I want a new barrel reamed in Remington 7mm Mag. I want my handloaded Remington brass and 162 AMax to deliver 1/2" MOA or better groups, but I don't wish to turn the case necks. I don't know how most 7mmMag reamers out there are designed to headspace, or if they produce too much free bore.

Can anybody recommend a good off the shelf reamer that's suitable for precision shooting?

Dave @ PTG is always a great source, but will it always be necessary for me to have to pay $150 for a precision reamer and the one barrel I have made with it?

quote:

Dave @ PTG is always a great source, but will it always be necessary for me to have to pay $150 for a precision reamer and the one barrel I have made with it?

Yeah, it is pretty much that way.

The 7mm Rem Mag can be made to be accurate, but it is a squirrelly cartridge. Its best 162 Amax powders prefer filling the cartridge case, but then you start getting velocity and pressure excursions. If you are wedded to the idea, have Warner tooling chamber your barrel. The "short magnums head space on their belts (gurtles in Deutsche). The distance from the base to the virgin cases shoulder is usually anywhere from .017" . to .029" after the first firing. If you can find some accurate brass (e.g. neck run out of .001" or even less), extensively match prep it. Get the best darn cut rifled barrel that you can afford (Krieger, Bartlein, Broughton and others), have the Warner team order a reamer that head spaces on the shoulder and belt simultaneously. Also, get a Larry Willis .com belted magnum die. It removes the "hump" of metal that normally forms just ahead of the belt. Have the throat formed to accommodate your bullet(s) of choice, and keep the pressure below 62,000 psi under all conditions. Have the barrel put in one of the match "700 clone actions" now available. Us a CG Jackson trigger, many still favor the "Arnold Jewel" trigger. Have you heavy barrel bedded in a heavy stock by McMillan or Tom Manners (his AT-4 stock with the thumb wheel adjust able cheek rest is very nice. Make sure you buy the best glass that you can in the power range that you prefer: Schmidt und Bender, Zeiss, Night Force NXS, Swarovski, The highest end Niko (Leupold is great at marketing; their scopes are considered entry level at 1,000 yards.

Sorry to be long winded.

It is much easier to get a super accurate 7mm-08, 7mm Weatherby (in a custom rig) or a 7mm Shehane. The Brits took the Americans to shooting school last year (we showed up with 6.5x284's).

Sorry to be long winded. Get a very good smith, a better barrel, an outstanding trigger and stock. Then practice with a coach. Then practice some more. Then take money from your buddies by betting on shots.

Good luck, and enjoy.

The chamber "body" will be the least of your concerns.

quote:

Get a very good smith, a better barrel, an outstanding trigger and stock. Then practice with a coach. Then practice some more.

Good advice!