I was wondering if anyone has access to chamber specs for these two and if they could tell me if a barrel set back and how much will be needed to preform the change? Id like to get a 220 barrel that comes short chambered .010" and try hand reaming it out. I was also wondering if anyone can direct me towards a place where I could get go-no go gauges for the rocket as well. Thanks.

You can get all the reamers and gauges you'll need from Pacific tool and gauge.
http://www.pacifictoolandgauge.com/

Scott

You have to remember that the Rocket was a wildcat and you will find a lot of different reamers and chambers. If you have a reamer ground you can order a headspace gauge at the same time. But if you borrow someone else's reamer be careful because some of the dimensions may be different than what Weatherby used. You should have no trouble enlarging a 220 Swift to the Rocket without having to set the barrel back. You can find some drawings of both on Steves pages.

http://stevespages.com/page8.htm

Ray

Scott,

I went this way several yrs back, and YES, there are lots of different ideas on the Rocket. I had mine done by Rich Reilly in Colorado. Website below.
http://www.htcustoms.com/

Mine cost more than the $85.00 he has listed. Rich has his own idea, and uses the double radius neck, as far as I know this is not the correct version of the Rocket. There was an article in HANDLOADER several yrs back, and the gun writer had his Ruger 77 re-chambered at Hi-Tech Custom Rifles. While my rifle was being re-chamber'd, I ordered a set of .220 Wby Rocket Dies from CH Tool and Die. Well, that was a disaster, nothing fit. I had to return the dies for credit, I did some measuring, got me a bushing Neck Die, fireformed the brass, and have just been Necking ever since. Not sure how many times they have been shot, they still chamber pretty easy. When they won't go in the chamber anymore, I will fireform more. This might sound stupid, but for what they wanted to make me a custom sizing die, I can throw away and fireform a lot of Swift brass.

If you want some case drawings and a .jpg of part of the article in Handloader, email me at: wjb@swko.net

I would post these here, but not sure how you add a .jpg, maybe you have to link to picture hosting website?

Bill

You've been clued in here to the true skinny...lots of possible complications.

BUT, if you get a reamer cut to Roy's original specs, I believe the fella who told you that you would not have to set the barrel back is absolutely right. From what I recall of those days, that's what Roy did at first...ran his reamer into customers' factory .220 Swift barrels, to "Improve" their performance.

I have a pre-64 Model 70 that was rechambered to 220 Weatherby Rocket. The version I have does not have the double radius shoulder of the later Weatherby cartridges (which is the true Weatherby version). The shoulder is well forward of a standard 220 Swift so barrel setback is definitely not needed. I purchased my dies from CH. I sent them fired cases to be sure they were the "standard" ones they had. The dies work fine and are a lot cheaper than RCBS. I like the Rocket as the cases do not stretch and the rifle is very accurate.