Headspacing umpteen guns ?

[Hammer]

Assume you are going prairie doggin' and taking a dozen guns of the same caliber. Assume further that all these rifles have had the original factory barrel pulled at some time in the past. You are getting ready to install new barrels on all the actions (all the same calber).

Instead of using factory headspace gauges...

Would you be better off headspacing all of the barrels on the ammo ?

Assume for a moment that all safety issues of headspacing with loaded ammo are resolved.

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[ctrout]

I prefer to headspace off of a sized round from my dies so that is how I would do it. it just seems to make more sense to me. Full length size a fired round and then use that round to set headspace so you don't have to worry about neck sizing and bumping shoulders and what not. Just makes it more worry free. I've never had a problem with doing it this way. I defer however, to those with more experience.

[dcloco]

Were ALL of the loaded rounds sized from the same equipment at the same time?

Pull the firing pins...and headspace away on LIVE rounds.

[outlawkyote]

You dont work up loads for each of your rifles?

[Hammer]

There are some individual rifles that I do work up individual loads for.

But when you have 30+ identical rifles it is difficult to imagine that you will be able to statistically defend that you have truly found optimum loads that are unique to each rifle and not just random lucks of the draw. I design rigorous tests which include many of the rifles and execute these tests in such a way that individual differences can be detected. But you might be surprised by how many rifles will shoot the same load very well.

Besides, I am very lazy and if the same load will shoot extremely well in 30+ guns, I just setup a Dillon for that load and pump out several thousand of it.

I am not unique in this opinion.

The number one benchrest shooter of all time follows the same philosophy. He has a load which he has been shooting for umpteen years in umpteen different rifles and barrels. If a new barrel or rifle won't demonstrate success within four five-shot groups with that specific load, he tosses that barrel. Life is too short, barrel life is too short, and components too expensive to spend searching for the optimum load unique to a single gun when so many guns will shoot the good load sufficiently well to win national championships over and over.


Again, with some specific rifles I do work up specific loads.

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[MichaelStrauss]

Could you share the optimum load for .223? How about .25 & .30-06? 6.8 SPC, if you got it. Thank you.

[Eric in NC]

+1



Besides, I am very lazy and if the same load will shoot extremely well in 30+ guns, I just setup a Dillon for that load and pump out several thousand of it.



Do share with us the benefits of your research. I would be willing to bet that I am at least equally lazy and don't see the point in re-creating the good work of others.

Swift, Wasp, etc. info would be great.

[kkeene]

I agree with Hammer about one load for multiple guns when shooting large volume of varmints.

I "shoot" varmints and I "hunt" deer.

My choice for head spacing a rifle comes down to - will I need to fire factory ammo or just my hand loads?

The head spacing on my large volume (about 2,000 rounds in a good year) varmint rifles that use hand loads is a little tighter than factory ammo in some cases, depending on my die set. I am not concerned with one round out of a thousand varmint rounds not chambering due to tight head spacing, but I am looking for very long brass life and excellent accuracy.

For my relatively low volume (40 rounds or so including practice, varmints of opportunity, a pig or two, and a couple of deer) shooting in hunting calibers - I always make sure that factory ammo will easily chamber for 100% reliability.

Keith

[BrentWin]

The number one benchrest shooter of all time follows the same philosophy. He has a load which he has been shooting for umpteen years in umpteen different rifles and barrels. If a new barrel or rifle won't demonstrate success within four five-shot groups with that specific load, he tosses that barrel.

Hammer, do you have his address. I need to go rumage thru his trash and give those poor orphans a home. ;D

[Hammer]

Yeah, have his address and have spent one-on-one time with him on his personal shooting range.

But you won't be the first in line for those barrels.

Lot's of second place finishes at the national championships have been done with his discards.

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[BrentWin]

What about having a headspace gauge machined down to the same OAL as your dies produce. That way you would have consistancy throught, with out the variations possible from slightly crushing the brass when using resized cases?

[kkeene]

What about having a headspace gauge machined down to the same OAL as your dies produce. That way you would have consistancy throught, with out the variations possible from slightly crushing the brass when using resized cases?


My experience from head spacing off of sized brass it that it is easy to feel contact with the brass - so I don't have a problem with varying head space due to using a case. After head space is set I open the bolt and then tighten the nut, then check head space. What I have to be careful of is keeping the receiver from turning slightly when tightening the nut.