Seat one so the bearing surface to boattail transition is just above the cases neck shoulder junction. Then measure from the edge of the case mouth to where the ogive just starts to decrease diameter from the bearing surface to the ogive, probably diameter .221ish.
The distance from the case mouth to that ogive start usually gets me really close to finding the freebore I want. Although I'm usually just doing that to determine which of the 3 or more reamers a Smith already has is closest to what I need. I never have any luck talking to guys at ptg about a custom one. I think they usually just see what they have on the shelf and tell me that's exactly what I need.
Years ago I used my little method to pick between some different 243 reamers I wanted a reamer that a 105 amax would kiss at 2.80. They suggested something totally different than the one I picked. When it was done it kissed at 2.795. After a few hundred rounds it's up to 2.80 and still growing.
My method also put me about right on with a 300wsm, 30-06, 6.5x47 L, 28 nosler, and a few other builds.
I did mis by a bit on my 6.5-06 build but I'm not sure what happened there. The Smith that time kept pushing me towards another reamer he had. I said no and insisted on the shorter throat one. It came back with way too much freebore. A 140 vld would about fall out before it kissed. I asked him if he went ahead and used the longer one. He denied it and said I was crazy because even his longer one seated a 140 Sierra to the lands with plenty in the neck. I tried to explain that the 140 Sierra looked like a round nose compared to the vld. He acted like I had insulted his mother and religion and told me that if I knew what I was doing I'd only shoot the 140 Sierra gameking.
I was just thinking earlier about how I used to always have build going but haven't for a while. Remembering that Smith and a few others reminds me why. Not all Smith's understand setting up a reamer to a specific bullet profile so it all fits right and flies well. There are some that do and when I find one maybe I'll give a custom 22 creed a shot. It's on the top of my want list about now and I don't know of a factory gun offered with a 7 twist.
I always hated rolling the dice on a new reamer and waiting forever for it. I started to almost make my Smith decisions based on who had a reamer that looked like it would be what I needed. Some of them would have a gun around they'd chambered with their reamer and I'd send them a range of labeled dummies and they could see which on fit. That works well when its and option.
Bb
