How far would you hand ream when finishing a Chamber?

[jackieschmidt]

Many of you might be too young to remember, but back in the 1960’s and ‘70s, Brownells marketed a kit for converting 8mm Mauser to 8mm06.
it was a reamer, an extended T-Handle, and a headspace gage.
You put the Barreled Action in a vice, and simply hand reamed it out.

It was not a 10 minute job.

A machinist friend of my Dad used to do them quite often.

 

[hoz53]

Many of you might be too young to remember, but back in the 1960’s and ‘70s, Brownells marketed a kit for converting 8mm Mauser to 8mm06.
it was a reamer, an extended T-Handle, and a headspace gage.
You put the Barreled Action in a vice, and simply hand reamed it out.

It was not a 10 minute job.

A machinist friend of my Dad used to do them quite often.

i dont remember that. my first time looking at brownells was in the 70s. i musta seen it but forgot. that sure is an interesting blast from the past. makes the .020 i need to do seem like small potatoes—- thanks again jackie

 

[DR_2297]

Anecdotal story. A long time ago, sometime about 2002, I decided to be a brave 20 something and rebarrel my own rifle. So I bought a LA 700 ADL, one of those rough matte finish ones and a Douglas “prefit” in 35 Whelen AI. Made my own action wrench and barrel vise. Stuck it in the lathe at work and cleaned the stamping off like they said to do to set tenon length and screwed it on.

I rented a reamer, I don’t recall where from and had made a T handle to drive it. But damned if I could get that thing to want to start cutting so I sent it back and rented one from a second place. Now mind you this was the very first time I had ever done anything like this… so everything was a learning moment.

So the second reamer comes and I pour some cutting oil on it and go to reaming and I was not prepared for its geometry as it cut like butter snd fast with the pressure I applied - it literally wanted to pull itself into the cut. It cut so fast that I recall making about 10 revolutions and checking and it swallowed both my go and no go gauges…

So it was a 35 Whelen AI Root and to get it to fire I had to long seat and jam bullets to fire form brass. It ended up something like .050 longer than a Nogo IIRC.

Still have that barrel sitting in a pile. Thing shot well and killed a few deer but I could never sell it and expect some average individual to not pull their hair out trying to figure out what was wrong with it.

Thinking about it after typing all of this, I should just set it up and bump the tenon ahead….

 

[AlNyhus]

Many of you might be too young to remember, but back in the 1960’s and ‘70s, Brownells marketed a kit for converting 8mm Mauser to 8mm06.
it was a reamer, an extended T-Handle, and a headspace gage.
You put the Barreled Action in a vice, and simply hand reamed it out.

It was not a 10 minute job.

A machinist friend of my Dad used to do them quite often.

Morning, Jackie. Talk about whip lashing me into the past!

My Dad would 'sporterize' surplus 8MM Mausers for us kids for deer rifles. He did all the barrel work on the big LeBlond lathe at a large grain mill where he was on the maintenance crew. His pal at work would do the Brownell's 8-06 conversions on his while my Dad kept the 8MM Mauser chambers. As a kid, I would watch him with that T handle and try to visualize what was happening.

Thanks for the good memory. -Al

 

[SKWERLZ]

Just a word of caution renting reamers. I tried that twice. Both times were a disaster.

I guess perhaps I'm just 'lucky' that way. But I'll never consider doing that again.

Not going to mention the sources because there were 2 and I'm not interested in the ensuing 'urination' contests. But I'll buy my readers going forward.

That's all I have to say about that.

My first time was a disaster!
The two I’ve done since from a different rental outfit were good.

 

[Sniperhandle]

Many of you might be too young to remember, but back in the 1960’s and ‘70s, Brownells marketed a kit for converting 8mm Mauser to 8mm06.
it was a reamer, an extended T-Handle, and a headspace gage.
You put the Barreled Action in a vice, and simply hand reamed it out.

It was not a 10 minute job.

A machinist friend of my Dad used to do them quite often.

I have one. My 8-06 will push a 150 grain pill at 3100.

 

[Old Navy]

Many of you might be too young to remember, but back in the 1960’s and ‘70s, Brownells marketed a kit for converting 8mm Mauser to 8mm06.
it was a reamer, an extended T-Handle, and a headspace gage.
You put the Barreled Action in a vice, and simply hand reamed it out.

It was not a 10 minute job.

A machinist friend of my Dad used to do them quite often.

I seem to remember also back in the 70 or 80s some one selling barrels that were short chambered .025" also?

 

[AlNyhus]

I seem to remember also back in the 70 or 80s some one selling barrels that were short chambered .025" also?

Douglas sold a lot of those. Later on, Shilen did through Brownells and Midway did the same with their house brand Adam And Bennet barrels. Probably others too.

 

[troupe]

.020" will take a little work but not much. What I wouldn't want to know is how bad out the chambers were. Trying to set them up may mess with your mind.
With that in mind set them up with running the treads in a steady rest and use the lathe to spin the barrel and hold the reamer in your hand. Quick and simple.
4+" of snow here in ENC. My dog has never seen snow before. He freaked out.

I am sure he running up and down the road, having a ball. The tracker has to be going in circles, he is wide open for sure. Great dog Dave.

 

[jackieschmidt]

I seem to remember also back in the 70 or 80s some one selling barrels that were short chambered .025" also?

