Re chambering by hand

DGY

DGY

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 98.1%
51   1   0
I got an old 8x57 with a really good bore but it was at some point heavily sporterized, barrel shortened, open sights installed an ugly bulky stock made( I modified it to be a better looking more comfy stock) and now I put in my head(with the help of a couple good friends, Whynot and corythecowboy) to turn it into a 8mm-06, I have the reamer in hand, a few pointers by the friend that lended to me but that’s all!
So tell me everything I need to know before starting lol!
Go!!
 
Unless the barrel is removed, you will need an extension on the reamer.
Large T handled tap wrench?
It is going to take you longer than you might imagine.
Use lots of good cutting fluid.
Use very even pressure when turning the reamer.
Ease off the pressure and keep turning when withdrawing the reamer.
Remove and clean the reamer and chamber often.
Go easy, feel the reamer cutting.
Be careful as you approach full depth. Keep checking headspace.
This is a tedious job. But take your time, clean the reamer and chamber frequently. Use lots of cutting fluid. Even pressure.
 
Very tricky to get the correct headspace with the barrel attached to the action... you will need steel go and no go gauges to check.
 
guntech said:
Very tricky to get the correct headspace with the barrel attached to the action... you will need steel go and no go gauges to check.
Click to expand...

Indeed!

When you are getting close, stop, clean, and try the GO gauge. If the bolt won't close, ream just a bit more. Clean and try the gauge again. You are just shaving each time. Go slowly and carefully. You are doing this by feel, not by measurement. When the bolt just closes, cross your fingers and try the NO GO. If you can feel the gauge, or if the bolt won't close on it, you're there.

I've done chambers by hand. Slow and tedious. Last one was a .308 barrel I'd set back. Got the sights top dead center, then hand reamed two threads deeper. Did it by hand because of the barrel length - too short to fit between the spider and the 4-jaw, so I would have had to set up the steady rest. Thought it would be faster to hand ream than pull the barrel, and set it up in the lathe. I'm not so sure it was faster...
 
Awesome guys thanks for the I go so far!! I don’t have a go no go gauge but want to find one to borrow ideally or by if no other choices! Some one told me I could also use a resized 30-06 case…
What is a good cutting fluid brand? What do you use to clean the chamber with, air?
Keep d’info going!
 
A friend offered me a set of go no go and field 30-06 gauge, they should be usefully!?!?!
 
Well, there are the gauges you need.
You can use air. It has been suggested that this will blow high speed sharp edged cuttings through the bore. I just wipe out the chamber with a twist of cloth and push a loose patch through the bore.
"Buttercut" is the cutting oil I use.
 
The book “gunsmith kinks” recommends not putting pressure on the chamber area in a vise when cutting as they say an oblong chamber can result when removed from the vise.
Strip your bolt so that you only feel the lugs engaging and the gauges.
 
I'm not going to try to talk you out of doing this project, but WHY ARE YOU DOING IT?

If that barrel were full issue length, even the K version, the project would be worthwhile.

If that barrel has been significantly shortened as you say, all you're going to gain from this is changing that rifle's status from commercial ammunition available to reloading only.

You won't gain anything but more recoil and more muzzle blast. Velocities will be much the same, with maybe a very slight edge to the original chambering.

The 8x57, when it's hand-loaded to European specs will do anything a 30-06 will do with similar weight bullets.

You don't mention if it's a .318 J bore or a .323 JS bore.

Many hand loaders don't know there is a difference, so reloading manuals in North America list LIGHT loads in case some nimrod shoots .323 bullets through a .318 bore.

I would suggest, before you bugger this rifle up, load it to the European pressures and shoot it. You will be surprised by how good a round it is.

I load for two 8x57 sporters.

One is a put together, utilizing a sportered DWM 98 receiver, with a full length 23 1/2in barrel in excellent condition. It was a new in wrap replacement barrel.

This rifle will generate 2600fps with a 196 grain Oryx bullet, measured with a magnetospeed. It also delivers moa or less accuracy with that load.

The other rifle is a Husqvarna I bought from Eagleye a few years ago. It has a 22.5 in bbl and the velocities are 2550fps with the same load, and give the same accuracy.

IMHO, you aren't going to get much if anything more from the rechambering job you want to do.

On the other hand, if you're just looking for a learning curve project, fly at it. We all have to learn one way or another.
 
I am with bearhunter on this one. I looked into the 8-06 and couldn’t see any advantages to it. I have been loading my Bruno up to Europeon pressures since I found out there was a difference. Big improvement in performance of the 8x57. One of my Speer manuals has a separate section for European loads. I just bought a Spanish 98 which will also be getting the same loads.
 
bearhunter said:
I'm not going to try to talk you out of doing this project, but WHY ARE YOU DOING IT?

If that barrel were full issue length, even the K version, the project would be worthwhile.

If that barrel has been significantly shortened as you say, all you're going to gain from this is changing that rifle's status from commercial ammunition available to reloading only.

You won't gain anything but more recoil and more muzzle blast. Velocities will be much the same, with maybe a very slight edge to the original chambering.

The 8x57, when it's hand-loaded to European specs will do anything a 30-06 will do with similar weight bullets.

You don't mention if it's a .318 J bore or a .323 JS bore.

