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Post by kai on Jan 16, 2017 12:40:55 GMT -5
I have a couple of 44 cal barrels (44 mag and 444 Marlin in 416 stainless) and I'd like to re-chamber them for a longer custom 3 inch long case.
I'm considering having Pacific Tool & Gauge or Clymer make a custom reamer and bushing to re-cut the chambers, and I'm looking for high accuracy from these barrels. I have a lathe and machining experience but have never re-chambered a barrel.
How difficult would it be to re-chamber a barrel properly?
What's the best way to hold the reamer when cutting the chamber in a lathe?
Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Post by elkman1310 on Jan 16, 2017 17:05:50 GMT -5
What action are these straight wall cases on. Why are use using a 44 Cal. You should hold the chamber reamer in a floating reamer holder not in a ridged drill chuck because there is always a alignment problem between the tail stock and the head stock.
If you have a decent lathe and have experience setting up a barrel so get a minimum run out it is a pretty straight forward process. Looks like you will need a new chamber reamer and a head space gauge just by a GO gauge and place two layers of scotch taper on the rim of the gauge and trim it. This will give you about .003 the bolt should not close on that no go gauge.
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Post by kai on Jan 16, 2017 22:53:08 GMT -5
What action are these straight wall cases on. Why are use using a 44 Cal. You should hold the chamber reamer in a floating reamer holder not in a ridged drill chuck because there is always a alignment problem between the tail stock and the head stock. If you have a decent lathe and have experience setting up a barrel so get a minimum run out it is a pretty straight forward process. Looks like you will need a new chamber reamer and a head space gauge just by a GO gauge and place two layers of scotch taper on the rim of the gauge and trim it. This will give you about .003 the bolt should not close on that no go gauge. Elkman, thanks for your post. These barrels are for a TC Encore and a CVA Elite Stalker, both single shot break action guns. I'm using 44 cal because I'm testing new 44 cal bullets from CEB and I'd like to see how well I can get them to shoot in break action guns. I'm planning on cutting the recess in the breech for the case rim in a separate operation so I'll set the head space when I cut the recess for the rim. The plan is to re-cut the chambers for a 3 inch long brass case and load it with i3031. I estimate that a 3 inch long case will have a capacity of 71 grains with an estimated chamber pressure around 40K psi and an estimated MV of 2,600 FPS. I may decide to increase the depth of the chamber to use a slightly longer case with more powder depending on the recoil and chamber pressure. I still need to order the custom reamer, indicator rod, bushing and reamer holder for this project. Would you prefer Pacific Tool & Gauge or Clymer for the custom reamer? (I've read some negative reviews on PTG but don't know who would build the better reamer.) I am considering making a reamer holder out of some bar stock and a set screw to set the reamer depth and to let the reamer float. It would be like a "handle" on the reamer that I could push with a ball end pusher in the tail stock. Is there floating reamer holder that you'd recommend using instead of my simple bar stock "handle"? |
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Post by elkman1310 on Jan 18, 2017 21:42:51 GMT -5
Ptg makes good stuff but they hardly stock anything you have to wait 8 week for some simple stuff. But most custom things have waiting period. I wish you look with the CEB bullets I tried to get them to shoot out of my one 1,000 yard match rifle and they didn't do well. They check out good. No one shoots them at our 1,000 range. The guys for CEB came to a few matchs a couple of years ago and they have not been back there bullets are to expensive.
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Post by Hank on Jan 19, 2017 19:49:39 GMT -5
If chambering for a straight wall cartridge, and you are going to set the head space in a separate operation with a boring bar, I see no reason why you couldn't order a chucking reamer at the desired diameter and ream with that. Then get a throating reamer to cut the throat you need. This way if you decide to get a longer case, just ream a little deeper and re-cut the throat. The chucking reamer you can get from MSC tools and the throating reamer would be a standard tool that PT&G should have in stock,
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Post by linebaugh on Jan 19, 2017 20:10:59 GMT -5
I chambered a bolt action in 500 s&w exactly as Jeff just stated. Worked fine.
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Post by kai on Jan 21, 2017 2:52:14 GMT -5
If chambering for a straight wall cartridge, and you are going to set the head space in a separate operation with a boring bar, I see no reason why you couldn't order a chucking reamer at the desired diameter and ream with that. Then get a throating reamer to cut the throat you need. This way if you decide to get a longer case, just ream a little deeper and re-cut the throat. The chucking reamer you can get from MSC tools and the throating reamer would be a standard tool that PT&G should have in stock, Jeff... thanks for the comments. When I said I have a straight wall cartridge, I meant that the cartridge is not a bottle neck design, just a straight, slight taper. I am thinking of using a straight tapered reamer with a separate throater to allow me to cut the chamber deeper if desired. I called PTG today and their best people are at the SHOT Show. I'm waiting for someone from PTG to get back to me with specs of their 444 marlin throater to see if it should work for my application. |
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Post by kai on Jan 21, 2017 3:19:43 GMT -5
Ptg makes good stuff but they hardly stock anything you have to wait 8 week for some simple stuff. But most custom things have waiting period. I wish you look with the CEB bullets I tried to get them to shoot out of my one 1,000 yard match rifle and they didn't do well. They check out good. No one shoots them at our 1,000 range. The guys for CEB came to a few matchs a couple of years ago and they have not been back there bullets are to expensive. Elkman, I don't shoot nearly as well as you and some of the other guys on this forum. so for me, the accuracy I've gotten from the CEB's is as good as the FTX bullet alternative. Those are the only 2 choices I've found for 44 cal rifle bullets. Using a maximum charge of 58 grains of i3031 in my 2.5 inch long case, the 265 gn FTX bullet has a MV of 2,410 fps and can carry 1,000 FP of energy to 349 yards. The 250 gn CEB allows the use of 60 gn for a MV of 2,410 fps and it has a much better BC and will carry 1,000 foot pounds of energy to 490 yards with less drop and less wind drift. The CEB reaches out 141 yards farther than the FTX. That's quite a bit more than the FTX. I'm debating if I should try a 3 inch long chamber but first I need to chamber a 24 inch barrel to 2.5 inches to compare with my 22 inch Bergara/Pro Hunter to see how much difference the additional 2 inches make. |
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