Gunsmithing best 6 Dasher reamer

[scudzuki]

I'm looking for a 6 Dasher reamer to shoot 105-107 class bullets with brass made from Lapua 6 BR cases, preferably without neck turning.
A friend bought a 6 Dasher reamer (from Brownells or Midway IIRC) made by PTG and there's something about the geometry that doesn't work (I've heard there may have been hundreds of them made and sold).
I don't want to make a similar mistake.
Whose reamer is preferred these days?

 

[JLR]

This is what I'm using at the moment and it seems to be working pretty well. http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/6mm-635mm-nopix-showcart-/4198-6mm-dasher-reamer.html

 

[Sheldon N]

I think most everyone is using that PTG reamer or something with similar specs... 104 freebore .272 neck for no turn Lapua brass. It was popularized because it set world records a while back. The specs on the reamer are right down the middle of where you want to be, so I'd be surprised if there was a problem with reamer geometry (assuming it was made right).

 

[scudzuki]

I think most everyone is using that PTG reamer or something with similar specs... 104 freebore .272 neck for no turn Lapua brass. It was popularized because it set world records a while back. The specs on the reamer are right down the middle of where you want to be, so I'd be surprised if there was a problem with reamer geometry (assuming it was made right).

I finished a barrel for the friend who bought the PTG 6 Dasher reamer and he could not get it to shoot.
It was Josh Kunz from PVA that told me the reamer was known to have have problems.
I'll try to get the reamer off my friend and blueprint it.

Edit my friend got it from Grizzly.

 

[Sheldon N]

I do know that Josh has his own custom reamer specs and that his rifles shoot... that's what I'm shooting right now, it's awesome. One thing Josh does is double check all his reamers on an optical comparator to make sure the specs are right. One more attention to detail item that makes me a fan.

If you look though all the specs to choose from, the PTG reamer is pretty plain vanilla with what most people are doing with the Dasher. Lots and lots of threads over at the accurate shooter benchrest forums about what guys are choosing from when they order their own custom reamers and they're all pretty similar, mainly it's about choosing the freebore and neck diameter. From what I've seen from other PRS shooters the .272 neck and 104 freebore are solid numbers. My rifle from Josh is a .2725ish neck and 104 freebore. The other specs you could scrutinize might be lead angle at 1.5 degrees (also common), freebore diameter (PTG reamer is .2433, I've seen some guys lean towards a bit larger maybe .2438-.244). Some guys will run a slightly larger base diameter to help with sizing die selection options, but that's not really something that would make the rifle shoot or not.

Like you said, there have been tons of rifles chambered on that PTG reamer so I would expect that if it had a problem it wouldn't have that kind of popularity and longevity. Of course, I'm not a gunsmith so I'm just reiterating some of the stuff I've read and looked at when picking out calibers and chambering options.

 

[scudzuki]

Thanks for all that have responded. I may go with 6x47 Lapua instead of the Dasher.

 

[delfuego]

One issue that has arisen with the Dasher reamers is because there is no SAMMI spec for Dasher. The problem is between the dies offered and the reamers all being different. The issue is the base of the cartridge not being sized enough at the bottom of the case. It is really more a sizing die issue than anything else.

 

[scudzuki]

A friend who shoots benchrest has been shooting 6 Dasher for a few years.
He finishes his own barrels.
He offered me his reamer set (finish chamber reamer and die reamer) to deal with that issue, but it requires neck turning the cases and I've had my fill of that for a while.

 

[delfuego]

One of our buddies calls it the "Fucking Dasher". When it shoot its hammers, but then... This has been my first "deep-end of the pool" wildcat experience and I got real aggravated 1/2 way through. The 2 best options in my opinion are new reamer, or custom dies. Either should help. We got the new reamer. I believe it is a JGS. I don't know the name, they can be secretive of that stuff, and am too dumb to know what is the exactly difference. I'm just a trigger puller. I might see what the guys on Accurate Shooter have to say, smarter crowd than this place. Good luck brother.

 

[mrbig]

send a couple of cases that have been shot to Harrels and they will send you a FL bushing die that will solve all your Dasher sizing problems,,,a lot of smiths tweak the numbers on the prints to try and gain an edge,,
Harrells has Dasher dies to fit all the different Dasher reamers there is,,they give them a number Dasher #1,Dasher #1.5,Dasher #2,Dasher #2.5,Dasher #3 etc,etc etc,,,just send them a couple fired cases from your chamber and they will send you the die that matches your chamber,,,,if you can shoot the brass 2-3 times they can get a better fit than just with once fired brass,,

 

[delfuego]

Not sure Harrels dies are the solution. I am a big fan of Harrels, but their dies may still not be small enough at the base to always resolve this issue.

 

[bohem]

Most of the "fucking Dasher" storiesthat I've dug through with customers relating to the cartridge boil down to a mix of reamer layout issues stemming back to the BR origins of the cartridge. The Field Match conditions, CoF, and layout are not conducive to tight neck, turn neck, tight freebore, tight chambered reamers. I've been shooting a 6 Dasher and now a 6 BR in repeaters for 2 seasons starting with a prototype Bighorn TL3 that was converted from a TL2 action body blank. It's a 1 of a kind receiver to use as a test platform and it works without hiccups. The reamer specs that Sheldon N mentions aren't too far off. I use a 105 freebore that works really well with a lot of bullets, even down to 95 TMK's that scream from my 26" Dasher and BR. His Dasher is lighting up the Club PRS circuit in the PNW this year.

