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Anybody Chamber Ream a 22 Hornet to a 22 K Hornet at home?

4K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  PaPow 
#1 ·
I couldn`t find a gunsmithing section, so i started this thread here. If its not in the right section, MODS please move it to the correct section, BUT, please let me know if you do move it. Nobody likes chasing around looking for their threads when they`ve disappeared.

Ok, so, being that the chamber in this CZ527 22 Hornet i have, looks like it was never finish reamed (or polished) at the CZ factory, its leaving VERY heavy full circle marks/impressions on my spent cases and you can feel the spent cases coming out of the chamber pretty hard because of it. The marks are mainly at the shoulder area and part way down the body. I did slug the chamber and it looks horrible to say the least. The chamber surface looks like somebody ran a tap in it, its just ugly bad looking. You can run your fingernail over the marks and feel them. Its very obvious to me that the reamer they used at the CZ factory must have chipped out. Soooooo, i`m wondering, this would be a great opportunity to ream the chamber to 22 K Hornet and knock out 2 birds with one stone. A nicer finished chamber, and longer case life being reamed to 22 K Hornet spec would be a huge plus in my opinion.

Now, my biggest problem is, there are NO gunsmiths anywhere near me that can do the job. Any of the people working on guns in my local area i wouldn`t let them touch a cardboard box let alone work on ANY guns i own. Can i get away with just reaming it myself if i buy the finish reamer? I am a retired tool and die maker, machinist of many decades, so i know how to do the job, i just dont have a lathe capable at home to do it like most "expert" gunsmiths would, by centering up in a lathe and reaming it out. I would have to do it by hand. Have any of you folks ever done one on your own at home with minimal tools? What would your suggestions be on how to do this without a lathe. And no, i`m not sending this gun back to CZ. A bad experience with them recently left a very bad taste.

Thanks guys, any help would be very much appreciated :)
 
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#2 · (Edited)
The reamers are meant to be used by hand. No lathe, no power. I purchased one for the Garand which is the type you pull through. I think my total cost was around $160. If rented, the cost was less. Maybe 1/2. I prefer to own. The K hornet CZ would be done from the breach. Should be easy for a "real machinist".

I purchased from Manson Reamers. Cut like butter and IIRC significantly lower cost than the competition. Less than Pacific. The reamer for your need should be much less than mine. And less than your typical gunsmith.

Obviously the K-Hornet will only clean up certain area f the chamber. Not the neck and little to none as you near the rim. That is what you apparently need.

You could call CZ. I am sure you will hear about that. To actually answer your question. It should be easy for a person with your background. I dont remember specifically, I am sure I did some research before cutting. You may not need that. Then this is not a place to get cocky :) Cannot hurt to google you tube. Brownell has video tutorials that are good.
 
#5 ·
Thank you fourbore, yes on everything you touched on. The neck area is good and in spec. So all i need to do is clean up the shoulder and just a smidge below the shoulder. Most of the area of the lower part of the chamber towards the rim is fine, and is within spec. Any roughness in the lower end of the chamber can easily be polished to fix any light imperfections in that area, so i`m not as concerned with that.

I`ve done the research you mentioned about brownels & youtube, google, but it didnt come up with much much of what i didnt already know. I was hoping to find a video showing a 22 Hornet being converted to 22 K Hornet. Seen lots & lots of videos, done a ton of research, but i would like to see the actual work being done from start to finish. Most videos only showing the job AFTER it was done. Seems all the videos i`ve seen, all show them reaming the chamber in a lathe. I would really like to find a video showing it done by hand.

Alot of the YT videos are fellas that are making new chambers in blank barrels, which is what i am not doing (as you already knew). Being that the K Hornet job is basically a clean up of the upper end of the chamber, skootching the shoulder forward a little bit, should be a very simple task for someone with experience in machining as myself.

