If you had a GS Shop and were ordering Reamers???

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

We are going to put in a order for Reamers.
If you owned a GS right now and was going to put an order in or some Reamers which Manufacture would you go with and what reamers would you prefer SAAM,I Match, Custom Big difference in price between manufactures $$$$ And Why?? HSS or Carbide??
What cartridges would you order??? and Why???
Gun Smiths please chime in.
Thanks Len & Jill

 

[MagnumManiac]

I have always bought and trusted Manson and Clymer reamers, throating reamers and other necessary items. I find carbide to wear better than HSS. Although feed rate plays a big part in this.
I used to use PT&G reamers, but something happened there and they can't be trusted to match the reamer prints.
Although this happened, I still use many of their products in my custom builds, bottom metal, cocking pieces, one piece bolts, recoil lugs and myriad of other parts. Also use their headspace gauges.
I won't qualify an answer regarding what chambering, as I would get quite a few differing requests, if I didn't have the reamer, I knew where I could borrow one from. If I got asked for the same chambering a few times, I just bought a reamer to suit, happened with the 7STW in about 2 months and I chambered a take off barrel for myself while I was at it.
As to type of reamer, I find most clients building a full custom either want custom throated reamers of their own print, match grade with a longer throat or just a match grade chamber. Most re-barrel jobs have been match grade or SAAMI. The numbers in favour of SAAMI.

Cheers.

 

[tobnpr]

JMO
When I started, I just ordered what I needed, as I needed, from Manson.
SAAMI reamers are almost always stocked, so why drop the coin on buying reamers you may not use for a while, if at all?
If you don't have the SAAMI reamer and you get an order for a rebarrel, just order it and you'll have it in a few days. Manson usually ships next day- a few days at the most.

If it's a custom, you (and the customer) are gonna have to wait. A customer that wants a custom throat, neck, freebore expects that.
On customs, I split the cost of the reamer. Maybe I'll use it again, maybe not. I wouldn't order "custom" reamers without a customer for it...

I buy as needed, and drawers in the Kennedy box get filled accordingly.

 

[cb186]

All of my new reamers are JGS. I refuse to order from PTG, if at all possible. I have some used reamers that are Clymer and PTG, but those are EBay deals.
I order my reamers with a certain no turn neck in mind.
I have 4 reamers on order now, that are, I feel will be popular, so I don't have to wait when someone want one.

 

[Apex Custom Rifles]

I order JGS and Manson HSS reamers usually. They always are in spec and cut great. Tried a PTG reamer recently thinking it's worth a shot, Got one flute doing most of the cutting, what a waste. I have about half SAAMI reamers and half custom or variations of SAAMI that you can still run with most quality dies if needed.

As for offerings, based on a what a guy specializes in or works on the most. PRS cartridges, BR, F-class, or hunting rifles. Last few rifles I did off the top of my head were, 300 WM, 223 Rem, 6.5 CM, 6.5x47, 300 PRC, 300 RUM. I have to order a 7PRC reamer in the next day or two for a guy that walked in the other day.

 

[Taylorbok]

I'd only order reamers you have a job for, as mentioned only a couple days for in stock saami reamers.
Most people just want/ need a custom freebore which can be done separately using a throating reamer.
If people want lots of little tweaks made to a reamer they usually get the reamer themselves.

 

[bamban]

I only know one gunsmith, the rest I know, including myself, do not qualify as gunsmith. Re-barreling is not gunsmithing, it is just machining 101. Having said that, I order reamers when I need one. I am in the camp to use a reamer specific to the application. No throaters, just me. I am not in the business, just a hobbyist, all expenditures, not worried on ROI. Enjoying the hobby.

My friends buy their own to our agreed upon spec, I keep the reamer in the shop.

I order mostly JGS. Manson reamers are great, I wish they use screws to hold the bushings on their HSS reamers. I do have a bagful of c clips to replace the ones that disappeared in thin air.

 

[Taylorbok]

I am in the camp to use a reamer specific to the application. No throaters, just me.

I agree it's better to use a reamer suited to the application but something like a 300 PRC guys shooting 180-250 gr bullets, some out of a box mag some single feeding. It's not practical to order a custom reamer every time.

