Need opinions on a reamer

C

chuck williams

Guest
i am guilty of being a tight a$$ and was pondering a new bench gun. i was really wanting a 30br but with the price of brass and the availability i started looking elsewhere. i also have a full length 308 tactical rifle in the works. anyway, i thought i might just buy a match 308 reamer and run it in .250 short to create a 30x47. the specs will be a .340 neck and .050 freebore. i intend to shoot 155's in the 308 chamber and never heavier than 168's. i wanted it to shoot factory match ammo in a pinch hence the .340 neck. will i be able to reach the lands with the 125gr match bullets on the longer jackets with the .050 freebore in the 30x47 chamber? how will the 30x47 shoot with a 36x scope? any good loads to share? i have already modified several dies for case forming and loading and have 50 pieces of brass just about done. i am set on the 30x47 but really would like some opinions on reamer specs to suite both of these projects. thanks for everyones time in advance.

chuck
 
Buy Two Reamers

Greetings,
Any of the various permutations of the 30X47 should shoot well with bullets in the range of 125 grains. I must point out that the least expensive thing that represents the greatest value and longest life is a chambering reamer especially if you are going to do your own work. If you are going to hire the work done use a smith with the reamer you want. If you are going to have a buddy do your work split the cost of the reamers and let him keep them for the use of his time and equipment

When we have a customer that wants a barrel chambered with an uncommon chambering, for which we do not own a reamer, we have a reamer surcharge and retain the reamer after purchase. The surcharge is a floating price depending on how long it might be until we have a use for that reamer again. If the customer requests a reasonably common chambering we will buy a new reamer for his job and not charge any extra. We gave up a long time ago on renting reamers, it just never worked out, and one man’s gentle use in another’s serious abuse.

I stick a 36 power scope on my hunter rig when I’m load testing and it works just fine. I take off the 36X and put the 6X back on for practice and competition.

The .340 neck will work for your .308 but you might want to watch the Federal brass tends to run a bit thicker than other brands. I would have to recommend a .330 neck for your 30X47.

As for freebore I would say that you would be best served by having more freebore for your .308 with the longer 168 grain HPBT bullets than the .050 you mentioned. For your 30X47 you will like having a bit less freebore or even zero if you shoot Randy’s bullets. We have two 30X47 reamers with .010 freebores one is for Lapua 6.5X47 brass and the other is for shortened Winchester brand .308 brass. Both work well for all of the bullets that I use.

If you want to go a very cost effective way, have your 30X47 reamer ground for use with Winchester brass. Winchester brass is a little smaller at the datum that other brass especially Lapua. Winchester Brass cost about a third the cost of the Lapua brass.

Good Luck,
Nic.
 
nic,

thanks for the reply. i realize that using one reamer for two chambers is always a compromise. i was just thinking it might be feasible in this case. i have measured lots of federal brass and i am finding it to be .015 or slightly less in the neck which is why i thought a .340 neck would be good. i can just clean up the necks on some federal or LC match brass and still have a good fit in the 30x47 chamber and should be fine with a .338 loaded round in the 308 chamber. do you think i will be able to reach the lands with .050 freebore and the current long jacket 125 match bullets? i know some of the palma reamers use .050 freebore for the 155's which is what i intend to load in the 308 and i have heard people using the 168's without issue though they do say the 175mk federal GMM is loaded too long to work. i can modify the case forming dies i made and actually make some BR brass but i thought i would like to do things a little different than everyone else.

chuck
 
chuck williams said:
i am guilty of being a tight a$$ and was pondering a new bench gun. i was really wanting a 30br but with the price of brass and the availability i started looking elsewhere. i also have a full length 308 tactical rifle in the works. anyway, i thought i might just buy a match 308 reamer and run it in .250 short to create a 30x47. the specs will be a .340 neck and .050 freebore. i intend to shoot 155's in the 308 chamber and never heavier than 168's. i wanted it to shoot factory match ammo in a pinch hence the .340 neck. will i be able to reach the lands with the 125gr match bullets on the longer jackets with the .050 freebore in the 30x47 chamber? how will the 30x47 shoot with a 36x scope? any good loads to share? i have already modified several dies for case forming and loading and have 50 pieces of brass just about done. i am set on the 30x47 but really would like some opinions on reamer specs to suite both of these projects. thanks for everyones time in advance.

chuck
Click to expand...

I built one for Hunterclass with a .334 neck by holding out a 308 reamer. I machined a 308 redding die set, and use a .328 bushing. I now use 30x47 Lapua brass, but have also used 308 brass with a lot of pita trimming.

Ben
 
how did it shoot? i rough trimmed my formed brass on the lathe with a wilson case holder chucked up in the three jaw and finished on the trimmer. went surprisingly fast.

chuck
 
chuck

I posted on the other forum so at the risk of repeating myself, how does holding out a 308 reamer by .250" make a 30 x 47mm ?:confused:

Ray
 
if it will make you sleep better, we can call it a .250 short .308. what would you prefer it be called? from what i have read there were numerous cases based on the .308 or 300 savage called 30x44, 30x45, 30x47, etc. i guess i can measure it, convert it to mm and tell you EXACTLY what it is. anyway, sorry for being a smarty. do you have any experience or load data to share on a .250 short .308. i would even take some data on a .251, .252, .253, or maybe even a .249 short .308.

chuck
 
Chuck

I do have some experience with a 30 x 47 (1.850") and a 308 x 1.5" (1.500"). A 308 run in .250" short is 1.765" which is closer to a 30 x 45mm. Not trying to be a smart a$$, just trying to be accurate.

Ray
 
ray,

i will address the cartridge as the 30x45 from now on. thanks for the information. can you give me some load data? at least some powders to start with and an approximate charge weight base on your experience with the 30x47? thanks.

chuck
 
chuck

The old original 30x47 was one of the premier HBR cartridges at one time. The favored parent case was the 300 Savage which is 47mm long. It was used mostly with the lighter bullets and slow twist barrels so loads my not be applicable to what you'll be shooting. Case capacity was about 48 grains of H2O. Favorite powders were WW748 and H4895.

I'd guess that your 30x45 would have a case capacity more like a 30-30 (45 grains of H2O) and low end 30-30 loads may be a good place to start. Or you might look at loads mid-way between a 30 BR and and a 30-30, if you're the cautious type (not a bad thing).

Some HBR shooters use a 30x44 and maybe they can give you some starting loads. Most of the current HBR cartridges (including the modern 30x47) use steeper shoulder angles so adjustment has to be made for that.

Since you have cases already made, measure a few for capacity and you should be able to make some informed decisions based on that.

Welcome to the world of wildcatting.

Ray
 
that prompted the old grey matter

when cheechako said the 300 savage was a 30 X47 i recalled back in the 1980's alot of metallic shillouette shooters used that cartridge in wildcat form for the unlimited pistols. it was called the IMSA line of cartridges. possibly some of the old reloading manuals one has will list a 30 IMSA or 300 Savage. that would list some good powders to start with. just a suggestion, as one knows free advise is always worth its investment. (pun intended) Fred
 
thanks for the info. guys. i have looked at 300 savage and the imhsa (?) or whatever they are called, cartridges. by looking at my brass, i think case capacity will be probably 5 grains less than either. i have both 4895's, 322, 335, blc-2, 2230, and a couple of others to try. i will start at low 30-30 and work up. the barrel is 1-17 so i think i will stick with the 125's on 1" jackets.

chuck
 
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