I use Warner Tool's custom dies for my Dasher but before I got them I was using a Redding body sizer, Forster bushing neck sizer and Forster micrometer seater. I still shoot Lapua BR brass into Dasher brass because I am pretty heavily invested in it having been there for 3 barrels before the Norma stuff hit the market last year.

The Norma factory brass needs some slight differences to work well in the matches we're looking at around here but it does shoot very well day in and day out when accounted for properly.

I've heard lots of the Dasher horror stories and there are similar accounts of the 6mm x 47 Lapua doing the same thing. After listening to them all, digging through what information the owners could provide and taking a LOT of measurements on the brass, bullets and working with the loading patterns it comes down to a lot of the horror stories tending to be related to the reamer layout.

 

[scudzuki]

Swell, so my 6x47 Lapua reamer may be a turd, too.

Ugh.

 

[MMAJunkie]

I just had Matthew Stewart www.stewartrifles.com chamber me a 6 Dasher for my F class gun, I used a 1-8" twist straight 1.25" barrel that finished at 30". This went in my F class rifle and I shot it yesterday at my first match at 600 yards. I shot a 200-12, 200-14X and a 199-17X for a total of 599-43X. So whatever he is doing works pretty well. I use off the shelf Whidden bushing dies that I bought at On The Mark Precision in Florida and they are also the ones that suggested the reamer. I don't know the specs I just relied on them and told them what I wanted. We all shoot a 105gr Hybrid Berger

 

[Rthur]

Most of the "fucking Dasher" storiesthat I've dug through with customers relating to the cartridge boil down to a mix of reamer layout issues stemming back to the BR origins of the cartridge. The Field Match conditions, CoF, and layout are not conducive to tight neck, turn neck, tight freebore, tight chambered reamers. I've been shooting a 6 Dasher and now a 6 BR in repeaters for 2 seasons starting with a prototype Bighorn TL3 that was converted from a TL2 action body blank. It's a 1 of a kind receiver to use as a test platform and it works without hiccups. The reamer specs that Sheldon N mentions aren't too far off. I use a 105 freebore that works really well with a lot of bullets, even down to 95 TMK's that scream from my 26" Dasher and BR. His Dasher is lighting up the Club PRS circuit in the PNW this year.

I use Warner Tool's custom dies for my Dasher but before I got them I was using a Redding body sizer, Forster bushing neck sizer and Forster micrometer seater. I still shoot Lapua BR brass into Dasher brass because I am pretty heavily invested in it having been there for 3 barrels before the Norma stuff hit the market last year.

The Norma factory brass needs some slight differences to work well in the matches we're looking at around here but it does shoot very well day in and day out when accounted for properly.

I've heard lots of the Dasher horror stories and there are similar accounts of the 6mm x 47 Lapua doing the same thing. After listening to them all, digging through what information the owners could provide and taking a LOT of measurements on the brass, bullets and working with the loading patterns it comes down to a lot of the horror stories tending to be related to the reamer layout.

Bohem, be interested in hearing more about the 6x47 reamer issues in specifics if available.

R

 

[skeetlee]

PTG customer service is one thing, but ive never had any issues with their reamers not cutting well.. Perhaps i am lucky?? Lee

 

[scudzuki]

PTG customer service is one thing, but ive never had any issues with their reamers not cutting well.. Perhaps i am lucky?? Lee

I did not have any issue with the reamer cutting, but the resulting chamber dimensions were not conducive to accuracy. Neck too tight, allegedly.

Nonetheless I chambered a 6mm barrel 6x47 Lapua last night with the reamer a friend bought "off the shelf" from PTG. The neck dimension on it will work without neck turning, and that's about as much as I can measure without a comparator.

I can always set the barrel back if it doesn't work out, I guess.

 

[xmedicmanx]

Just a thought but call PTG and talk to Dave, tell him what you're looking to do and have him make you exactly what you want. I called PTG last week with a question on a custom reamer for our LR ammo. The lady said she'd have Dave call me he did a couple hours later We talked for about 15 minutes, he told me to send some loaded ammo and he's going to call me this week to hone the details. Granted it's a 223 (AF Service Rifle tm) but the procedure could be the same for you

 

[craigos]

Give Josh @ PVA a call - he does a lot of Dashers and a lot of his customers shooting them are on here and can talk about the awesome groups we are getting.

 

[skeetlee]

In my opinion the common .104 free bore isn't long enough I prefer .125 to .150 or even a .160

 

[jsthntn247]

273 neck for no turn, 2438 leade diameter, .2717 at the .200 line for resizing with no clickers, and 140 freebore length because your no where near mag length anyway. Get it too tight and you'll blow primers after a while. I've seen allot of tactical shooters blowing primers after a few hundred rounds because of a benchrest reamer being used.

 

[skeetlee]

There is no such thing as a benchrest reamer. To be quite clear most benchrest shooter are going to be shooting hotter loads than most tactical guys anyway. Other than custom actions, larger firing pin Diameter could cause some issue, but the free bore doesnt have anything to do with it. Benchrest shooters by in large are shooting BAT, Borden and Kelbly custom actions. these actions will take a bunch more pressure than say a Remington 700 or any other non custom. All of which can be over pressured, with careless handloading. Im not trying to correct the fella above, i just wanted to clear up his terminology . Lee