Headspacing damage

[jbjh]

School me.

I was under the impression that too little headspace (i.e. bullet touching the lands) could cause the pressure to spike catastrophically.

[Berniep]

School me.

I was under the impression that too little headspace (i.e. bullet touching the lands) could cause the pressure to spike catastrophically.

But that is not headspace. Headspace is to the shoulder. Chamber and throat length is something you can't control without a reamer.

[stangfish]

Headspace has nothing to do with bullet length or the lands. Headspace is from the base to the dattum on shoulder. I.E... 308's are checked at .400

[Nandy]

If your gauge is getting tighter when you tight your nut then the barrel is not secure enough. Neither your action or the barrel should turn when you are setting the nut.

using a gauge is the correct way. Other methods might work but you are more than likely not setting your headspace to spec. If I were to use brass it would have to be brass that I have fireform in the gun, filled with marine tex, jbweld or some other epoxy to keep the brass from deforming. But then, I would have had to have a gauge to set the barrel right before fireforming... Unless you rent it, buy then sell it or have someone head space the gun for you I dont see the point of saving $30 but to each its own.

[dolomite_supafly]

Setting the headspace to a sized piece of brass isn't so much about saving money. It is about saving my brass. Especially because I shoot 300 Blackout. Every single of brass I have in 300 Blackout I had to make and it is a pain in the butt. So If I can get 5 loadings rather than 4 that is a huge benefit. I actually get a lot more than that. My brass doesn't grow nearly as much so it doesn't get work hardened as much and lasts longer.

[WYcoyote]

I also set my headspace to a piece of fired brass that was full length sized in my die. I then check again with a .003" piece of stainless shim stock (we have a bunch of this at work) between the boltface and case for a no-go.
I started doing this for the exact reason as d_s in post #25 above, it just seems to make sense to me, even though I don't make my brass.
As all I shoot is my reloads, I don't care one bit about factory ammo at this point in time.

[davemuzz]

Setting the headspace to a sized piece of brass isn't so much about saving money. It is about saving my brass. Especially because I shoot 300 Blackout. Every single of brass I have in 300 Blackout I had to make and it is a pain in the butt. So If I can get 5 loadings rather than 4 that is a huge benefit. I actually get a lot more than that. My brass doesn't grow nearly as much so it doesn't get work hardened as much and lasts longer.

I load all of my 6.5x55 Swede's with Lapua or Norma Brass. I also headspace my bull barrel and my sporter barrel with headspace gauges. The key to prevent brass growth, just like you do when you have a factory rifle, is to first determine the headspace of the chamber with one piece of once or twice fired brass. Then you simply adjust either a F\L die or a body die so that your brass has 2-thousands of free headspace to chamber.

I will get 15 to 20 reloads from quality brass for my 6.5 Swede and I load them just a tad over the recommended maximum as this gives the 140gr. bullets just enough velocity to get one ragged hole at 100 yards, and sub-MOA at the longer 400+ yardages.

Dave

[handirifle]

I load all of my 6.5x55 Swede's with Lapua or Norma Brass. I also headspace my bull barrel and my sporter barrel with headspace gauges. The key to prevent brass growth, just like you do when you have a factory rifle, is to first determine the headspace of the chamber with one piece of once or twice fired brass. Then you simply adjust either a F\L die or a body die so that your brass has 2-thousands of free headspace to chamber.

I will get 15 to 20 reloads from quality brass for my 6.5 Swede and I load them just a tad over the recommended maximum as this gives the 140gr. bullets just enough velocity to get one ragged hole at 100 yards, and sub-MOA at the longer 400+ yardages.

Dave

++++1
:(
That's the way it's always been done. Doing it the other way runs the risk of not fitting SOME factory ammo in it. If it's a target only rifle and it ONLY sees YOUR reloads, probably not a big deal, but for a hunting rifle, ya never know when you'll forget your ammo.

[jbjh]

Thanks. I often cross contaminate ideas when reading (but luckily not while doing).


But that is not headspace. Headspace is to the shoulder. Chamber and throat length is something you can't control without a reamer.