I just chambered my first gun using the Lambert / Kiff micrometer adjustable reamer stop. Where has this thing been for the last 15 years that I have been fitting barrels? The unit consists of a “set” of bodies that attach to the reamer and controls the depth that the reamer can cut. By attaching directly to the reamer: The reamer becomes a micrometer pinion and the barrel trunion becomes the face of the anvil. Because it uses the reamer itself as the gauge it doesn’t matter where the tail stock or carriage it located. The system is PERFECTION as it measures directly off the reamer. (This unit is very much like one I have had prints for, that Ackley drew up years ago, only better, and I didn’t need to spend a week building it.) The time it will save is well worth the price! Until today I have used: Stops, and set them against the go gage and then reset them with feeler gages to cut the depth after getting close, Had an indicator attached to my tail stock and a reference on the tail stock quill to show travel, and every other method that you can think of. This unit lets you almost quit thinking and just ream until the stop hits the barrel. It worked great with my JGS floating reamer holder.
The Micrometer has 50 indexing marks and will allow for .0005 adjustments. I set it about 30 thousands short of finish depth off of the headspace gage, and cut the chamber to this short depth. Then after the collar hit the trunion, I measured again off of the headspace gauge and re-adjust the micrometer to final depth and cut. Where the unit really shines is on throating. Once you know where you are, and where you want to go adjust for the depth and ream. With the Lambert unit you can set and then cut the throat to the exact dept you want.
I have a lathe set up just to chamber with a four jaw chuck and a spider on the other side and pump fluid through the barrel as I work. With the pressure turned up I ran to the -.030, then turned the pressure down and worked my way up to the final cut, less what crush would be. The net net net was a perfect chamber in less than half the time that I normally spend. Next time I have a job to do for one of my bench rest shooters who want 3 or 4 barrel exactly alike I’m going to take the few hours I save and go buy a bottle of good Scotch and send it to Nat Lambeth! (Nathaniel Lambeth at: Custom Guns and Ammunition. 15 Sunflower Drive Youngsville, NC 27596.
[email protected]s )
After purchasing the unit, I received a call from Mr. Lambert, you couldn’t find a nicer person, who spent over an hour on his nickel to talk with me about what the unit could do and a few other projects he is about to knock our socks off with. IF YOU DO ANY CHAMBERING YOU NEED ONE OF THESE, and after you use it you will never go back to any outer method. This may sound like a paid endorsement but I’m just a happy end user.
I can barely make out what's in that photo.