Looks like you got a lil freebore there for the longer bullets. Waiting Sucks!
This one is a PTG with .127" feebore. It's perfect for shooting the 168gr Hammer Hunters with an OAL of 3.600" with a .010" jump. It'll also work well with the 170 Berger EOL and any of the 150 class bullets.
This cartrage is going to be sweet. Have you decided how you'll do your brass?
I'll start with Hornady 375 Ruger brass until the Nucleus action shows up. I'll try forming a couple of the 8x86s cases, but I'm not sure about the extraction with a sliding plate style extractor on the Savages. I think it would work on a Weatherby Vanguard action though with the M16 style extractor. I know that the smaller rim of the 8x68s will work with a good claw extractor though.
That would be sweet with the faster twist. Might even work with the slower 1/9.
I know the 170 Bergers will stabilize in a 1-9" barrel and I've actually seen them shoot well in a 1-10" 270 WSM. Based on my bullet testing last year though, I'm convinced that the extra stability from a faster twist makes a big difference in bullet terminal performance. I'm really tempted to grab a 1-9" twist just to get the project started though!
Who was the reamer maker? With the screw for retaining the pilot I would say JGS or PTG.
If the flutes extend all the way to the end (like the PTG) and the guy chambering uses a pumped coolant system, below is a trick to increase coolant flow. The more flow, the cooler the reamer cuts and the smoother a chamber you wind up with. Also allows running the reamer at the proper lathe RPM instead of down in the slow speed range. I cut small chambers like 223 at 470 RPM and larger chambers 30-06 size and above at 370 RPM. Ya cannot run this fast without a lot of coolant flow.
With the pilot bushing removed and the screw tight, I file notches in the screw head aligned with the reamer flutes. This is why I like PTG reamers, the flutes go all the way to the tip.
This reamer is for 458 Lott.
That's a beautiful shop setup that you've got. I came very close to buying a shop from a smith in the Tacoma area who's looking to retire, who has a similar setup with decades worth of tooling and literature. He doesn't have a stock duplicator though, and I know he'd be jealous of that! The only reason I didn't go for it is that I'm just not naturally good with my hands. There's a difference between a gunsmith who know's how to build a gun and a true custom gun maker who's a genuine craftsman. Judging by the tools in that shop I'm willing to bet that you fall into the craftsman category. I fall squarely into the category of people who know how to assemble the parts but don't have the craftsmanship or passion to make a living doing it.
