Luckier than deserved

[overthere]

Got my shilen 223 barrel today and proceeded to mount it on a savage target action. In order to set the headspace more correctly with the gauges I removed the extractor on the boltface. I know the ball bearing goes flying when the extractor is removed so I was doing this in a ziploc bag. The extractor would not quite come off and I am having problems seeing what the problem is and the moment I remove the ziploc bag to better see what the issue is I hear a 'zing', followed by a 'pling' from the ball bearing hitting the overhead lights and then a bounce in a remote part of the room...

I was stupid and not wearing protective glasses so I could have easily been hit in the eye. As I heard the ball land in some remote corner of the room I thought there is no way I will be able to find it but for good measure I did a sweep around the room (which is overflowing with junk along the walls) and what do you know, I almost immediately spot the ball bearing on the floor in front of one of the junk piles... :o

Note to self, *always* wear eye protection :cool:

[sharpshooter]

Another note to self: you don't have to remove anything from the bolt to headspace it.

[JCalhoun]

These are fairly easy and inexpensive to find in the gun parts stores so I bought about three or four for spares.

[joeb33050]

Another note to self: you don't have to remove anything from the bolt to headspace it.
I remove the ejector before headspacing; It makes the "feel" much better.
joe b.

[olddav]

When I loose a part somewhere in the shop or house I like to think of it as "storing parts in an unspecified location".
Its easy to catalog the parts but a little difficult to retrieve.