Setting Headspace "without" go-no go gauges"

[Dennis]

I know many do set the headspace on their new barrels without the guages!

Let me know how you do it!

I just recieved my barrel vise and wrench from SSS.

[tinkerer]

Take a new brass, put one layer of cellophane tape on head and place in action, close bolt.

Screw new barrel down to contact, tighten nut down. This is go gage.

If you place another piece of tape on brass, bolt shoulder not quite close. This is no-go gage.

As shown to me by long time gunsmith.

Alternative, use new loaded round. Only do this outdoors for obvious reason.

Larry
Tinkerer

Don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger.

[Dennis]

Thanks for the reply, 1st, I will use unloaded brass! ;)

Second, if I undertand correctly, U put one piece of tape on the brass (obviously cut on the edges), screw the barrel down, tighten barrel nut.

The put a second piece of tape on brass, if the bolt doesn't close or is sticky, then your headspace is to tight and need to back off the barrel a little, correct?

[Eric in NC]

The put a second piece of tape on brass, if the bolt doesn't close or is sticky, then your headspace is to tight and need to back off the barrel a little, correct?


No - if the bolt closes on it with no problem you have too much headspace.

I would not reccomend this method though. If you don't want to use gauges (they are cheap to rent or someone here might even loan you a set) it is best to use a piece of fired brass that has been full length sized in your dies. Unfired factory brass varies too much from lot to lot and brand to brand to ensure good results.

[Dennis]

Where is the best place to buy go-no go guages?

[jimbo88mm]

Lots of online vendors carry them. Midway has them for ~$25 or so.

[mattri]

What caliber?

[Dennis]

6br and 308

[Eric in NC]

http://www.reamerrentals.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=26

[Onceinawhile]

Or ask someone on the board to let you borrow a piece of fired 6br and 308 brass. Resize it in your die and use for headspaceing.

[geargrinder]

It's not unsafe to use unfired brass, it's just a hassle.

I did that once with a 220 Swift. Set the barrel with tape on an unfired piece of brass. Shot all of the brass I had 1x. FL sized them and and checked them in the rifle. Some would chamber with some bolt drag, some would not chamber at all. So, I reset the barrel with one of the freshly FL sized. Shot them all again. FL sized them again and checked them in the rifle. Again, most would drag and the rest would not chamber. Reset the barrel again and shot. FL sized this time they all chambered fine.

The problem was that the unfired brass was so undersized that the barrel was set with quite a bit short headspace. So much so, when I FL sized the first two times, the die was only sizing the neck and not touching the shoulder or body.

I'll use brass to set barrel, but only fired and FL sized brass from a properly headspaced barrel. I actually prefer it to proper gauges.

[Dennis]

Good info geargrinder, this is what I am looking for.

Dennis

[82boy]

I set all my barrels off of brass, I dont even own a single guage.
Now just because this is how I do it, I dont recamend other doing this and if they do so they do so on there own accord. I highly recamend a person using a go and no-gio gauges and setting headspace with them ,and then have then checked by a gunsmith.
I usualy set them off of a piece of brass, then I take and place 2 pieces of scotch tape (somewhere around.004 thick) on the back of the case and see if the bolt will close. It takes a bit of feel to do this, because you can crush the tape and force the bolt close. Another way is get plasti-gauge from a autoparts store, place a piece on the back of a case close the bolt, open it up and measure it using the package supplied, if I get about .002 I call it good.
there is an article in the archives under "technical articles" on the home page, go to the bottom, and you will find it.

[lal357]

i just did mine used a go guage to set them put one (1) piece of tape to check it was hard to close (had to use force and crushed the tape) took it off put just the go guage back in closed fine. but i am ordering me some no-go guages this week.

[Dennis]

I take and place 2 pieces of scotch tape (somewhere around.004 thick) on the back of the case and see if the bolt will close


plasti-gauge from a autoparts store, place a piece on the back of a case close the bolt, open it up and measure it using the package supplied, if I get about .002 I call it good.

Two followup questions:

1st: Do you cut the scotch tape to match the brass head? Another words just cut the tape to match the round part of the brass head.

2nd: Same question for Plasti-guage?

[Dennis]

PSS: Will a 6br go guage work on a 6brx, or for this matter a 6.0x47L?

[82boy]

1st: Do you cut the scotch tape to match the brass head? Another words just cut the tape to match the round part of the brass head.


Yes I just take a razor blade and trim around the case, without doing so will leave tape to bunch up, and scew the measurement.



2nd: Same question for Plasti-guage?


Nope plasiti gauge is a thread like substance, I just cut a piece and lay it on the back of a case, without any hang over.



PSS: Will a 6br go guage work on a 6brx, or for this matter a 6.0x47L?


Nope I don't think that would work, gauges are the length of the case from the sholder to the bases, a BRX is a BR with the shoulder moved forward, Making it longer in distance, same would go with the 6x47L it is a longer case than the BR, so if you was to drop a BR gague in the chamber is would just fall way down in the chamber rendering it useless. You would need a guages for each caliber. Now you can use a 6BR gauge on a 30 br, 7Br, 22 br, 20 BR , because the shoulder is at the same place on all of them.

[Dennis]

Take a new brass, put one layer of cellophane tape on head and place in action, close bolt.

Screw new barrel down to contact, tighten nut down. This is go gage.

If you place another piece of tape on brass, bolt shoulder not quite close. This is no-go gage.

As shown to me by long time gunsmith.

Above sounds like a plan.

Someone stated use fired brass, FL sized and then do the above procedure?

And .002 is what I am looking for with plasti-guage? I will probably do both to be absolutely sure!

[82boy]

I would highly recamend using fired and sized brass, to set a barrel off of, if possible.

[Dennis]

Will do, I heard some reset the headspace after firing/sizing the brass and make an adjustment or two.