Yes. I think people like Brownells and others bought up military surplus barrels and short chambered them for the 8mm 06. The buyer would finish it and install it.
I would imagine that after WW-2, there were thousand and thousands of surplus barrels that had been captured my the Allies.
You could probably buy them by the pound.

 

[hoz53]

Anecdotal story. A long time ago, sometime about 2002, I decided to be a brave 20 something and rebarrel my own rifle. So I bought a LA 700 ADL, one of those rough matte finish ones and a Douglas “prefit” in 35 Whelen AI. Made my own action wrench and barrel vise. Stuck it in the lathe at work and cleaned the stamping off like they said to do to set tenon length and screwed it on.

I rented a reamer, I don’t recall where from and had made a T handle to drive it. But damned if I could get that thing to want to start cutting so I sent it back and rented one from a second place. Now mind you this was the very first time I had ever done anything like this… so everything was a learning moment.

So the second reamer comes and I pour some cutting oil on it and go to reaming and I was not prepared for its geometry as it cut like butter snd fast with the pressure I applied - it literally wanted to pull itself into the cut. It cut so fast that I recall making about 10 revolutions and checking and it swallowed both my go and no go gauges…

So it was a 35 Whelen AI Root and to get it to fire I had to long seat and jam bullets to fire form brass. It ended up something like .050 longer than a Nogo IIRC.

Still have that barrel sitting in a pile. Thing shot well and killed a few deer but I could never sell it and expect some average individual to not pull their hair out trying to figure out what was wrong with it.

Thinking about it after typing all of this, I should just set it up and bump the tenon ahead….

ive been doing the work necessary on some mausers i have that havent been shot much for years. wanna get them out while i can and shoot them. thanks for the story -

 

[hoz53]

My first time was a disaster!
The two I’ve done since from a different rental outfit were good.

i guess Id be taking my chances if i rent. it may come down to lead time on new ones. thanks

 

[hoz53]

Yes. I think people like Brownells and others bought up military surplus barrels and short chambered them for the 8mm 06. The buyer would finish it and install it.
I would imagine that after WW-2, there were thousand and thousands of surplus barrels that had been captured my the Allies.
You could probably buy them by the pound.

ive heard storys of 55 gallon drums full of surplus rifles at the hardware store. ect— you picked the ones you wanted

 

[jackieschmidt]

ive heard storys of 55 gallon drums full of surplus rifles at the hardware store. ect— you picked the ones you wanted

That’s not a old wives tale.

When I was a kid in Port Arthur Tx. There was a huge GI Surplus store. You could buy just about anything in there.
There were racks of surplus rifles. My Dad had bought a M-1 Carbine, so we later got Ruger Single Sixes in 30 Carbine. My Dad had carried a 30 Carbine in WW-2.
My next oldest brother got a Eddystone ‘03. I can remember my Dad taking it to the shipyard to get all of the cosmoline off of it.
That was a real Surplus Store.

 

[Old Navy]

Yes. I think people like Brownells and others bought up military surplus barrels and short chambered them for the 8mm 06. The buyer would finish it and install it.
I would imagine that after WW-2, there were thousand and thousands of surplus barrels that had been captured my the Allies.
You could probably buy them by the pound.

Back in the late sixties our local Army-Navy store had paper 30 gallon drums full of Mauser 98 rifles from $30 to $50 I think. NRA was grading them back then and they had a NRA sticker on the stock. Something like good, very good , excellent etc. Don't ask what I had for dinner two days ago.

 

[hoz53]

That’s not a old wives tale.

When I was a kid in Port Arthur Tx. There was a huge GI Surplus store. You could buy just about anything in there.
There were racks of surplus rifles. My Dad had bought a M-1 Carbine, so we later got Ruger Single Sixes in 30 Carbine. My Dad had carried a 30 Carbine in WW-2.
My next oldest brother got a Eddystone ‘03. I can remember my Dad taking it to the shipyard to get all of the cosmoline off of it.
That was a real Surplus Store.

several places i lived growing up we had surplus stores- not as big as the one you mentioned but i always liked those stores. that woulda been in 60s - i miss those stores

 

[hoz53]

Back in the late sixties our local Army-Navy store had paper 30 gallon drums full of Mauser 98 rifles from $30 to $50 I think. NRA was grading them back then and they had a NRA sticker on the stock. Something like good, very good , excellent etc. Don't ask what I had for dinner two days ago.

1 minute ago for me but at least you remember the important stuff

 

[AlNyhus]

ive heard storys of 55 gallon drums full of surplus rifles at the hardware store. ect— you picked the ones you wanted

Not stories...it's true. The Mausers my Dad would get came from a local hardware store. The rifles (no bolts) were in wooden crates. After he found a couple he liked, he'd have us kids go through the wooden barrel of bolts until we found ones that would go in and close.

My brother Kevin got the worst end of the deal. He was a leftie and his left cheek would have black smudges on it after a few rounds.

 

[hoz53]

Not stories...it's true. The Mausers my Dad would get came from a local hardware store. The rifles (no bolts) were in wooden crates. After he found a couple he liked, he'd have us kids go through the wooden barrel of bolts until we found ones that would go in and close.

My brother Kevin got the worst end of the deal. He was a leftie and his left cheek would have black smudges on it after a few rounds.

thats quite a memory— i wonder if commercial companies shipped them back or the gov did it. thanks