I just wanted to check with some folks in here to see if anyone has converted to a K Hornet, done one by hand, and how they did it with just doing it by hand. Did they use a centering bushing in the rear inside the receiver to center the reamer? Did they use any type of piloted tipped reamer that centers the reamer by using the freebore? These are just questions i would like to know before i start buying tooling for the task at hand. We all know it can get expensive, especially if you`re not buying the right things, lol. I would love to talk with someone who has done it at their home, with actual part numbers to the tools they bought, where they bought them, to do their own K Hornet conversion.

Thank you for your earlier response, greatly appreciate it! :)
 
#4 ·
There are plenty of hand reamers meant to be used by hand, but I can’t really agree chambering reamers are all meant to be used by hand, though I agree they can be in some cases. The problem will be a sure, experienced hand. Without proper lube, pressure, and torque, chattering and faceting of the reamed hole can happen. Also, whether done by hand or not, .22 Hornet chamber sizes vary quite a lot, maybe the most of all, so ensuring everything cleans up on the OP chamber could require a reamer with neck and case base dimensions on the larger side, and that may take you from the frying pan into the fire with bulging cases and short case life.

Also, I doubt a nice Manson reamer will be that oversized unless you specified that. Only a chamber cast can tell you the precise dimensions of neck and just forward of the rim to properly size your new K-Hornet reamer. Finally, I have had a couple of K-Hornet-converted 527s have feeding problems with the fatter K-Hornets altered feed angle. Usually got it sorted out, but it’s another thing to consider. The .17 Hornets were worse in this regard, as I recall.

Who knows, maybe a chamber cast will tell you you can get the chamber pretty clean with a slightly large dimensioned 22 Hornet reamer? Some of the CZ chambers were pretty minimally sized. I think you need more information before proceeding.

As a tool and die maker, could you not locate someone locally with a lathe, even if not a gunsmith?
TBR
 
#7 ·
There are plenty of hand reamers meant to be used by hand, but I can't really agree chambering reamers are all meant to be used by hand, though I agree they can be in some cases. The problem will be a sure, experienced hand. Without proper lube, pressure, and torque, chattering and faceting of the reamed hole can happen. Also, whether done by hand or not, .22 Hornet chamber sizes vary quite a lot, maybe the most of all, so ensuring everything cleans up on the OP chamber could require a reamer with neck and case base dimensions on the larger side, and that may take you from the frying pan into the fire with bulging cases and short case life.

Also, I doubt a nice Manson reamer will be that oversized unless you specified that. Only a chamber cast can tell you the precise dimensions of neck and just forward of the rim to properly size your new K-Hornet reamer. Finally, I have had a couple of K-Hornet-converted 527s have feeding problems with the fatter K-Hornets altered feed angle. Usually got it sorted out, but it's another thing to consider. The .17 Hornets were worse in this regard, as I recall.

Who knows, maybe a chamber cast will tell you you can get the chamber pretty clean with a slightly large dimensioned 22 Hornet reamer? Some of the CZ chambers were pretty minimally sized. I think you need more information before proceeding.

As a tool and die maker, could you not locate someone locally with a lathe, even if not a gunsmith?
TBR
Appreciate the feedback sir! As for someone locally, no. I`m well into my 70`s now, been out of the loop for a spell, and anyone i once knew, is long gone. The machine shops in my area have all just about dried up. I talked to a couple in the distant area here, both places told me they wouldn`t touch anything related to a firearm. This isn't the good ole days anymore where a friendly machine shop would do anything you wanted. Everything is so political anymore, if you know what i mean without saying it. The one place told me to leave at the first mention of a firearm. I guess they were afraid of old men asking questions :(

Yupppp!!!! I totally understand "frying pan into the fire". I did do a couple chamber cast just to be sure. I`m confident i have enough room to convert this gun without any chamber issues. The chamber is quite tight.

