So what's a "throated barrel"?

[flamdrags]

I know it aids feeding reliability, but "throating" a barrel sounds like the barrel is being reamed out somehow and that just doesn't seem likely. So, what is it really?

["DoubleAction"]

flamdrags; Long time, no hear. "Throating" refers to the chamber where the nose of the bullet feeds into the barrel. The opening of chamber is throated, or widened, near the feed ramp, to asisst in feeding the flat nose wadcutter type bullets. I posted a picture, which I'll retrieve, which shows my Commander after having it's chamber throated. Throating also improves feeding of the hollow point bullets. Throat the chamber was once very common with the Colt 1911s because the Colt had remained true to the original specifications, which was designed for the FMJ ball, round nose bullets.

["DoubleAction"]

This is a throated chamber; notice the beveled edges of the opening to the barrel's chamber.

[flamdrags]

Thanks for the info and pic DA, I lurk around a few of the gun boards on the net, but I like being able to come back here to ask questions where I know I won't get ripped on and will get the "straight dope" from knowledgable guys.