After spending the half-life of your average elephant and using most of the choice expletives which I picked up listening to [the now forsaken] BIG MIKE, I seem to have mastered the "new" indicating method which BIG MIKE stole from Stan Ware.

Hot off a round of stout language, the barrel "fell into place" as if BIG MIKE HIMSELF was wresting the chuck wrench! Following a few double checks and reconfirmations, we gathered enough courage to bore the "rough-out" (yep, WE BORE them) for a .30x47HBR chamber . .and THAT went well enough. Then, the precious Forgreen's 30x47 reamer was amply lubed and plunged into the .445" diameter bore (.456" shoulder diameter) just far enough to cut the shoulder and most of neck, while "cleaning up the 'bore'; the reamer was withdrawn, cleaned, relubed and run in the 0.035" which remained to establish the desired head-space.

The reamer was thoroughly cleansed, oiled and returned to its shelf space. Then, a few other items were cleaned up/off, including "dechipping" the lathe, whereupon, a nice tall BLACK JUICE elixir was concocted (The Forbidden ZONERS & WareWolf types  are not completely lacking in the valuable information department) and the bore-scope uncased. WE were prepared  for disaster - fortunately, the preperation was wasted! The scope revealed a throat as perfect as can be cut (yep, even better n' yours Ronnie!) and though I bored the rough-out a little larger than necessary, the chamber cleaned up perfectly as well . . . .

Now, all I gotta do is decide which action to fit it to . . and there may not be enough BLACK JUICE to facilitate THAT tonight! More seriously, I decide to go about this one bassakwards - that is, to chamer first, then cut the barrel tennon and thread, THEN, obtain the actual head-space when cutting the face on the tennon shoulder . . . Stan and Larry probably need some laughs anyway! I know - I changed my mind - I needed  a Hunter Barrel more than a VfS barrel, so went with the .30x47HBR reamer rather than the .30BR. After seeing the spy pics from Al's Kostyshyn .30 BR barrel, I'm anxious to shoot this very nicely made barrel  - perhaps I'll get another hummer! ;)

Or, maybe Stan, Larry, or Roy  will feel sorry for me; and give me the REAL secrets of proper fitting and chambering! BUT the BIG deal: we got Al to waste a perfectly good barrel on a VfS rig, which will likely ruin his Hunter rifle expertise! ;)

Keep 'em ON the X! R.G.