I have a .264 Winchester with is chambered with the (nonsensical) zero-leade SAAMI chamber. Despite having a magazine of 3.6", most conventional bullets cannot be seated to an overall length of more than 3.25" or so without engaging the lands.

What type of tool does a gunsmith normally use to lengthen an existing throat? And is it a relatively simple operation? I think I know the answers to these questions since I had the same thing done to another rifle a quarter of a century ago, but I've slept a few time since then and don't recall precisely.

It a simple throat reamer. By the time you buy or rent the reamer if your smith already has one you might as well have hime do it. Take a dummy with the bullet you plan on shooting most of the time. Seat it to the AOL you want and tell your smith to cut you what ever clearance you want.

You could probably cut it by hand with a reamer and handle but risk cutting it too deep. Doesn't take much since all you are cutting is the lands

Steve-

Are you planning on doing the work yourself?

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
You could probably cut it by hand with a reamer and handle but risk cutting it too deep. Doesn't take much since all you are cutting is the lands

My friend Caribou Bob had a Guild smith rebarrel one of his Mausers to 9.3x62. I told Bob that I would pay for half the chamber reamer (with throat) if I could use it on one of mine afterward but he said the Guild smith wanted to buy the chamber reamer (no throat) himself along with a throating reamer.

Long story short: Bob's new barrel, installed and throated by an expert, ended up FUBARed with a throat almost 1" long. It shoots OK but Bob will never be happy with it, he's already planning a new one.

Moral: be extra careful with both throating reamers and smiths. And re IDing the culprit, 'No names, no pack drill!'
Regards, Joe

quote:

Originally posted by 30 Caliber Mag Fan:
Steve-

Are you planning on doing the work yourself?

No, just making sure what the gunsmith needs to be equipped with. Does the smith who did your .264 have a throating reamer? I wouldn't mind running it down to San Antonio for the work.

I had the same issue with my 264. I bought a throating reamer and a T handle from Pacific Tool. I just took my time and it wasn't too hard to do. I still need the T handle, but I no longer need the reamer. If you are interested, I'd be willing to sell it to you for $50 including shipping.

Considering the throat is one of the most critical aspects of the barrel/chamber, I would caution doing it by hand. In fact, I would caution doing it in any manner that doesn't involve a lathe and a precision set up. Think of the throat as the "birth canal". What happens there will affect the flight of the bullet to the target.

Biological considerations aside the number of remington barrels that shoot great (ever seen one of those throats!) plus knackered old BRNOs (erosion by rust isn't symmetric) I've come to the conclusion that as in other things it's the last 6" that count.

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:
Biological considerations aside the number of remington barrels that shoot great (ever seen one of those throats!) plus knackered old BRNOs (erosion by rust isn't symmetric) I've come to the conclusion that as in other things it's the last 6" that count.

I happen do disagree, though not by much. I think the throat is the most important, the crown (last 6") being the next essential portion.

I look at it this way. If a bullet enters the throat at an angle, lets say for example 1 degree. The bullet will deform to match that one degree. All things being concentric and true(including the crown) the bullet will exit being off balance affecting rotation, etc.

Now, if the throat is perfect, the bullet is perfectly concentric, exits the bore, with an improper crown, the effect of the gases present is less than the effect at the throat.

Yay? Nay? Seems logical to me at least. I have a book or two upstairs that may comment on this, if I find something I will post.

I won't get into the argument about which portion of the barrel/bore is most important, but I will observe that my OLDER .264 has had uncounted thousands of rounds through it in 45 years and the first inch of throat looks like alligator hide. However, it continues to place the first shot from a cold barrel exactly where it did the previous fall, and still groups sub-MOA. Thus, I'm a little dubious about "wearing out the throat" on a hunting rifle being a problem.

I do believe that a poor job of throating that was out-of-round or at an angle to the line of the bore would hardly be conducive to good accuracy, however.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
I won't get into the argument about which portion of the barrel/bore is most important, but I will observe that my OLDER .264 has had uncounted thousands of rounds through it in 45 years and the first inch of throat looks like alligator hide. However, it continues to place the first shot from a cold barrel exactly where it did the previous fall, and still groups sub-MOA. Thus, I'm a little dubious about "wearing out the throat" on a hunting rifle being a problem.

Interesting observation.