Reamer questions

[Viperdoc]

I am thinking about trying to make a barrel in 6.5cm. Friend owns a business with a Cnc machine, and he said we could turn a barrel from a blank in 15 minutes! This also includes the crown and threading.

Anyway, I would like to get a reamer that would allow me to have a free bore that allows me to load the most common longest loads that I use just short of the lands, for minimal jump. For example, my existing rifle likes the 140 Berger VLDs, but only shoots them well when loaded at the lands. This requires single loading.

So, is it possible to get a reamer that would let me load these bullets just short of the lands from the mag, say 0.002 or at the lands, to start before any throat erosion? Would I lose a lot of case capacity?

Are the cartridge case and leade typically done with the same reamer, or is this two operations? Can I ream and headspace the case, and then separately adjust the free bore and leade angle?

If I screw it up, the worst case would be a ruined blank and the cost of the reamer, but it still might be a fun project.

 

[TonyR]

Viperdoc. I think Berger may be close to announcing a 6.5mm Hybrid. The 7mm Hybrids have a higher BC than the VLDs of the same size and shoot well off the lands. These will probably be thick jacket target bullets if that is an issue.

 

[Eddie Harren]

There are many opyions available to you. You can load a dummy cartridge, with the bullet you plan on using, set to your magazine length, and send it to a reamer manufacturer requesting that the lead and freebore conform to your dummy cartridge. You could also order a "no throat" reamer to cut the chamber and then use a throating reamer to set your throat depth.

 

[1000yardstare]

PT&G has made for me excellent reamers based on dummy rounds that I sent them with the desired bullet seated to the desired COAL. Explain to Kiff what you want and he will go from there.

PT&G sells combination neck/throating reamers.

 

[offgrid]

Shooting the Berger 130vld out of my 6.5cm. I too, have to single feed to get to the lands. If I were to have a reamer made for the 130's, probably go with a OAL of 2.860 +/- to the lands.

Looking forward to trying out the Berger 6.5 Hybrids.

 

[artbosco]

I would like to get a reamer that would allow me to have a free bore that allows me to load the most common longest loads that I use just short of the lands, for minimal jump.

Dave Kiff at Pacific Tool and Gauge is the man to talk to. He'll give you exactly what you need. There's none better. Call him.