Tough Chambering Job - A Tribute to Speerchucker

wesg · Jun 27, 2020

Ran into an issue chambering this 308. Someone 'in the know', after being told the source of it, told me it's 410 SS, not 416. And a real ... to chamber. Basically, the reamer would bind on the body like a Morse taper. A couple tricks he suggested didn't get me anywhere with it. So I had to go 'unconventional'.

This method was shown a long time ago by Rod Henrickson, aka 'Speerchucker30x3'. Float the barrel on a dead center, provided by the chambering reamer. Thinking it out, it seemed reasonable to me, and I thought maybe I'd try it someday just for fun. That day arrived, whether I wanted it to or not.

It had already been dialed in, taper bored, and partially reamed, so I wasn't concerned about it running out. Just concerned I'd wind up with a $155 worth of reamer fragments in a $300 barrel.

It was tight all the way, but it cut just fine. A floating holder would probably have been fine, but no way my grip could handle my hand held 'pusher' setup.

Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

Thanks Rod.

72bwhite · Jun 28, 2020

funny you should mention that happening to a reamer
I have a stainless barrel with a broken 5.56 reamer in it.

hard to go wrong on what speer put out there

Butch Lambert · Jun 28, 2020

wesg said:
Ran into an issue chambering this 308. Someone 'in the know', after being told the source of it, told me it's 410 SS, not 416. And a real ... to chamber. Basically, the reamer would bind on the body like a Morse taper. A couple tricks he suggested didn't get me anywhere with it. So I had to go 'unconventional'.

This method was shown a long time ago by Rod Henrickson, aka 'Speerchucker30x3'. Float the barrel on a dead center, provided by the chambering reamer. Thinking it out, it seemed reasonable to me, and I thought maybe I'd try it someday just for fun. That day arrived, whether I wanted it to or not.

It had already been dialed in, taper bored, and partially reamed, so I wasn't concerned about it running out. Just concerned I'd wind up with a $155 worth of reamer fragments in a $300 barrel.

It was tight all the way, but it cut just fine. A floating holder would probably have been fine, but no way my grip could handle my hand held 'pusher' setup.

Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

Thanks Rod.

View attachment 292741

410 SS? Would you share the barrel blank mfg. and maybe I could help.

gappmast · Jun 28, 2020

Interesting they are quite similar in makeup
AISI 410 Stainless Steel vs. AISI 416 Stainless Steel :: MakeItFrom.com

300sniper · Jun 28, 2020

I’m a bit confused here. If the reamer was binding in one set up due to the taper but not in another set up, I’d think the other set up must be cutting oversized.

dwebster · Jun 29, 2020

I am with Butch, which barrel maker is using 410 stainless?

Butch Lambert · Jun 29, 2020

Remember a few years ago some SS barrels failed in the extreme cold. Kreiger made some out of 410ss. They soon quit that and now doesn't offer the thin profile ss barrels. The couple that I chambered I used a higher speed and feed. I use Vipers Venom during chambering and threading. Yes, I predrill and bore the chamber before reaming.

gappmast · Jun 29, 2020

I have heard that Bergara barrels were not a favorite with gunsmiths because they were hard to chamber. I have not done one but what I read they have a tendency to work harden. Good barrels just harder to machine.

wesg · Jun 29, 2020

dwebster said:
I am with Butch, which barrel maker is using 410 stainless?

New old stock. Not to be worried about, unless ...

wesg · Jun 29, 2020

300sniper said:
I’m a bit confused here. If the reamer was binding in one set up due to the taper but not in another set up, I’d think the other set up must be cutting oversized.

It was binding in both. It's just that the feed pressure required generated more torque than I could hold by hand. Retracting it took some torque on the tailstock wheel as well.

With the tanged collet holder all I had to worry about was snapping it off if things went sideways. I cut just fine, good finish and normal looking chips. It just took a bigger man than me to crank it out.

wesg · Jun 29, 2020

gappmast said:
I have heard that Bergara barrels were not a favorite with gunsmiths because they were hard to chamber. I have not done one but what I read they have a tendency to work harden. Good barrels just harder to machine.

I don't know what process Bergara uses.

My thoughts are hammer forged SS barrels are 410, or a modified version, rather than 416. I don't remember where I read that, it was some time ago. I think maybe Ruger was doing this for theirs?

Word was on these is that they were good barrels, that shot really well for a long time. It's likely they don't erode as fast as 416 because of the lack of Sulphur. Maybe. I also remember some tests with 17-4, for the same purpose of improving life and ductility in cold temps. But I haven't seen anything regarding that in some time either.

4140 and 416 work.

300sniper · Jun 29, 2020

wesg said:
It was binding in both. It's just that the feed pressure required generated more torque than I could hold by hand. Retracting it took some torque on the tailstock wheel as well.

With the tanged collet holder all I had to worry about was snapping it off if things went sideways. I cut just fine, good finish and normal looking chips. It just took a bigger man than me to crank it out.

That makes sense.

Was this a proven reamer? Years ago I had a reamer that was incredibly hard to cut with and retract. It cut a great looking chamber though. I sent it back and when it was returned, it cut great. I am assuming it did not have enough relief ground behind the cutting edges.

Butch Lambert · Jun 30, 2020

Several years ago Begera conferred with Ed Shilen about his barrel mfg methods. They were 416R at the time. with the same heat treat that our other barrel suppliers used. 26-30 RC

wesg · Jun 30, 2020

It cut a Brux just fine. I had a problem like you described with a 6.5x55 several years ago. Too much margin left on it. Sent back for stoning and it worked perfectly on 2 barrels after that.

There seems to be an art to it. Relieve it all the way to the edge and you've got an endmill, in effect. It's probably going to chatter. So leaving a little of the cylindrical ground portion stabilizes it. Or as I understand it, right or wrong.

ronan · Jul 4, 2020

What ever became of Speerchucker ? I used to follow him on a few other forums, he knew his gun plumbing.

Butch Lambert · Jul 4, 2020

ronan said:
What ever became of Speerchucker ? I used to follow him on a few other forums, he knew his gun plumbing.

Rod is in his shop making money and doesn't have to put up with the bull shit some tried to heap on him. If he ever thinks of a gun forum, he stops and waves his middle finger. He is still very helpful if I have a question.

ronan · Jul 5, 2020

He was on another forum that concentrates on home building firearms, he seems to have disappeared from there too. Pity as he is a knowledgeable indivdual.

sealark37 · Jul 5, 2020

I do miss the insights and solutions offered by Speerchucker. Don't blame him for turning away.

Tough Chambering Job - A Tribute to Speerchucker

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