Many hand loaders don't know there is a difference, so reloading manuals in North America list LIGHT loads in case some nimrod shoots .323 bullets through a .318 bore.

I would suggest, before you bugger this rifle up, load it to the European pressures and shoot it. You will be surprised by how good a round it is.

I load for two 8x57 sporters.

One is a put together, utilizing a sportered DWM 98 receiver, with a full length 23 1/2in barrel in excellent condition. It was a new in wrap replacement barrel.

This rifle will generate 2600fps with a 196 grain Oryx bullet, measured with a magnetospeed. It also delivers moa or less accuracy with that load.

The other rifle is a Husqvarna I bought from Eagleye a few years ago. It has a 22.5 in bbl and the velocities are 2550fps with the same load, and give the same accuracy.

IMHO, you aren't going to get much if anything more from the rechambering job you want to do.

On the other hand, if you're just looking for a learning curve project, fly at it. We all have to learn one way or another.
Click to expand...
Well I never said the barrel was significantly shortened, it is 22”!
Also I load for 8x57 already and get 2650fps with 200gn accubond shouting under moa!
The new to me rifle is a 323 bore, and it was a $350 rifle so me changing it to 8mm-06 is for fun, learning and experimenting! Oh and I have hundreds of 30-06 case laying around!
What make you think I will buger up this rifle?
Oh and the thread is not “ change my mind on rechambering to 8mm-06”, it is tell me what very thing I need to know to rechamber by hand to 8mm-06 lol
But thanks for your concerns!
 
Last edited:
DGY said:
Well I never said the barrel was significantly shortened, it is 22”!
Also I load for 8x57 already and get 2650fps with 200gn accubond shouting under moa!
The new to me rifle is a 323 bore, and it was a $350 rifle so me changing it to 8mm-06 is for fun, learning and experimenting! Oh and I have hundreds of 30-06 case laying around!
What make you think I will buger up this rifle?
Oh and the thread is not “ change my mind on rechambering to 8mm-06”, it is tell me what very thing I need to know to rechamber by hand to 8mm-06 lol
But thanks for your concerns!
Click to expand...

In that case, follow guntech's and tiriaq's advice.

Giving out some info instead of making people press you for it does make a difference in the answers you will get.
 
DGY. U Got to do You. I see it both ways, probably laziness has held me back more than anything. Pictures would be nice. But for now my 1918 and 1943 bubba specials will have to stay x57, , , , maybe ;) Maybe in the right rifle a 8x06AI should be in .325wsm category. It's only time and $$$.
 
Last edited:
It will be fine. Just go slow. I faced a barrel and needed to run the chamber 0.200 deeper. I used a reamer/tap handle and lots of cutting fluid.

Use a depth micrometer to measure from the go gage to the barrel face, run the reamer say 10 or 20 turns. Measure again, then you've got an idea on how much you're cutting per turn.

Also able to put the go gage in, screw the action on with the bolt in, and feeler gages to measure action face to barrel shoulder and youll know how far you have to go.

Between those two measurements you'll see your progress and be able to sneak up on your depth.

Since you already own the rifle and borrowed the reamer and gages, you don't have anything to lose. And I believe I read that this chambering would be hand loads only? So if you over shoot cutting the chamber, no big deal, just size the cases to the chamber not to the reloading die.

In the end, it's probably not WORTH it from a monetary standpoint, I know my project wasn't, but sometimes you just have to scratch the itch, and now I've learned something, done something, got a sentimental gun shooting again, and the gun is more interesting (to me, and only me)
 
bearhunter said:
I'm not going to try to talk you out of doing this project, but WHY ARE YOU DOING IT?

If that barrel were full issue length, even the K version, the project would be worthwhile.

If that barrel has been significantly shortened as you say, all you're going to gain from this is changing that rifle's status from commercial ammunition available to reloading only.

You won't gain anything but more recoil and more muzzle blast. Velocities will be much the same, with maybe a very slight edge to the original chambering.

The 8x57, when it's hand-loaded to European specs will do anything a 30-06 will do with similar weight bullets.

You don't mention if it's a .318 J bore or a .323 JS bore.

Many hand loaders don't know there is a difference, so reloading manuals in North America list LIGHT loads in case some nimrod shoots .323 bullets through a .318 bore.

I would suggest, before you bugger this rifle up, load it to the European pressures and shoot it. You will be surprised by how good a round it is.

I load for two 8x57 sporters.

One is a put together, utilizing a sportered DWM 98 receiver, with a full length 23 1/2in barrel in excellent condition. It was a new in wrap replacement barrel.

This rifle will generate 2600fps with a 196 grain Oryx bullet, measured with a magnetospeed. It also delivers moa or less accuracy with that load.

The other rifle is a Husqvarna I bought from Eagleye a few years ago. It has a 22.5 in bbl and the velocities are 2550fps with the same load, and give the same accuracy.

IMHO, you aren't going to get much if anything more from the rechambering job you want to do.

On the other hand, if you're just looking for a learning curve project, fly at it. We all have to learn one way or another.
Click to expand...

Disagree. Have owned multiple examples of both. 8mm-06 definitely has a velocity advantage. The Ackley and Gibbs versions even more. - dan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom