I'm in the process of having a .375-338 Win Mag built on a M1999 action. For you gunsmiths out there, who/where do you go for a wildcat reamer? Any one that you would stay away from? Can you give me some feedback on Dave Manson?

Thanks.......

MKane160 aka BigDogMK

Go with either of the Daves. Dave Kiff of PTG or Manson. Personally, I like PTG. Either are great.

Dave Manson is great...both as a person and as a craftsman.

I would recommend his work and his products to anyone looking for great quality and personalized service.

The latter makes a HUGE difference to me as a customer.

Rick

It's really up to you: Dave Manson, Dave Manson, or Dave Manson. Personally, I'd recommend Dave Manson.

Good guy, good product, good service.

Russ

MKane160,

I have used only one reamer manufacturer and that is JGS. Have never had a reason to look else where for reamers as they have great customer service and very quality tooling.

That said, from talking with other smiths, I would not worry about the quality from other makers such as Dave Mason, Keith Francis and Clymer.

Good Shooting!!!

50

Dave Manson, PTG, Clymer in order of preference. Just my preference as all do excellent work.

I grind and stock the 375/338 win . It seems to be a hot selling reamer as of late. If you would like one let us know. Price is 138 with removable pilot. Give us a call at 541-826-5808. Thanks Dave Kiff

I've dealt with both Dave Manson and Dave Kiff a few times. I have a preference for Manson, but both make excellent reamers.

Standard off the shelf reamers I usually buy PTG, customs I usually order Manson, but PTG quality has been fine on the customs I got from them.

Mostly I just have got not quite what I ordered twice from PTG, and once was when I had them send the reamer to a gunsmith that was fitting a barrel for me so I didn't know until after the work was done. It was supposed to be a floating pilot, and instead was a fluted fixed pilot that was sent, and I ended up with a slightly scored barrel where a chip got stuck. Not a fatal error, and more than one party at fault, but one that soured my experience. Too late to send the reamer back and get the correct one, the chamber was cut, the barrel was less than perfect, and no way they could make it right. That sort of thing is unfortunate, and I know it can happen in the best of businesses. However, I haven't had any mix-up's with Manson, and the reamers and service have been impeccable.

Both have been pleasant and knowledgeable on the phone.

dave

I have used reamers made by the Henriksen Tool Co. since 1980. I have tried others, sold those and stuck with Hugh's tooling. It is excellent in everyway.

I dont like solid pilot reamers for that very resone. Metal to metal just seems like a bad idea. We install alot of removable bushings on all makes of reamers . On the Clymer and Manson reamers we charge the same as our solid pilots, 25 bucks and that includes any special size bushing you ask for. Unlike the other reamer makers we do not charge extra for customs or wildcats most are 138. We are adding three hundred more reamers to our shelf stock supply alot of match grade and all the CIP reamers along with gauges. Let us know your needs and we will get them out for you . Our latest reamer is the 300 AAC BLACKOUT . We are running a sale on them at 125 and gauges at 25 bucks AAC and Remington just gave us the ok to offer them to the public. Thanks Dave @ PTG 541-826-5808

I would have to add Keith Francis would have to be one of the best tool grinders of all time he and Red Elliot are the true masters of chamber reamer design . Hugh and myself learned much of what we know from our teacher Keith. I will never forget the years working with him and I know Hugh thinks back to those days gone by . I thank the good lord I had Keith Francis for a teacher.

You can't get better information than from the source. I know both Daves and have reamers made by everyone talked about in the aformentioned post. I use Dave Kiff because he has always been a man of his word and his customer service is second to none. His staff are both knowledgable and effecient. Way to go Ashley and Kathleen.

Nat Lambeth

As you might gather from reamer's post, all of those southern Oregon reamer makers are so closely acquainted that I have often wondered if they don't all get together for family dinners on Sundays!
I can't argue with D'Arcy's staement. I have not bought a reamer from Hugh for thirty years but I really like those I have. They work beautifully and are pretty to look at!
I buy most of my reammers from PTG now just for reasons of expedience but this not to say I am settling as far as quality is concerned. The reamers have been what I have asked for and, if I perceive a problem with a tool, it is immediately taken care of. Sometimes, I think Dave is a better supplier than I am a customer!
I have reamers in the box from Henriksen, JGS, Clymer, PTG, Manson, and Leeper. I can honestly say the one from Leeper is the only one that really sucks! Regards, Bill.

for us that do not know, briefly, what does it take to make a reamer?

22WRF,

Don't pay a lot of attention to my reply to your question on what it takes to make a reamer, I'm just noise in the thread really at my expertise level.

I made a reamer, once. My first lathe was a 6 inch atlas, I was 26 years old and poor but wanted to make a wildcat cartridge rifle myself. I had a $15 mauser from an estate sale to use. I didn't have a toolpost grinder, but did have an armature cutter. I used a piece of O1 steel drill rod, turned it to rough size. I clamped a dremel tool to the armature cutter, and fluted the reamer blank using cutoff wheels stacked on a mandrel in the dremel. Then, remounted it 90 degrees different, and ground the reamer to near final dimension.

I then heated it red hot, quenched it, and drew it out to an appropriate hardness.

Then, turned the dremel tool again, and sharpened it a bit at a time to final dimension, cutting relief on the body of the reamer between the flutes.

I cut one chamber with it, and it worked. Cut slow, needed a lot of polishing when it was done. But the rifle shot okay.

I think I had as much time in that reamer as in the entire rest of the gun, and it wasn't a piece of artwork by any means. I don't remember what happened to it, but I haven't seen it in years so it probably went in the trash.

I don't have that kind of patience anymore, much less the time.

dave

I just wish PTG would reply to my emails and advise as to what is happening with my order .

Paz

FWIW, I went with a Dave Manson reamer with removable pilots. My .375 Taylor turned out great. Wow, this is an old thread!

Actually, I'm a little surprised about the comment above that the .375/.338 is a current hot commodity. Not that it isn't a great round, it is, but the .375 Ruger does the same and more with properly headstamped brass. I guess some of us just like to be different. :-)

MKane160

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
for us that do not know, briefly, what does it take to make a reamer?

Google it, you'll have plenty of material to peruse.

Paz, best thing is to call them ,waste of time sending emails ,i have bought six reamers from them and thats the best thing to do, call !Talk to Kathleen

quote:

Originally posted by tankhunter:
Paz, best thing is to call them ,waste of time sending emails ,i have bought six reamers from them and thats the best thing to do, call !Talk to Kathleen

Yeh mate i know, is how i put the order through originally.

Makes it difficult though when you are waiting for a reamer print to check(can't do that on the phone), not to mention having to wait to all hours of the night to call them from over the pond.

Paz

Paz , Kathleen works 48 hours per week to try and help me with emails and sales. She along with Ashley and the other six office gals try to do there best to help me get those emails sent back to all the folks that send them in but with over 400 emails per day in questions and purchase orders we have a hard time getting every one of them sent back each day . We try and get the bulk of them out. We have lost one or two . I am here from 5:30 to 4:30 or 5:00 PST . Best thing to do is pick up the phone and call . I will get back to you even if I have to call you from home. Call me monday and let me know if you have a reamer in the shop you need pushed thru. We have been adding to our web site every day so keep a eye on our site and our specials page. Kory is going to have a shop and cart up and running soon for on line ordering and that should help big time. Thanks Dave Kiff PTG.

I like Dave Manson, both as a person and as a consummate machinist. He always goes along with the "out of the box" things I want to try out. 550 Gibbs, 38-90WCF, the 475 Gibbs. He truly wants to do what the customer needs/wants.

Dave Kiff is another one you can deal with.

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by Ashley Kiff:
Paz , Kathleen works 48 hours per week to try and help me with emails and sales. She along with Ashley and the other six office gals try to do there best to help me get those emails sent back to all the folks that send them in but with over 400 emails per day in questions and purchase orders we have a hard time getting every one of them sent back each day . We try and get the bulk of them out. We have lost one or two . I am here from 5:30 to 4:30 or 5:00 PST . Best thing to do is pick up the phone and call . I will get back to you even if I have to call you from home. Call me monday and let me know if you have a reamer in the shop you need pushed thru. We have been adding to our web site every day so keep a eye on our site and our specials page. Kory is going to have a shop and cart up and running soon for on line ordering and that should help big time. Thanks Dave Kiff PTG.

Thanks for the reply Dave.

I do realize what you mean re emails etc, i run a business myself with a fair amount of enquirys, orders etc that must be handled every day.

I will pm you.

Paz

I have a whole bunch of reamers here by Dan Green.

I wonder if he still in business?