finish reamer

[olydraft]

Anyone around the Indianapolis area have a .308 finish reamer they would rent? or know where to rent one. Thanks Gary

[parkergunshop]

Olydraft,
A gunsmith will only charge you about $40.00 to finish up the chamber and set the headspace for you using go and no go headspace guages.
 Renting finish reamers seems to be an expensive way to go, considering that you also need the headspace guages for final barrel fitting.
 
 

[gunnut69]

I don't know the current rate for headspacing a rifle but I don't think $40 would cover it around here(central Missouri). Still reamers are fairly expensive and in some cases the smith won't have the reamer and rental charges will apply. I've not rented a reamer for many years and the companies I used are likely out of business, one for certain. Check the GBSponsers list for any that can help and support them. Have you ever done this type thing before?

[parkergunshop]

Gunnut69,
Here in Western NC, I called two local gunsmiths on a Springfield 1903 that needed finished reaming to deepen the chamber when installing an new barrel, both of them had 30-06 reamers in stock, I took the gun to the closest one 6 miles away.  It took 10 minutes to run the reamer in, check the headspace with go and no go guages.  His hourly shop charge posted on the wall was $60.00 per hour and he charged me $40.00 to set the headspace.
A finish reamer runs around $150.00-200.00 if you purchase one.   You also need an extension handle to hold the finish reamer along with the go and no go guages another $75.00 or so.

[Nobade]

Fred can hook you up......
http://www.4-dproducts.com/

Personally I would never rent out a reamer. Too many people don't know how to handle them properly. If they do they usually have their own to use.

[gunnut69]

Parker--that's a good smith to patronise. Around here last I heard it was $12.50 a hole to drill and tap a receiver.. Setting headspace is more than just deepening a short chamber usually and most smiths charge a minimum of an hour charge. The 308 is a pretty common caliber so many smiths will have the reamer but some may not. Companies that rent reamers usually charge a deposite and are not bashful about keeping part of it if their reamer is damaged. Even so renting is not a bad way to go especially if the smith doesn't have his own and will pass on the rental fee anyway, and of course if you know how to use the tooling properly. Just an aside but I don't loan out any tools OR books, at least not very often...

[parkergunshop]

Gunnut69,
On the Springfield it was a high number double heat treated action made in 1918, I installed a 1/1944 Remington made barrel on it  and was lucky that the extractor slot lined up correctly.   The barrel was short chambered by about .005 but would with a lot of effort close on a new unfired case,  I had both go and no go guages in my shop to confirm the short chamber,  but no 30-06 finish reamer.   When I priced the cost of a new reamer $150.00 I decided to contact a couple of local gunsmiths who I already knew had reamers.
$40.00 for ten minutes work  by the gunsmith work calculates out to $240.00 per hour, but that $40.00 was cheaper than either renting or buying a finished reamer on my part and I only had a ten minute drive to get the job done and it was done same day. 
Another point, one of the easiest actions to fit a barrel to is the 98 mauser, no extractor slot or other complicated cuts needed due to the simple design of the barrel and receiver.   You can order a long chambered barrel and finish up the fitting using just a mill file if you know what you are doing and can check the headspace as you go.
I take pride in doing it myself, but sometimes common sense says that you should pay someone else rather than spend more money than it is worth to rent or buy tooling for a one time job.
 

[gunnut69]

Brownells (catalg #63, to lazy to get the new one) list Clymer 30-06 at $89.95 and Manson Precision at $100 even. Headspace guage run $25 to $27.40 each. These are catalog num 63 prices so #64 is slightly higher likely but still too lazy to go get it! Good luck with the springfield. Those are truly great old rifles..