First time Finish-Reaming a Short-Chambered Barrel

[tek4260]

The above is a simple way to see how much you are cutting.

and screwing the barrel down on a round will show you how much you will need to remove



Not scientific, but gives you an idea of how much has been cut and how much more needs to be cut to save all the checking for the end when you are close.

[fguffey]

Are we there yet? Hours of reaming, it is possible all the reamers are dull, just how dangerous would a sharp reamer would be. I own all of my reamers, I have access to 200+ more, I never know how sharp the other reamers are going to be. If the chamber is short, I determine how short.

F. Guffey

[Deep Six]

Yeah it's done. See the last 10 posts or so. The first reamer was bad. I finished in 45 minutes with the 2nd reamer they sent me. My cutting oil worked fine once I had a working reamer.

[akajun]

Posts like this make me glad I have a lathe. However, I do use pull through reamers on m1 garands, m1a's, 03a3's, etc when chambering short chambered criterion and krieger barrels. If you have never used one I highly recomend that route if you are going to hand turn a lot of chambers. Its actually faster than on my lathe and , I feel, just as accurate. Also it only takes about 10 minutes, mostly because you have to back the reamer out and blow off the chips. However when the bolt closes, your chamber is at 0 headspace. I usually take anotherfull turn with a little forward pressure on the bolt to give an extra .001.
Also one of the best chambering/tapping fluids I have ever used is rigid pipe threading oil cut 20% with ATF. If used to be a recomended lubricant on the ptg website.

[2shot]

I had ordered a brand new reamer form one of the BIG supplyers of chambering reamers. had the same problem you did and I called and talked with the owner of the company. Sent it back and the reamer was checked. Seems that the whole batch of reamers that were sharpened with the one I recieved had the wrong angle cut on the reamer. It would spin but not cut. I was sent a new one and all is good now. Glad you got a new reamer, obviously the first one you were sent had a bad angle on it.

2shot

[fguffey]

obviously the first one you were sent had a bad angle on it.

And it could not have been anything else.

akajun, I have no problem with making all the measurements and cutting the chamber before installing the barrel. I also have modified bolts, they are not for everyone.

F.Guffey

[lefty o]

And it could not have been anything else.

lets see, same guy, same barrel, same cutting fluid, different reamer=different results. where do you think the problem was?

[fguffey]

it can take a while by hand. just continue turning with light hand pressure pushing forward as you turn it. it shouldnt feel grabby or like its biting hard, but continue to pull it and clean of all the chips periodically, and keep it well lubed, and do not turn it backwards. you probably wont visually see much progress until you get to the last few thousandths and can actually watch the bolt handle start closing.

So, satisfied with the reamer, I oiled it up and proceeded to test fit it in the chamber. It was a good snug fit yet turned smoothly. I pulled it out and put more oil in the chamber. Then back in with the reamer, followed by attaching the t-handle. Here's where things get strange: it doesn't really cut. I gave it several turns and it didn't really feel like it was "grabbing" any steel like I'm used to with other reamers. After about 20 turns, I pulled it out to inspect. Almost no shavings. Cleaned the chamber then checked the go-gauge and no progress. I then did a second inspection to make sure I was turning it the right direction - check. So back in for about 100 turns. This time there was a slight amount of shavings on the shoulder area of the reamer but still no measurable progress on the go-gauge.

I did this for about an hour. Probably better than 600 turns on it now. I would do about 100, pull it out and clean the very small amount of

Its actually faster than on my lathe and , I feel, just as accurate. Also it only takes about 10 minutes, mostly because you have to back the reamer out and blow off the chips.

600 turns? "I did this for an hour?" and then

Also it only takes about 10 minutes

The answers got better as the thread moved forward.

Speaking of moving forward:

you probably wont visually see much progress until you get to the last few thousandths and can actually watch the bolt handle start closing.

did you assume he was using a pull through reamer, I ask because Acajun mentioned a pull through late on page 3, and? He understood 600 turns and a hour of turning shouts, STOP! Something is seriously wrong.

F. Guffey

[akajun]

No Mr. GUffey, It is obvious that the OP was not using a Pull through reamer. I was just posting that for the benifit of others who do not have a lathe that they can finish ream chambers by hand with a better meathod than using a t hande on a socket extention, or if they do have a lathe, that I can chamber the barrel without having to wait for my lathe to be free, setting up, and dialing in, taking a cut and measuring.
THe problem with using a reamer by hand and pushing, is that you can easily cut an oversize or off center chamber . While not impossible, with a pull through reamer the likelyhood of doing so is nill. Just pointing out another means to an end for a functioning rifle.

[fguffey]

akajun

No Mr. GUffey, It is obvious that the OP was not using a Pull through reamer

Akajun, forgive, you are correct. It was obvious to you and me, I understood every word you said, but the quote I posted:

it can take a while by hand. just continue turning with light hand pressure pushing forward as you turn it. it shouldnt feel grabby or like its biting hard, but continue to pull it and clean of all the chips periodically, and keep it well lubed, and do not turn it backwards.

you probably wont visually see much progress until you get to the last few thousandths and can actually watch the bolt handle start closing.

came from one of the first responses.

About that time there was oil and more oil and plenty of oil and continue as in keep on keeping on and continue doing it wrong. I appreciate the help,

Thank you,

F. Guffey

[lefty o]

since you quoted me, i will tell you. no, it was not assumed he was using a pull through reamer, it was assumed he was using a standard finishing reamer. but i digress, no one but you knows everything, so we'll all just bow down now!