Gunsmithing .338 Lapua reamer question

[csdilligaf]

Every time I order a reamer from PTG there are so many variations I get lost. Someone guide me on this one. I am building a long range gun that will be to heavy to carry, just for plinking steel. I dont want to neck turn the brass. What should I order? Should I just go with like a standard reamer or is there something a little more special that people say is best? A .338L that a friend shoots says "Crane Tac Match #1" on the barrel. Dont know what makes it different and it shoots OK. Am I over thinking this?

thanks,

edit: gathered some info in this post

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...ing/151584-338-lapua-chamber-reamer-help.html

 

[HoytFlinger]

View attachment Crane Naval Service Warfare Center 338 Lapua Match 10150.pdf

This is the print for the Crane Tactical Match reamer. I was going to go with this, but bought a TRG instead.

Edit: I didn't see your link. Someone else already posted the print in it. Sorry for duplication.

 

[csdilligaf]

So the Crane tac match #1 is the same as the .338 Lapua Tactical Match in the thread I put the link too. It looked to me as though "Straight Shooter" used the tac match reamer from PTG. His COAL is 3.900 with 300 grain bergers and he is .025 off the lands. Wyatt Mags will take 3.775 COAL so that would put me .150" off the lands. Will this work and be what I want to do?

 

[distantfoe]

This will allow 3.990" coal but not sure it will accomodate the lapua diameter cartridges.

CFE-9 Magazine Box, WYATT'S OUTDOOR, INC.

 

[csdilligaf]

Talked to Dave Kiff at PTG. Info is not making sense to me. I want to fit in a Mag, shoot 300 grain bergers. Seems like from the link I posted and the COAL they have and the TAC Match reamer I will have way more freebore than I should. Does anyone shoot .338 similar to what I plan on and can give me any info on the reamer they used?

thanks,

 

[baypoint]

Every time I order a reamer from PTG there are so many variations I get lost. Someone guide me on this one. I am building a long range gun that will be to heavy to carry, just for plinking steel. I dont want to neck turn the brass. What should I order? Should I just go with like a standard reamer or is there something a little more special that people say is best? A .338L that a friend shoots says "Crane Tac Match #1" on the barrel. Dont know what makes it different and it shoots OK. Am I over thinking


Load up a dummy round to the length that is max for your magazine using the bullet you want to shoot. I usually give myself .015 -.030 shorter than max for bullet tip differences. Decide how far off the lands you want to shoot that bullet. Send dummy round to PTG with note saying to make removable pilot reamer to shoot this cartridge "X" amount off lands with no neck turn. I do this for all my reamers and it works great..

 

[csdilligaf]

I talked to a person today who said the same thing. It does make sense. I know what I hope to shoot. Lapua brass, 300 gr berger and fit in a mag. All that is left is to figure what freebore might be a good place to start. I will load a dummy and send it out.

thanks,

 

[baypoint]

I would set it up so you can jam the rifling .010 with that bullet seated max COL. It will give you more options down the road and not take much if any performance away..

 

[X-fan]

I would set it up so you can jam the rifling .010 with that bullet seated max COL. It will give you more options down the road and not take much if any performance away..

Yeah, been there done that and I wont ever do it again.
I've been down this road before and (IMHO) all you accomplish is jacking up pressure and making a very forgiving design twitchy.
Then there is the issue with what do you do when the throat wears a bit?

From what I have seen the 338Lapua is a sub 3/4 MOA long range performer...so let it perform!
Squeezing down the lead does not make it shoot better...just slower.

I have experimented with from 50 to 130 thou bullet run with no loss in accuracy.
If your smith is dialed and the bullet is looking down the middle the rifle will shoot.

My suggestion it to stay the hell out of the way and let it run.

 

[csdilligaf]

Another thing I was told is the 300 gr Scenar are much more forgiving on free bore length than some others. Like what X-fan said, .05 to .130 did not seem to matter.

 

[baypoint]

I stand by my suggestion. You can always load .010-.130 deeper but you can't get any closer if your max col is .050 off. Just giving you more seating options.. Not suggesting you have to or should jam the lands in the original post. Just trying to give the most options to have the rifle shoot with a chosen bullet. Once the metal is cut you can't put it back but you can always load deeper..

 

[X-fan]

I stand by my suggestion. You can always load .010-.130 deeper but you can't get any closer if your max col is .050 off. Just giving you more seating options.. Not suggesting you have to or should jam the lands in the original post. Just trying to give the most options to have the rifle shoot with a chosen bullet. Once the metal is cut you can't put it back but you can always load deeper..

How much shorter than saami spec is that?