head spacing my new barrel

[lal357]

i have a 6.5 creedmoor barrel coming in this week from jim briggs but now i cant seem to locate any headspace guages pt&g told me it would be 2 months for them then they have to fill the back orders first,elk ridge reamer rental said atleast 3 weeks at the soonist,and 4-d rental pretty much told me it aint happeneing . anyone have another place to try? the other idea i came up with is since i have to swap heads on the bolt to remove the ejector,extractor and firing pin and use a factory round to set the head space then add a peice of tape for no go. what do ya'll think.

[Eric in NC]

Wait for the gauge or see if someone here will let you borrow one for postage.

[MARK25-06]

all i ever used was a factory round on 7 barrels so far, even after 50 rounds they still headspace the same as new. MARK25-06

[Blue Avenger]

You want to shoot it now or someday?

[lal357]

I was thinking shooting the factory rounds thru it for barrel break in until the head space gauges get to me in late April .then I will reheadspace it and get it ready for an f-open shoot in mid may. By then I will have the dies and brass to reload it

[Eric in NC]

Using factory ammo assumes it is in spec - it is usually undersized by a bit. You can do it that way but you might end up with a short chamber that won't chamber some factory rounds or is even shorter than your FL sizing die will size back down to (after spring back). Not really dangerous or anything but can be annoying.

[lal357]

this only for barrel break in when the gauges do get here then i will be resetting the headspace with the gauges just trying to avoid rushing to get it ready for the may match if i get the barrel broke in now then all i will have to do when the gauges do get to me is reset barrel, sight in scope and find a load to use in may

[Eric in NC]

this only for barrel break in when the gauges do get here then i will be resetting the headspace with the gauges just trying to avoid rushing to get it ready for the may match if i get the barrel broke in now then all i will have to do when the gauges do get to me is reset barrel, sight in scope and find a load to use in may


And re-fireform your brass.

[SMK Shoe]

Well, I always try to use gauges when ever I can, Just like knowing I'm good. BUT, If you headspace a new barrel with factory ammo, then re size your brass to fit that barrel, what would be the problem. Yes, maybe a tight chamber, but your ammo works in your gun. No Problem, You read on the forum all the time people stating "it MUST be able to chamber factory ammo in case I'm a thousand miles away on a million dollar hunt and lose my ammo. then I can purchase walmart ammo and hunt". If 99.99% of your shooting is with your ammo, have at it. I myself haven't shot factory loaded center-fire ammo in 20 years. ( also means your buddies can't help them selves to your ammo at the range) ;D ;D ;D ;D

[lal357]

i just picked up this hornady match 140's becuase they were at a heck of a price(55.00 for 3 boxes) normally i reload all my rounds chamber gauge weight the brass and sort the heads by ogive.

eric yes i will be fl resizing them then refire proming to new chamber i normally neck size after that using a bushing die just using the fl die to set back the shoulderand for new brass.

[lal357]

wont need to use a factory round someone on another board is lending me his go gauge .

[devildogandboy]

if you have some spare time read these posts. i followed "bigedp51's" advice because it just made the most sense to me(not saying anybody else was wrong as this is the only method i tried). i read all the posts thru and did what "biged" described and everything was perfect! when my go guage finally got here i checked it with "biged's" method and didn't have to change a thing. i highly recommend this procedure if you don't want to wait on a go-guage.

http://savageshooters.com/SavageForum/index.php/topic,29226.0.html

[frank1947]

try browneels Clymer gauge I think i saw one for you yesterday i ordered the 6 br said 2 to 3 wks