New for 2019 – Foster Manson Reamers (FMR)

A series of enhanced performance reamers designed by David Manson and Nathan Foster, tested with the help and support of Grant Lovelock, co-owner of True-Flite NZ.

• .280 Remington FMR
• .280 Remington Ackley Improved FMR
• 7mm Remington Magnum FMR
• 7mm Practical
• .30-06 Springfield FMR
• .30-06 Ackley Improved FMR
• .300 Winchester Magnum FMR
• And re-introducing the M-852 Match

Optimized for universal usage including general hunting, long range hunting and match applications.

Although many of our cartridges appear to be tried and true, new projectile designs such as the Hornady ELD-X, ELD-M, A-TIP and the Sierra TMK have created a number of problems. Many of these new long for caliber bullets produce outstanding results both on target and game out to exceptional ranges. These new projectiles are cruise missiles capable of exceptional, jaw dropping performance. However, the new bullets designs have also created conflicts within existing magazine fed rifle designs.

In plain terms, many rifles (or more specifically the chambers) simply aren’t up to the tasks that we want to put them too. The bullets are continually evolving but rifle chambers have remained much the same. The OAL’s are too long for the rifle magazines while the throat leade angles can create finicky performance.

Those of you who work within the industry will know just what it is like when you have put all of your effort into a job, only to find that the customer’s rifle turns out to be extremely temperamental. Those of us who care about our customers can end up losing a lot of sleep and a lot of money over these jobs.

Through my research and with the tireless help of Dave Manson and Grant Lovelock (True-Flite barrels, New Zealand), I have been able to determine that a major proportion of these problems stem from the original chamber designs. A barrel maker can for example, waste a lot of time fretting over poor performing barrels when instead, the reamers have been the cause of issues. These issues effect both those who make the barrels and those who fit them. Many barrel makers, gunsmiths and end users simply do not understand the gravity of this, blaming for example the barrel maker when it is the decades old reamer design at fault. These issues have created a great deal of unnecessary stress and animosity between gunsmiths, clients and barrel makers for no other reason than a misalignment of technologies.

Dave Manson and I have set about correcting these issues via the creation of a small line of optimized reamers. I am eternally grateful to David Manson for his commitment to the shooting sports and for going the distance on this mind-numbing project. I am also immensely grateful to Grant Lovelock for supplying us with barrels, helping us greatly with the costs of testing.

The new reamers are in essence an overhaul of some now very old designs, enhancing their performance with modern long-range projectiles. Some tolerances have been maximized while others have been minimized but without reducing tolerances to the point of excessive pressures with +P type factory ammunition. The new reamers help to guide these long projectiles into the lands with minimal upset, resulting in optimum accuracy while at the same time complementing power generation.

Direct benefits include:

• Rifle manufacturers and barrel makers will find that these reamers compliment their barrels as opposed to having customers complain about a finicky barrel.
• Gunsmiths will enjoy the same benefits of non-finicky long-range rifles. This means less time spent with either load development and / or potential customer complaints.
• Hand loaders will find load development somewhat easier. For example, rather than the rifle being picky to the last .2 grains of powder and with groups ranging from 1.5 MOA down to .5 MOA (or simply poor accuracy), group spread across the load spectrum is more uniform.
• Complimentary to both hand loading and factory ammunition use (no requirement to neck turn if the end user does not want to do this).
• Optimum power and accuracy with modern long-range bullet designs.
• Potential reduction of plasma-like copper fouling (depending on barrel / chamber finish work).
• Room to chase throat wear without LR bullets sitting out into the case neck.

Dave Manson and I set about this project to help rifle and barrel makers, smiths and end users. I very much hope that this helps bring people together, helping to build positive relationships between those who build the rifles and those who use them.