 

[2000gtacoma]

JGS or manson

 

[Jud96]

My personal reamers are HSS from Manson and I have a couple older PTG reamers as well. I would order Manson reamers if I was opening up a shop. They're great to work with and have answered any and all questions I've had. As far as what spec reamers to order, I like to tweak reamers to have the throat specs I want, proper diameter neck for .004-.006 clearance without turning, and sometimes the necessary body dimension changes, like on the PRCs, to make sure the commonly available dies will work. The generic "match" reamers are typically tight specs everywhere and generally have longer freebore. In my opinion, and the opinion of those with much more experience, the tighter reamers aren't always the way to go. I would make up a bunch of dummy rounds with the cartridges you plan to order reamers for with common bullets and send them to Manson or measure them up yourself to get the dimensions correct. Spec'ing reamers and tweaking things really interests me and I think there's a lot of little things that can be adjusted on the reamer and can lead to a better chamber design overall. I don't like neck turning, I like using off the shelf dies and brass, and I like to have the bullet(s) I plan to use to touch the lands with the bearing surface being above the neck/shoulder junction. Most of the time little tweaks need to be made to the reamer in order for the above goals to be met. One way to make a "one size fits all" reamer would be to order it with a freebore that works with lighter-mid weight bullets, then throat longer if necessary for heavier bullets. This would allow you to have the body/neck dimensions you like without having multiple reamers of the same cartridge but with varying length freebores. I prefer cutting everything at once so chamber after chamber will be as close to identical as possible, but this might not be the best option for everyone and using a throating reamer from time to time might be the best option for you to be more flexible without needing a lot of different reamers.

I would order these reamers to my spec's based on the measurements from premium brass with common bullet weights. I would start with these, because of their popularity and for being good cartridges, then order reamers as orders for different chamberings comes in. I'm sure there's a few others I'd add, but these are what I can think of off the top of my head that seem to be the most common chambers I have seen.

.223
22 Creedmoor
6BR
6mm Creedmoor
.243 Win
6.5 Creedmoor
6.5 PRC
7 PRC
7mm Rem Mag
308 Win
300 Win Mag
300 PRC

 

[kopcicle]

I buy as needed, and drawers in the Kennedy box get filled accordingly.

And

I buy matching die reamers for "most" applications.

"Most" customers will purchase their own dies for their own reasons, with their own money, and it's not your circus, not your monkey, and be glad of it.

However, down the road, someone will want a chamber you've already cut several times, and isn't a sub MOA guy, that just wants to shoot and doesn't mind reloading. Die blanks are relatively inexpensive. Two sales for the price of one. No circus, happy monkey.

And yes , SAAMI specification is the overwhelming majority.

BTW, when a customer specifies his own reamer dimensions have them order the reamer direct from the supplier. No monkeying around.

And if a customer insists on a virgin reamer, same thing.
If this mutt thinks so little of me to think I'd chamber his rifle with a dull reamer* he can monkey around with somebody else's monkey.
No one needs that customer so badly that it's worth being being married to his rifle for life. Believe me the two go hand in hand.
This one will break a firing pin years later and blame the loss of a trophy monkey as well as the cost of the entire hunt on YOU.
Not on the multitude of times the weapon was dry fired w/o snap cap while larping in the mirror as the great white hunter.

Jaded much? Ubetcha.

*I have had a reamer quit in the middle of a job and had to overnight one at my cost. I got a significant piece of the first Elk that rifle took.
Different kind of monkey and no circus ;-)

 

[kopcicle]

@Coyote Shadow Tracker
Humor aside you should have common pistol and rifle calibers on hand. Common as defined by ammunition sales in your part of the world generally, and your neighborhood specifically. If you're not too pushy and explain yourself even Wall Mart will give you details.

If you have the bed length and a reliable steady rest consider .22 x 5/16" barrel liners and "barrel liner drills" yes it's a thing.
I guess it goes without saying that a 22LR reamer is part of the kit.

Out west we are so diverse that 30-30, 30-06, .308, and 270 are common but not the majority of the work. 30-30 because who thinks to re-barrel a lever gun? The others because bore rarely gets used up.
The .308 being the exception because of semi-auto use.
The rest are caliber of the month (week?) and the "what if" guy.

If you truly want to cover your bases and have a good selection of reamers on hand, again, track ammunition sales and have someone spy on the local ranges.

Wherever the reamers come from keep an eye on lead times so you can quote a customer a lead time.

keep a cool tool and don't worry.