If I have a reamer custom made to blow out 30-06 based brass to a short neck and ~35 degree shoulder, can I use it on multiple bore diameters? Do I need to get both a rough in reamer and a finish reamer if I'm only doing a few rifles?

Initially, I'm thinking I will do a 338 and 375 size cartridge. The Ackley Improved variants are easy but, especially with the 375, I want all the powder capacity I can get. So, I'm thinking I will do my own "PDK" style variant and deal with the case fireforming and custom reloading dies.

Thanks in advance for the help and insight,
Sid

Sid,
The only way that would work is with the interchangable pilots, and you would still have to have separate neck & throater reamers. With the added expense, it would probably be as cheap just to buy solid polot reamers cut to your specs, for each cartridge. That said, I would strongly urge you to rethink. You are pretty much describing the Gibbs line of cartridges. That might save you a lot of pain & expense. It is always better to go with a (even somewhat) standardized cartridge than with a full-blown wildcat. The cost of reamers, form dies and F/L and neck dies can get expensive right quick. And that usually gives only an imagined advantage to what's already out there on the shelf. JMHO,,,,,,,,,,,Bug.

quote:

If I have a reamer custom made to blow out 30-06 based brass to a short neck and ~35 degree shoulder, can I use it on multiple bore diameters? Do I need to get both a rough in reamer and a finish reamer if I'm only doing a few rifles?

Sid that is exactly how I made mine. Originally I simply had a 280 reamer cut with a fixed pilot. Then sent it back to be converted to a removable pilot. I've used only a finish reamer. If you are only build a few for yourself no need for a rough reamer.

So for a 338-375 have it cut with a 338 neck and then get a 375 pilot. For the 375 you will then need a neck/throat reamer. You have two options a combo will normally come with a standard throat unless you have a custom made. You can usually rent or borrow a neck/throat reamer. If you get a neck only and then a throat reamer you can then set your throat up as you want it. You can also cut the neck longer if needed as well. If you buy your neck reamers a neck/throat combo, neck only and throat only will all cost the same so the combo ends up being half the cost since you only need the one.

One thing to consider at least from Clymer a 308 and higher use the same ID pilot so if you think there is ever a chance of building a 308 version have the reamer made for 308 and use neck/throat reamers for anything bigger. When I use my 280 to go above 308 I needed custom pilots which added a few $$ to the cost. Lesson learned start with a reamer in the smallest caliber you ever think you might build. You can go up but going down is a royal pain in the a$$.

If you are going to the trouble of designing your own I would consider using a 280, 270, Howell or cylinder brass as the parent and make the neck a little longer. The Gibbs is only .25" while the longer neck will not add net capacity in most cases it does give you more neck to hold the bullet. Unless you are really going to change the Gibbs design a Gibbs reamer will be about half the cost of a full custom. Either buy or rent a Gibbs with removable pilots and rent or buy neck and throat reamers.

I had orginially built my 416 using blown out 280s when I set the lighter bullets in the cannelure I left magazine capacity on the table. When I built the 411 I simply used 2.65" 06 clynder brass that allowed me to gain net capacity by moving the bullet forward and still seating in the cannelure.

quote:

blow out 30-06 based brass to a short neck and ~35 degree shoulder

= Rocky Gibbs series of cartridges! I believe using a longer or shorter neck than found on the Gibbs rounds has also already been done! Nothing new or revolutionary here at all, and Gibbs reamers are available commercially.

quote:

Rocky Gibbs series of cartridges! I believe using a longer or shorter neck than found on the Gibbs rounds has also already been done!

Now that is a fact. One that comes to mind is the PDK, Gibbs style shoulder .017" forward 40 vs 35deg and 280 cases vs 06. To be honest if I had known about the Gibbs before I started I might not have or he would have at least saved me a lot of research. I do like a little longer neck than the Gibbs.

Cheapest by far is rent a gibbs reamer. If you want a longer neck rent a neck/throater as well. As I've said before one of the cheapest and easiest to get into a long neck style Gibbs is the Howell line from American Hunting Rifles. Shoulder starts basically the same spot as my PDKs shoulder is 30deg and case is 2.6". They can cut your chamber, supply formed brass as well as dies without going to the cost of a custom die set. My buddy uses howell brass in his PDKs we just cut his neck longer.

As I sit here with my various PDKs. If you really want a 338 & 375 SID or whatever have fun and keep us posted.