Anyone ever ordered a short-reamed barrel and finished it for headspace with a hand-reamer? Just asking what's feasible. I've heard of people ordering short reamed barrels and fitting themselves, and they didn't have a lathe(?). I'm still trying to figure this one out myself.
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short-reamed barrels, and hand reamer?
- Thread starter 5whiskey
- Start date
It somewhat depends on what action you are rebarreling. I have done many Mausers, and I would not attempt one without access to a lathe, despite what Brownells and Midway say about "no-lathe" barrel installations. The problem is in getting the length of the barrel tenon right. For barrels that torque against the action face, the tenon length may not be as critical, and you might be able to get away with it.
The process itself is relatively straightforward. You fit the barrel to the receiver, ream the chamber with an extension on the reamer until it will just close with light drag on a GO gauge.
I am not certain that you can view the following sites without joining the board, but it is worth your money to do that if you anticipate doing your own work. The entire rebarreling process is explained in the following:
http://www.sporterizing.com/index.php?showtopic=4334
http://www.sporterizing.com/index.php?showtopic=4335
http://www.sporterizing.com/index.php?showtopic=4336
Good luck!
Clemson
The process itself is relatively straightforward. You fit the barrel to the receiver, ream the chamber with an extension on the reamer until it will just close with light drag on a GO gauge.
I am not certain that you can view the following sites without joining the board, but it is worth your money to do that if you anticipate doing your own work. The entire rebarreling process is explained in the following:
http://www.sporterizing.com/index.php?showtopic=4334
http://www.sporterizing.com/index.php?showtopic=4335
http://www.sporterizing.com/index.php?showtopic=4336
Good luck!
Clemson
I know the process is actually pretty straight-forward. I've swapped barrels before, but there was no chamber-reaming involved (Savage rifle). I understand the concept of headspace, what scares me is taking a reamer to a new barrel I guess.
I think I'm gonna get a used barrel for a savage (since headspace is adjustable) and deep throught it maybe .010" just to get my confidence up. I'm afraid of reaming the thing and then the rifle not holding 1.5 moa, but maybe with a cheap used barrel I won't care and if I get it right that will be a confidence boost.
I think I'm gonna get a used barrel for a savage (since headspace is adjustable) and deep throught it maybe .010" just to get my confidence up. I'm afraid of reaming the thing and then the rifle not holding 1.5 moa, but maybe with a cheap used barrel I won't care and if I get it right that will be a confidence boost.
Harry Bonar
New member
reamer
Sir:
Yes, it's possible, but chancy!
Harry B.
Sir:
Yes, it's possible, but chancy!
Harry B.
Harry Bonar
New member
hand reaming
Sir:
When I say it's chancy I mean there is a danger of getting chatter in the neck area. Oil and a good steady even pressure will guarantee success - I think.
I once got chatter in the neck shoulder area by hand reaming but I think that was a bad, used reamer.
I will sound a warning here: Some "gunsmithing" books by those who should know better say to use a twist drill in cutting away some of the chamber area to relieve stress on the finish reamer - DO NOT, I REPEAT - DO NOT,EVER, EVER TRY THIS! You can, with the pilot not supported develop an "early" chatter that you just can't get rid of!
The Modern Gunsmith by Howe, says, "A reamer will always follow a hole" (pilot hole). That's very true, and you should be able to "hand ream" an entire chamber. But it's a long process of chip removal, etc, you must do.
I have a 3 jaw chuck run-out of .001 and I chuck my bbl. up there and go in about .030 at a time - blow off reamer and bbl interior and have never had a problem. I DO NOT put the muzzle in the 3 jaw and the chamber area in a steady-rest! Yes, with a lathe that has .003 to .007 runout on the 3 jaw use a 4 jaw and always make sure the bore is concentric with the o.d. - do this on your lathe. Alwasys use plenty of cutting oil - (sulpher lard)!
Sir:
When I say it's chancy I mean there is a danger of getting chatter in the neck area. Oil and a good steady even pressure will guarantee success - I think.
I once got chatter in the neck shoulder area by hand reaming but I think that was a bad, used reamer.
I will sound a warning here: Some "gunsmithing" books by those who should know better say to use a twist drill in cutting away some of the chamber area to relieve stress on the finish reamer - DO NOT, I REPEAT - DO NOT,EVER, EVER TRY THIS! You can, with the pilot not supported develop an "early" chatter that you just can't get rid of!
The Modern Gunsmith by Howe, says, "A reamer will always follow a hole" (pilot hole). That's very true, and you should be able to "hand ream" an entire chamber. But it's a long process of chip removal, etc, you must do.
I have a 3 jaw chuck run-out of .001 and I chuck my bbl. up there and go in about .030 at a time - blow off reamer and bbl interior and have never had a problem. I DO NOT put the muzzle in the 3 jaw and the chamber area in a steady-rest! Yes, with a lathe that has .003 to .007 runout on the 3 jaw use a 4 jaw and always make sure the bore is concentric with the o.d. - do this on your lathe. Alwasys use plenty of cutting oil - (sulpher lard)!
The problem that occurs with hand reaming is wallowing the hole by putting side forces onto the reamer.
The deeper the hole the easier it s to wallow out the start of the hole as the reamer approaches final depth.
The bearing length will not prevent flex in the reamer and wallowing that follows.
A lathe with a floating holder will produce only axial force on the reamer and and not result in flex and wallowing.
While may chambers have been cut by hand, the best accuracy still demand careful machining methods, and manual pressure is seldom axial with no radial force.
The deeper the hole the easier it s to wallow out the start of the hole as the reamer approaches final depth.
The bearing length will not prevent flex in the reamer and wallowing that follows.
A lathe with a floating holder will produce only axial force on the reamer and and not result in flex and wallowing.
While may chambers have been cut by hand, the best accuracy still demand careful machining methods, and manual pressure is seldom axial with no radial force.