Yeahhh, the 17 Hornet. No thanks, lol. Seen and heard all the nightmares. That`s why i stuck with the 22 Hornet. And a varmint wont live long enough to discuss the difference between the two calibers anyway after it gets hit. ;)

Thank you TBR, much appreciate it
 
#6 ·
Almost all finishing chambering reamers will have a pilot, most solid, some live. You'll need a very good reamer extention with T-handle to reach down through the receiver into the chamber with the reamer, unless you plan to remove the barrel, and that can impact feel, precision, and effectiveness.

It sounds like your neck and chamber base dimensions are good, just ensure you check your chamber reamer dimensions so you don't unnecessarily open up those areas. I know some custom shops that chamber by hand, but 99%+ gunsmiths will remove the barrel and do the job on a lathe.

Good luck
 
#8 ·
Almost all finishing chambering reamers will have a pilot, most solid, some live. You'll need a very good reamer extention with T-handle to reach down through the receiver into the chamber with the reamer, unless you plan to remove the barrel, and that can impact feel, precision, and effectiveness.

It sounds like your neck and chamber base dimensions are good, just ensure you check your chamber reamer dimensions so you don't unnecessarily open up those areas. I know some custom shops that chamber by hand, but 99%+ gunsmiths will remove the barrel and do the job on a lathe.

Good luck
As i suspected, and i totally agree. I will be doing the conversion with the barrel left on the receiver. Yup, i have T-handle`s, actually, several of them in different lengths.

Yes sir, i always look at the reamer prints, and i always measure them.
 
#10 ·
Check with 4-D

For reamer info and rentals.
I'd get a reamer with a replaceable pilot and turn my own brass pilot if needed to spin fit the bore. Might be able to paper shim what one comes with though.
I'd also seriously look at turning a rear centering bushing, but I have a lathe and hate reamer wobbles!
With the reamer all 'jigged' up proper, a T-handle, the gun mounted vertically so I could get even and equal down pressure on the lubed reamer I'd dress that chamber down to just a shy kiss it the rim seat . All By Hand so you can feel the 'bite'. This doesnt have to be done like production work.
 
#12 ·
For reamer info and rentals.
I'd get a reamer with a replaceable pilot and turn my own brass pilot if needed to spin fit the bore. Might be able to paper shim what one comes with though.
I'd also seriously look at turning a rear centering bushing, but I have a lathe and hate reamer wobbles!
With the reamer all 'jigged' up proper, a T-handle, the gun mounted vertically so I could get even and equal down pressure on the lubed reamer I'd dress that chamber down to just a shy kiss it the rim seat . All By Hand so you can feel the 'bite'. This doesnt have to be done like production work.
Thank you gcrank1
I`m right with you on everything you said. A friend of mine has a very small table lathe that i can make the bushing with. I agree, just barely kiss the rim seat. Measure twice, ream once, lol.
 
#14 ·
Hand reaming

I've done Hornet to K Hornet by hand but they were done on bare barrels. I don't like long extensions as they lend themselves to chatter. I wouldn't use a bushing in the receiver unless you are absolutely sure the barrel is true to the bolt raceway. You'd be surprised how often it's not and you end up with an out of round chamber.

This may sound a little odd but if I have to hand ream I like to do it with the barrel vertical with the muzzle pointed UP. With small reamers I find it gives me better control as the weight of the wrench doesn't make the reamer dig in.

Dennis
 
#15 ·
I've done Hornet to K Hornet by hand but they were done on bare barrels. I don't like long extensions as they lend themselves to chatter. I wouldn't use a bushing in the receiver unless you are absolutely sure the barrel is true to the bolt raceway. You'd be surprised how often it's not and you end up with an out of round chamber.

This may sound a little odd but if I have to hand ream I like to do it with the barrel vertical with the muzzle pointed UP. With small reamers I find it gives me better control as the weight of the wrench doesn't make the reamer dig in.

Dennis
Thank you Dennis. I have given great consideration about the barrel vs receiver trueness. Yes, i`m very well aware of it. I do have equipment and tooling to check that. And i will surely be checking it before i get to far into the reaming task.
 
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