6.5x284 Norma reamer from PTG

[swampdog112]

I'm in the process of having my first custom hunting rifle built. I've decided to go with 6.5x284 Norma and received my Hart barrel last week. I've been looking at the different reamers on PTGs website and have obtained the specs for all of them. Here lies my question:

I'm wanting to shoot the Berger VLD 140's and Berger calls for a COAL of 3.228. At this length, the bearing surface is only seated in about 1/2 the neck. If I seat the bullet with the bottom of the bearing surface flush with the bottom of the case neck (approx .264 inches) I end up with a COAL in the ball park of 3.09 and a length to ogive around 2.41"

On to my question... On the 6.5x284 Lapua reamer specs I see a measurement for the "lead" at 2.385" and a measurement for the "throat" at 2.604". On the 6.5x284 Norma reamer specs I see a measurement for the "lead" at 2.384" and a measurement for the "throat" at 2.604". There are several other variations but I used these 2 as examples bc they have the longest measurements in these 2 areas.

If I understand correctly, the "lead" measurement corresponds to the ogive length. If this is correct, none of PTG's reamers allow for a high bc VLD style bullet to be seated to spec? Assuming 10-20 thousandths off the lands, their longest throated reamer wouldn't even accommodate a VLD seated at 3.00" even? I feel like I'm missing something.

I know I could have a custom reamer built around a dummy cartridge but I have everything else ready to go and was hoping not to have to wait 6-8 weeks to get this project started. I'm hoping I'm misunderstanding the measurements and one of their in stock off the shelf versions will work. Hoping someone else is running VLD's with this cartridge and can lend some expertise?

Thanks!

 

[shortgrass]

I'm in the process of having my first custom hunting rifle built. I've decided to go with 6.5x284 Norma and received my Hart barrel last week. I've been looking at the different reamers on PTGs website and have obtained the specs for all of them. Here lies my question:

I'm wanting to shoot the Berger VLD 140's and Berger calls for a COAL of 3.228. At this length, the bearing surface is only seated in about 1/2 the neck. If I seat the bullet with the bottom of the bearing surface flush with the bottom of the case neck (approx .264 inches) I end up with a COAL in the ball park of 3.09 and a length to ogive around 2.41"

On to my question... On the 6.5x284 Lapua reamer specs I see a measurement for the "lead" at 2.385" and a measurement for the "throat" at 2.604". On the 6.5x284 Norma reamer specs I see a measurement for the "lead" at 2.384" and a measurement for the "throat" at 2.604". There are several other variations but I used these 2 as examples bc they have the longest measurements in these 2 areas.

If I understand correctly, the "lead" measurement corresponds to the ogive length. If this is correct, none of PTG's reamers allow for a high bc VLD style bullet to be seated to spec? Assuming 10-20 thousandths off the lands, their longest throated reamer wouldn't even accommodate a VLD seated at 3.00" even? I feel like I'm missing something.

I know I could have a custom reamer built around a dummy cartridge but I have everything else ready to go and was hoping not to have to wait 6-8 weeks to get this project started. I'm hoping I'm misunderstanding the measurements and one of their in stock off the shelf versions will work. Hoping someone else is running VLD's with this cartridge and can lend some expertise?

Thanks!

First off, I'm surprised you'd consider PT&G tooling with all the negative I've seen on the forums in the last 6 Months. Personally, I won't buy from them. Been nothing but problems of one sort or the other with the 6-8 of theirs I have bought. Buy your reamer from JGS or Dave Manson. Buy a throating reamer at the same time. Get both with removable pilots. Most good gunsmiths already have these tools and can throat to your dummy round. You're way over thinking this.

 

[Edd]

If you want to seat a 140 gr Berger VLD hunting bullet where the back of the bullet bearing surface is even with the neck/shoulder junction and the front of the bearing surface is .020" off of the lands, you will need the PTG drawing measurement from the bolt face to the front of the lead to be about 2.352". This will give you an OAL of about 3.083".

The CIP spec is 2.496" and 3.228".