterns look like with the lengthened forcing cones compared to the patterns it threw with the factory forcing cones?

Rob Roberts has done both my M2 and SBE. Well worth the money.

From the RR website. You’ll likely pay more for shipping both ways. I’ve had two guns fully tricked out by RR and taking another one in February.

We recommend doing this work to every shotgun. For your money, this is the most cost effective thing to do to receive the best results in patterns and recoil reduction. The area in a shotgun barrel just in front of the chamber that directs the shot load into the bore is called the forcing cone. In most production shotguns this forcing cone is very short and at a very steep angle. We lengthen the forcing cone to 3 inches and and polish it. By lengthening the surface, several great things are achieved:

Velocity is increased by reducing the sudden friction encountered with a short forcing cone.

Felt recoil is reduced because the reduced friction allows the shot load to smoothly enter the shotgun bore.

Pellet deformation is dramatically reduced because the shock of suddenly constricting the shot load is eliminated giving more even and dense pattern.

FORCING CONE LENGTHENED $75

I had Briley lengthen my the forcing cones on a couple of beretta semi autos in the late 90's...it worked well on lead bird shot loads, as the lead easily deforms in short cones and then is a flier out of the pattern. The longer cones ease the transition of the lead bird loads into the bore which allows less deformation and more pellets remaining in the pattern.

This is an advantage to the games of skeet, trap and sporting clays...along with a good deal of dove hunting.

Now, steel shot is much harder than lead and does not deform, so if you are a waterfowler, lengthening the cones is not cost efficient.

I don’t know who this Rob Roberts is but sounds like he would be someone worth listening too. It’s unfair to think he is compromised just because he is in the business. Do you not listen to a mechanic about your car?

My friend has his forcing cone lengthened. No idea who he sent it to. He did pattern it last august and was happy with it. Says the recoil is less as well.