I received a new custom 33 Nosler reamer from Manson, and two 33 caliber XX Douglas CM barrels, both last Thursday. I cut one chamber on Saturday; I will say, without question, I got the smoothest chamber ever from this combination. The reamer cut on all flutes from the start, and the chamber was so smooth I didn't need to polish it. I will anyway, put a little cross hatching in it with some fine paper, but no kidding, it is dead smooth as is.
This is due (of course a rigid set up is necessary, and other standard machining practices) to a super sharp and precision ground reamer, and a correctly machined and stress relieved barrel. Something many barrel makers do not do correctly. And yes, I have had them from other makers whose names I won't mention. I never get those problems from Douglas.
End of report. We have not fired it yet. No stock.

I don't get meaning of the video. I am video challenged.

I recently had a similar experience with a new Manson reamer. It was the smoothest cutting reamer I have ever seen, and the finished chamber was like a mirror polish. The only difference was my barrel was a Pacnor.

Even the highest grade barrel will be compromised with a bad reamer

Way back, I had three Douglas barrels in a row that wouldn't shoot worth a crap...Turned out to be my brand new reamer (270 Win) from a well know firm that was using some cockamamie "universal leed angle"

Not even in the same ball park as SAAMI specs. New reamer from JGS...problem solved ! Lotsa fence mending with clients, replaced all the barrels...and yes...used Douglas

Shop I worked with had a good metalsmith, didn't like or do stock work. He barreled a rifle with a pac-nor barrel. Wouldn't shoot. Pac-nor replaced, no questions asked. Rebarreled, still wouldn't shoot. roughly 1 1/2" at 100.

I looked at the rifle, and it was in a mushy tupperware stock. Dropped it into a HS precision, went and shot it, and dropped below 1/2". Told client to buy a good stock or have us fit one, or even glass fill, pillar and bed the tupperware and it would be okay.

Another rifle, same smith, wouldn't shoot after rebarrel with a Lilja. Lilja wouldn't replace barrel. I looked at stock, and had a warped place in forend wood touching. Relieved it, and it shot.

Smiths are way too often wanting to blame barrel manufacturer, not look at other factors, or their own work.

That is correct. The person installing the barrel must know all facets of what contributes to accuracy, and systematically test each one and eliminate that variable from the equation, before condemning any one component of the system; rifles are systems consisting of many parts, including the ammunition, all of which I won't list.
A guy who just installs barrels, and can't determine why it won't perform, is a barrel installer; (maybe a machinist) not a gunsmith. The plastic stock story is a good example and I get them too; it's usually either the shooter, the scope system, or the ammo.
When I blame a barrel maker, it was the barrel!

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
That is correct. The person installing the barrel must know all facets of what contributes to accuracy, and systematically test each one and eliminate that variable from the equation, before condemning any one component of the system; rifles are systems consisting of many parts, including the ammunition, all of which I won't list.
A guy who just installs barrels, and can't determine why it won't perform, is a barrel installer; (maybe a machinist) not a gunsmith. The plastic stock story is a good example and I get them too; it's usually either the shooter, the scope system, or the ammo.
When I blame a barrel maker, it was the barrel!

Tom, I'm sure going to miss Stan.

Yes, I am too; he was a super nice guy and was the most knowledgeable person on barrels on the planet. I need to place my usual quarterly batch of barrel orders and I don't even want to call and talk to Kay because I'm sure she is very upset too.