I have never observed a floating pilot reamer. Assume a collar which closely matches the particular dia of the bore- and slides over the forward shaft. Right?

In lieu of only having a solid pilot reamer-could this be done. Place an engraved softish cast bullet into the rifling- face off that rear surface- start a centerpoint hole to allow the solid pilot to bear against
and allow the shaft to self center into this appropriately tapered cut dia hole?

I've used a floating pilot reamer and it is like you said. They have a pilot that attaches to the reamer with a small screw in the end. The pilots came in 1/2 thousand increments, so you could select one that closely matches the bore dia. You could probably do what you're thinking but I'm not sure you would gain any accuracy when reaming. I'm not sure if a floating pilot reamer is supposed to be more accutrate or if it is to keep from getting a chip between the rotating solid pilot and the bore and scratching the bore. I don't know if they are worth the extra money.

Removable pilot reamers are better for a couple of reasons. Like mentioned you can match the pilot to the bore which holds the reamer in line with the bore better, and will also eliminate reamer chatter. One of the biggest benifits is that the removable reamer can fit tight in the bore without leaving any "scrubbing" marks in the bore from the pilot, eliminating some of the copper catching marks left by a solid pilot reamer. If you intend to chamber accurate rifles with good concentric chambers time after time, removable pilots are an investment well worth the money.

I have had and still have reamers with both solid and floating pilots from 5 different makers and for the most part function is equal. I have never noticed a mark in any throat cut with the solid pilot reamers and in fact the only one I ever marked was with a floating pilot. A chip that was stuck in the snap ring groove jumped ship just as I pushed the reamer in. As luck would have it this was my own rifle and I was able to set it back with no concerns.
Duane is right about the chatter. The only reamers that gave serious chatter problems were solid pilot reamers. They were also from one maker so that may have had as much to do with it as the pilot. Regards, Bill.

AMEN

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Originally posted by DuaneinND:
Removable pilot reamers are better for a couple of reasons. Like mentioned you can match the pilot to the bore which holds the reamer in line with the bore better, and will also eliminate reamer chatter. One of the biggest benifits is that the removable reamer can fit tight in the bore without leaving any "scrubbing" marks in the bore from the pilot, eliminating some of the copper catching marks left by a solid pilot reamer. If you intend to chamber accurate rifles with good concentric chambers time after time, removable pilots are an investment well worth the money.

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Hi all- I keep a length of bronze stock[round] in the shop and if the pilot is a little loose I just center bore the stock to fit the reamer and then machine the outside to make a nice fit in the bore.Takes but a few minutes and really is worth the effort. Aloha, Mark[in Ore]kailuacustom@aol.com