Do customers buy and have gunsmith use the reamer customer purchases? The reason I was thinking of that is I will have extra barrels that will in the future be used to cut chambers for a couple of differnt rifles. I was thinking that with same reamer load developement time may be shorter.
Gunsmithing Customer supplied reamer
- Thread starter ronas
- Start date
It may help, however; barrels are different, even if you use the same mfg, same length, twist, etc., however; having a sizing die made with same reamer, has been used by many with good results. Reamers wear, the 4th tube won't cut the same as the first. I'm not a smith, but that is what I've always been told by those in the chip cutting business.
Here is a quote from Clymer Reamers catalog/web page cat:
''Most ‘smiths realize this and it is repeated here only to emphasize that chambering reamers are complex,
expensive tools, and require more care for successful use than other cutting tools. Because of the way
they have to be made to cut forward tapes, new chambering reamers require a “break-in” period.
Anyone who has cut chambers will have noticed that brand new reamers rarely cut equally on all flutes.
The above-mentioned break-in period occurs over the first few chambers cut by the new tool during
which the cutting edges wear, microscopically, to the same height. After “break-in,” all flutes will cut
more-or-less equally. The reamer will also become easier to use and have less tendency to dig in.
Proper break-in of a reamer requires a sensitive touch on the part of the ‘smith - push a new reamer too
hard and it will wear unevenly; feed it too lightly and it may chatter. There is no hard and fast rule for
the rate at which a chambering reamer should be fed.'''
---Please note, this may only be for Clymer Reamers, as there are those that chamber barrel after barrel,and never have any difference at all! Or at least that is what they say, I don't know if they are taking casts of their chambers or what, but most tools wear, at least Clymer reamers wear. I remember a quote from Rip Van Winkle: " The only tool that grows sharper with constant use, is a woman's tongue." (Or something very close to this). Again, this may only be for Clymer Reamers, other brands may not need a break in, or wear out.
Here is a quote from Clymer Reamers catalog/web page cat:
''Most ‘smiths realize this and it is repeated here only to emphasize that chambering reamers are complex,
expensive tools, and require more care for successful use than other cutting tools. Because of the way
they have to be made to cut forward tapes, new chambering reamers require a “break-in” period.
Anyone who has cut chambers will have noticed that brand new reamers rarely cut equally on all flutes.
The above-mentioned break-in period occurs over the first few chambers cut by the new tool during
which the cutting edges wear, microscopically, to the same height. After “break-in,” all flutes will cut
more-or-less equally. The reamer will also become easier to use and have less tendency to dig in.
Proper break-in of a reamer requires a sensitive touch on the part of the ‘smith - push a new reamer too
hard and it will wear unevenly; feed it too lightly and it may chatter. There is no hard and fast rule for
the rate at which a chambering reamer should be fed.'''
---Please note, this may only be for Clymer Reamers, as there are those that chamber barrel after barrel,and never have any difference at all! Or at least that is what they say, I don't know if they are taking casts of their chambers or what, but most tools wear, at least Clymer reamers wear. I remember a quote from Rip Van Winkle: " The only tool that grows sharper with constant use, is a woman's tongue." (Or something very close to this). Again, this may only be for Clymer Reamers, other brands may not need a break in, or wear out.
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I always buy my own reamers. With my high pressure flush system I can tell you from first hand experience that the fired brass from the 1st chamber fits easy in the 10th and vise versa.
Depends, I have friends that own their reamers and have an accurate accounting of the brass it was specified for, barrels cut with it, etc etc.
Some rifle builders won't touch a customer supplied reamer unless it's under very specific conditions. For the folks that I mentioned above that own all their own reamers they also happen to have excellent relationships with the select few builders that they use and that trust is mutual. The builders know that when they get the reamer in hand with the receiver from these customers the reamer has been sitting (in oil paper) in a drawer since it was last used.
Barrel length can many times be more important than the reamer used for a specific ammunition. OP, if you want to cut down load development significantly don't change the barrel length for subsequent rebarrelings and you'll be much closer than just trying to hold onto the reamer.
Some rifle builders won't touch a customer supplied reamer unless it's under very specific conditions. For the folks that I mentioned above that own all their own reamers they also happen to have excellent relationships with the select few builders that they use and that trust is mutual. The builders know that when they get the reamer in hand with the receiver from these customers the reamer has been sitting (in oil paper) in a drawer since it was last used.
Barrel length can many times be more important than the reamer used for a specific ammunition. OP, if you want to cut down load development significantly don't change the barrel length for subsequent rebarrelings and you'll be much closer than just trying to hold onto the reamer.
If a customer supplies a reamer to us for his build, we make a notation on the work order. Otherwise, too many people get tooooo caught up in heresay. If the reamer is corrupt, wore out, etc we will know when chambering. Or it may cut like a razor. The customer has the option once we cut it and the results. Set back and let us use our reamers. In the grand scheme of things, customers who supply reamers have bought the reamer for a single purpose. They have talked to PTG or JGS and ordered it. Usually it is brand new. Some customers have bought a reamer, we build the gun and they are happy, then their buddy wants one like it so we use the original reamer from the customer.
