FTR Reamer for the 185 Berger

[ARIZONA_F_CLASS]

Hi,

Has anybody here used the FTR Reamer for the 185 Berger? If you are, how far out of the lands are you and what type of load are you using if you don't mind.

.168 freebore is way out there. I'm just wondering what kind of jump you have to use that far out.

 

[XTR]

You can jam it if you want, the 185s will still reach the lands, but I typically have loaded the 185s 10 to 20 thou off the lands. I have 2 barrels chambered with that reamer in the last couple of months, but I haven't had the chance to do workups on the 185s yet.

 

[TrxR]

I wonder if you can still jam 155's or atleast touch the lands.

 

[jamesl]

I am running the 185 hybrids with a .098 freebore. With the bullet at .o1 of the lands the boattail/bearing surface juncture is just slightly forward of the neck/shoulder jucture. I had originally had this reamer made for 175 smk's which puts the boattail juncture even with the bottom of the case neck.

James

 

[ARIZONA_F_CLASS]

You can jam it if you want, the 185s will still reach the lands, but I typically have loaded the 185s 10 to 20 thou off the lands. I have 2 barrels chambered with that reamer in the last couple of months, but I haven't had the chance to do workups on the 185s yet.

So what's the main reason for the extra long throat. More powder? I heard some people are getting 2,750 to 2,850 velocity running 185's Maybe this is why.

 

[memilanuk]

Yep, pretty much exactly that. Running the 2013 USA FTR reamer (0.170 freebore) with B185OTM Juggernauts 0.005" back from a hard jam... 44.5gn Varget yields ~2750-2760 fps pretty consistently, along with excellent accuracy. More velocity is very easily achievable... had to 'de-tune' the load back *down* to this lower node... initial load development had gone as high as 46.4gn / 2840fps with surprising accuracy. Still, that was in January... not sure I'd want to run 'em that hot in July/August, even with Varget...

 

[ARIZONA_F_CLASS]

Yep, pretty much exactly that. Running the 2013 USA FTR reamer (0.170 freebore) with B185OTM Juggernauts 0.005" back from a hard jam... 44.5gn Varget yields ~2750-2760 fps pretty consistently, along with excellent accuracy. More velocity is very easily achievable... had to 'de-tune' the load back *down* to this lower node... initial load development had gone as high as 46.4gn / 2840fps with surprising accuracy. Still, that was in January... not sure I'd want to run 'em that hot in July/August, even with Varget...

Thanks guys, That answered my questions. 46.4 would be pretty scary considering Hodgdon says 44.5 grs of Varget is MAXIMUM.

 

[memilanuk]

Yeah... but remember that a) Hodgdon's load data is somewhat... 'wussified' by the lawyers to begin with, and b) their load data almost assuredly wasn't developed in a chamber with anything approaching 0.170" freebore and the bullet loaded long to match. The long throat makes a *huge* difference... in a Savage 12 F/TR barrel with the 'factory' Obermeyer chamber and 0.085" throat, I was only able to get ~2640fps from about 42.6gn Varget. I could get a little more speed, but not enough to make the next 'node' up without running into serious pressure. For that barrel, 2000MR was the solution... 2780fps with no pressure. I have more of that stuff and am *really* curious how fast I can make a 185 scoot from the new chamber...

 

[ARIZONA_F_CLASS]

Thanks memilanuk!!

 

[Leaddog]

Just curious, with a .170 freebore, what is your loaded case overall length and bullet length used to just touch the lands? How far north of 2.90 are you?

 

[memilanuk]

IIRC, seating depth using a Sinclair comparator insert with the bullet jammed firmly into the lands was ~2.226" base to ogive. Currently shooting them 5 thou short of that, and overall length (base to tip) runs about 3.003-3.004" w/ bullets that have been trimmed & pointed.

 

[Leaddog]

IIRC, seating depth using a Sinclair comparator insert with the bullet jammed firmly into the lands was ~2.226" base to ogive. Currently shooting them 5 thou short of that, and overall length (base to tip) runs about 3.003-3.004" w/ bullets that have been trimmed & pointed.

I use a Sinclair insert as well and with my 185 LRBT's, my base to ogive measurement is 2.119 when loaded to a .013 jump. My chamber is short throated and will correct that later, but they shoot well. I am a bit below the neck shoulder junction with the bullet pressure ring and 41.5 grs. of Varget gives me just slightly shy of 2600 fps, depending on temps. They hammer at 600, but we'll see at 1000 in a few weeks. Thanks for your reply.