30-284?

[Tac-O]

Not sure yet... Are any available? If not I may have to order a custom one.

I've looked around on websites a bit and PTG has a rougher and finisher in stock. But they don't have their prints on the page so I don't know what neck clearances are and don't know what freebore would be. The clymer that the Smith used on mine had none or nearly none and that wouldn't work if you want to shoot 180gr or heavier.

4D rentals has one with a 0.340 neck and .090 freebore. This one would barely work for no neck turn if you have Peterson 284 brass. Most of my loaded neck ODs are 0.370-0.375. but, I don't know if 0.090 freebore would be enough for the heavy bullet application. And I don't know what kind of shape that reamer is in. I'm leary about rental reamers now that I got burned by a 40 year old reamer. The smith owned it... Didn't rent it. So I realize that's an irrational fear I now have.

Neither Manson nor JGS have this one as a standard reamer on their list, so i know one if not both of them would charge more for it.

So I was thinking of possibly talking to Manson or JGS sometime in the next 6 months to get plans started for one. I like the cartridge and I figure if I get a quality reamer then I'd be set for barrels for life. . and their lead time is pretty long

 

[Roughrice]

Yeah. I saw PTG has the rougher. I do want a no-turn neck. I would certainly want to go up to 180 grain with a little room to fit the longer bullets. I may end up giving them a call to see what their specs are on what's available.

 

[Hard rock]

Yeah. I saw PTG has the rougher. I do want a no-turn neck. I would certainly want to go up to 180 grain with a little room to fit the longer bullets. I may end up giving them a call to see what their specs are on what's available.

The 284 case is probably the best case for wildcats I have 3 different chamberings on that case you won't regret a 30- 284 very strong case at the webb

 

[Tac-O]

Yeah. I saw PTG has the rougher. I do want a no-turn neck. I would certainly want to go up to 180 grain with a little room to fit the longer bullets. I may end up giving them a call to see what their specs are on what's available.

If you do, please update here. Last time I checked, it looked like they had the rougher, finisher, and resizer in stock.

 

[Tac-O]

Realized recently my chamber is still rubbing brass off my cases. See this thread for that info: https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/brass-rubbing-off-in-chamber.279260/


So... After seeing I'm still having that issue and the thing fouls way more than it should from the rough throat even after tubbs TMS bullets and 175 rounds through it and the myriad of other issues I had with Brad's work and customer service, I decided I was going to see if I could get him to give me at least a partial refund, since I really want to get this rechambered in the next year or two.

I told him I wanted to talk about a refund because I was unsatisfied and started going into the list of reasons. I didn't get through most of them because he just had an argument for everything. He said that a rough throat cannot cause copper fouling in the bore and that the throat was smooth after he throated it and that the chamber was smooth and that's not the reason for having brass left in it. He mentioned doing the blueprinting for nearly free.... I told him I never asked for that and only agreed to have the receiver face squared because he said he always does that when he does a barrel fitting job and I certainly didn't want to have my bolt body turned/polished/whatever. He said he polished it because there was just on it and that it was totally smooth. Well... I know for a fact there was no rust except for maybe a spot the size of a pinhead and whatever finish he used left circumferential marks on the bolt body that cause it to not cycle as smoothly when a small amount of lateral pressure was applied. He still tried to say it was smoother than a factory bolt... Well I've got another at home and it doesn't get hung up and it's mirror smooth. He also said he wants his labor back for the throating job he did for free.... The correction for something he didn't do that i wanted done that I had to drive an extra several hours to get fixed. I didn't get to the part about how he left burrs on the crown and marred up my recoil lug when opening the barrel channel. I told him I didn't want to argue about it and at this point I'm just interested in a refund and just called to kindly ask if he would agree to it. He finally did and agreed on $400 of the final bill and that he'd send me $50 a week. He remarked he doesn't have that kind of money and he's done with Utah.... Not sure how that's possible or what that means.

Hopefully this all doesn't sound like a complaining session. It's not. I just thought y'all might want to know some of the issues and details in case you or others are thinking of having him do work. Maybe he's done me good work for other folks and given them solid CS, but I didn't receive it. I hope he is good for his word and makes it right.

Hopefully my barrel can be set back so I'm not out too much when I finally get it redone.

 

[Roughrice]

Wow... tough hand you were dealt there!
Hope he's good on his word for your refund.
If he doesn't have that kind of money, he should wander why?
That kind of work and attitude can quickly ruin a smith's rifle building reputation.

 

[Tac-O]

Yea... Very strange comment to make. I don't want to unnecessarily give a guy a bad reputation, but I think others should know my experience for reference. I wasn't able to find any first hand accounts on his work or customer service, but wish I could have. I only went on the snippets of online info I could find about his experience.

 

[xsn10s]

Yea... Very strange comment to make. I don't want to unnecessarily give a guy a bad reputation, but I think others should know my experience for reference. I wasn't able to find any first hand accounts on his work or customer service, but wish I could have. I only went on the snippets of online info I could find about his experience.

Sorry to hear about your experience. Without knowing all the particulars I'll leave it at that. But the good news is you have a barrel that you can experiment with and try to make better. Prefit barrels are made for Tikkas with one maker there in Utah. And you could find a factory barrel on the web for less money and start all over. Step back for awhile and try again later on. That helps me from time to time.

 

[Tac-O]

Sorry to hear about your experience. Without knowing all the particulars I'll leave it at that. But the good news is you have a barrel that you can experiment with and try to make better. Prefit barrels are made for Tikkas with one maker there in Utah. And you could find a factory barrel on the web for less money and start all over. Step back for awhile and try again later on. That helps me from time to time.

Thanks. Unfortunately, a large amount... Maybe 1/10" was taken off the front of the receiver face to match the barrel contour rather than turning the parallel part of the barrel down to match the receiver bevels. So... No more prefit or factory barrels for this receiver.

 

[xsn10s]

Thanks. Unfortunately, a large amount... Maybe 1/10" was taken off the front of the receiver face to match the barrel contour rather than turning the parallel part of the barrel down to match the receiver bevels. So... No more prefit or factory barrels for this receiver.

Did you request for him to do that?

 

[xsn10s]

If not it sounds like he just bought himself a rifle.

 

[Tac-O]

Did you request for him to do that?

No. I said if the receiver face needs to be squared, that's fine since he always does that on a rebarrel job, but I wanted the barrel turned to match factory barrel if possible and he said yes that's no problem. I figured if the face needed squared that could potentially throw headspace of a factory barrel off to where it wouldn't work, but I certainly didn't request to have that large amount taken off the receiver and requested the parallel part of contour to match factory.

 

[L.Sherm]

Did he turn the parallel part off and use a Rem style recoil lug or stay with the factory tikka lug

 

[Jud96]

I didn't catch this, but what's the name of Brad's business? This sounds like a nightmare. Sorry to hear buddy.