Ive hand cut 3 chambers by hand a 30-30 Ackley Improved the hardpart on that was removing the the barrel i was to cheap to buy a barrel wrench I was still working at the time and had access to a great tool dept so I fabricated my own wrench. To help stop the chamber reamer from cutting too deep I used .001" shim stock and cut a washer that I slid over the reamer were it would have cut were
the case rim would be that was my stop when the shim stock bottom out I was done. that way I never changed head space as long as I screwed the barrel back in the right place. The second and third rifle I hand cut the chamber was a 22 K-Hornet. Both 30-30 AI and the K-Hornet head space on the case rim so its pretty easy to keep the same head space that you started with. The K-hornets were both bolt action rifles so I used an extension on my chamber reamers so I didn't have to remove the barrels. I never had an issue with any kind of chatter while cutting my chambers used plenty of cutting fluid. Just lucky I guess. Both rifles exceeded my expextations. attached are photos of my ackley I recieved that in the mid 70's on my 16th birthday. about 10 years ago i transformed to the ackley also I thought a modern twist on an old rifle would be cool so I had it ceracoated I cut the checkering myself stained the walnut black put like 20 coats of hand rubbed finish on added a picatinny rail on the top a red dot sight and accomadations for a 3 point sling and a lite.
the case rim would be that was my stop when the shim stock bottom out I was done. that way I never changed head space as long as I screwed the barrel back in the right place. The second and third rifle I hand cut the chamber was a 22 K-Hornet. Both 30-30 AI and the K-Hornet head space on the case rim so its pretty easy to keep the same head space that you started with. The K-hornets were both bolt action rifles so I used an extension on my chamber reamers so I didn't have to remove the barrels. I never had an issue with any kind of chatter while cutting my chambers used plenty of cutting fluid. Just lucky I guess. Both rifles exceeded my expextations. attached are photos of my ackley I recieved that in the mid 70's on my 16th birthday. about 10 years ago i transformed to the ackley also I thought a modern twist on an old rifle would be cool so I had it ceracoated I cut the checkering myself stained the walnut black put like 20 coats of hand rubbed finish on added a picatinny rail on the top a red dot sight and accomadations for a 3 point sling and a lite.
