Increasing throat length for heavier bullets

[EdK]

Most of my life I've been frustrated by trying to reach the lands in firearms that are throated overly long. Here's a first for me: I've got a 7mm Contender barrel that I'd like to increase the throat on to facilitate loading heavier bullets (about 0.175").

So the chamber is already fully finished. Is it a matter of getting a piloted 7mm throating reamer and is this an operation that can be performed without machine tools/by hand in a quality fashion? I don't imagine I can get a gunsmith to take care of this cost effectively and then there's the finding a good one...

The last one I asked about reaming my scope rings laughed at me and said "let Leupold worry about it"  :shock:

Now I have my own reaming and lapping setup.  :-)

[Robert]

I had that problem with my 7-30 also.  I had been using 168 gr cast bullets in my 7TCU and they worked great.  I bought a 7-30 Carbine and the 168's are too long.  Don't that beat all?  I don't know why the little 7TCU would have such a longer throat....possibly due to it's popularity for silhouette shooting.  Now I am having the same problem with my Whelen.

[gunnut69]

Yes this can be done by hand.  The piloted reamer does most of the work, even were one to use a lathe.  These reamers are even more difficult for a gunsmith to justify than chambering reamers but can be rented from the same companies that rent chambering reamers.

[EdK]

After perusing the Brownells catalogue I got up the nerve to phone Dave Manson Precision Reamers to discuss. After speaking to a receptionist-type I got a "Hello, this is Dave".

After a few minutes of business-polite discussion I was confident enough to order up my own throater together with a few other items from Brownells and off I go!

Thanks again, Ed

[gunnut69]

You've met one of the gentlemen of the sport and a craftsman to boot.  Good luck ,, let us know how the project works out.