Look at these 2 videos and compare the precision of a simple chamber reaming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcOiE9fRp3w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...U87Y&feature=related


Definately shows that the barrel has to be removed, set up perfectly straight in the headstock, then the reamer set perfectly straight and held perfectly.

Does a person have to buy a Grizzly lathe to get perfect results? Can a $10,000 green 1970's chinese farm lathe be set up with the perfection of the second video?

Unless the lathe is in very poor shape. The set-up is relatively easy. The precision is in the operator more than the lathe. A lathe is the only machine tool that can work to closer tolerances than it was made too. It is also the only machine tool that can reproduce it self. If your headstock bearing are good you will be OK......Tom