kev,
Thank you for responding.
From the tone of your response it seems you have a bur under your saddle.
I don't think I've ever misinterpreted anything you have written.
Who ever said you thought, "every rifle in America needs to be rechambered to shoot the exceptional ammunition Lapua makes".
It certainly wasn't me, but you addressed it to me.
Apparently you have completely missed the purpose of this thread. That purpose was to state:
1. I don't know how one would chamber for one brand of ammunition. In my experience they all vary, brand to brand, and lot to lot within a brand.
2. Share the fact that when I cut chambers, I use the current lot I'm shooting as my target the best I can.
I also shared that there is no guarantee the next lot I buy will measure the same or shoot as well in the barrel as the lot I used when I cut the chamber.
2. If there is a way people are cutting chambers just for one brand I was hoping to learn that technique. Although I doubt seriously I would ever use it.
As you saw, the conversation took a turn when one member said his Nevius chamber did not engrave the bullet, and another member stated his did, and went on to say you had called for .030 engraving.
My hope was you would join the thread and shed some light on the subject.
But as often happens on the internet, you didn't read what was actually said, you went with your emotions, apparently that of hating RFBR, and responded as if you had been victimized.
Check the record Kev. Many more RFBR shooters have praised your achievements than have criticized your efforts, and that includes me.
I do understand your emotions. You have been asked to attend RFBR matches of which you have refused.
That is also your rite, but you shouldn't take your fear of getting your butt kicked, as being picked on.
This does not give you the rite to disparage the RFBR community for things they never did.
TKH (4628)
Tony:
Okay, lets take this piece by piece (following your numbered responses above):
1. I obviously do believe there are ways to optimize a chamber for a particular brand of ammunition, which is an has been subject to debate. The lot to lot variance you are using as a deterrent to this idea has not been so apparent in the ammunition I choose to use. So yes, I do know how one would chamber for a specific brand of ammunition (my experience only, unfortunately just as valid as your own).
2. Again, I have not seen enough variance in the virtually hundreds of lots of Lapua ammunition I have had access to that would dissuade me from the idea. I keep the remnants of several lots solely for setup, but checking newer lots through the years in these chambers has not revealed significant variance - especially at the target (which is the only measuring stick that matters).
3. Regarding shedding light - the dimensional data shared is what I have been using. Since 2011 I have continued to experiment, and am still using it simply because it shoots very well.
4. You have absolutely no right to twist my words - I do NOT hate RFBR. You should know better. You are an icon in the sport, and your words carry weight. With that weight comes responsibility. You are not the person I thought you were. I do remember all of the posts on Calfee's site during the discussion of these chambering ideas - look them up, they are what I am specifically talking about.
5. And I am hoping to attend some BR matches in the future, and I would hope I would be welcomed. I have no asperations of winning, but as I get older I find that winning was possibly never what drew me to the sport in the first place. It certainly isn't what keeps me coming back. Regardless of what you believe, I think I might find some friends in the sport.
6. To add something to the thread - this is how I chamber. I use carbide live pilot reamers, made by JGS. I remove barrel stock and face the ends, and true ID / OD concentricity using a live center in the tailstock. While it is still fixtured, I set up my steady rest (at the tail stock), and back off the live center. I then insert a bushed taper pin, and check for runout at the face and at the pin end. If I don't see zero, I repeat the process until I do. I then chamber at the tail stock end of the bed (with the barrel supported in the steady rest) at 180rpm, using Tap Magic cutting fluid - slowly fed, clearing chips every .100". I, like you, use a floating reamer holder - mine is a JGS. When I think I am near final depth, I check it with several live rounds (cleaned, never using the same round of course) and use a separate indicator to measure engagement. I then chamber to final depth based on the measurements. I use a bronze dowel and progressively finer sandpaper to polish the .007" radius at the case mouth. I inspect the final chamber off machine with a jewelers lope, and if I see any abnormalities, imperfections or burrs at the lands I rechamber.
And if I had any fear at all of being beaten, I never would have tried this sport in the first place.
I really wish you hadn't responded this way - and honestly, I didn't think my response warranted it.
For what it's worth, I hope you and yours have a great Christmas.
kev