Setting headspace?

[justinp61]

Can the headspace on a new barrel be set withot a set of go/no go gauges? if so what method?

Thanks

[celltech]

Some may scream about it, but you can technically use a piece of brass with scotch tape layers on the end to simulate go/no go. You should strip down the bolt head to eliminate pressures and influences on the "gauge".

[Robinhood]

Adjustable headspace on a barrel is a beautiful thing. Knowing what you are doing is beautiful also. Watch some videos and understand what you are doing before you attempt it. Not a big deal for someone mechanically inclined. I use a soda or bear can cut into a shim for the recess in the boltface as my no go in leu of scotch tape.

[tobnpr]

Big question is do you shoot factory ammo or handload...
There's significant variation among factory ammunitions. Setting headspace tightly on one type may preclude you from chambering others. If you shoot different factory ammo, you should use a "go" gauge which will set at SAAMI spec and it'll chamber all factory ammunition.

[deerhunter99]

I have done it twice as Robinhood stated take your time they is no hurry, and it will turn out great have fun !!!!

[justinp61]

Thanks guys. I do reload for this rifle but would like to shoot factory ammo too, or at least if I sell it factory ammo wouldn't be a problem.

[tobnpr]

^^^
You really should use a go-gauge to ensure it will chamber "any" ammunition.The potential problem otherwise is that your sizing die may be setting the shoulder datum less than spec, which is no issue for your own ammo but would likely cause an issue with at least some factory offerings.

A "go" gauge is cheap enough, but you can also rent one for just five bucks from 4D. Doing it with a hardened and ground gauge ensures it'll be set just as it would be done at the factory.

[justinp61]

I ordered a go gauge, new barrel nut and barrel nut wrench tonight.

Thanks guys, Justin.

[6mmBR_Shooter]

To get ready for deer season I had my bone stock 110 30-06 down to parade rest over the weekend for a deep cleaning. I was curious to see how close the factory headspace setting was to the minimum based on a go-gauge but also (with the firing pin/ejector/extractor out) used a factory box of Win 150gr PP and some full-length sized handloads in addition to the go-gauge.

This is not scientific at all, but I found that with both the factory ammo and my handloads, it was too easy to set headspace even tighter than minimum. I didn't see any clear marks on the case shoulders afterwards showing any deformity or rub marks, so not totally sure why it was so easy to spin the barrel past minimum headspace. Having a barrel spun on even further than safe minimum headspace does not give me the warm and fuzzies.

Just for the heck of it I took a 243 barrel and did the same on the action also. I got the exact same results.

When reinstalling the 30-06 barrel with the go-gauge, I was able to properly set it maybe 5 or 10 degrees tighter than the way it came from the factory.

I see people on here all the time recommending using brass, factory ammo, etc to install a barrel but I personally do not feel comfortable doing it after seeing that both my 30-06 and 243 barrels would have been set below minimum safe headspace had I done them that way.

YMMV

[LHitchcox]

6mmbr, you are correct. It is easy to slightly crush a case and get headspace too tight. I prefer a go gage.

[mnbogboy2]

Most factory brass is "smaller" than go-gauge to begin with. If it wasn't it wouldn't fit in a minimum length chamber.
Using factory brass to headspace will almost always result in "short" chamber if you don't add shims or tape. Fired cases from a known saami spec chamber that are sized properly are a better substitute than a new case.

[mnbogboy2]

Oops double post

[axio]

Yeah, I use a go gauge as well, with a piece of tape on the bottom for the no go. As cheap as a go gauge is, why do anything else.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Nor Cal Mikie]

SAAMI specs are pretty generous so make sure you arn't sizing your reloads TOO MUCH. You could always set the head space on the snug side for your home rolled ammo THEN as needed, re set it to SAAMI if you sell the rig. Best of both worlds.:cool:

[mnbogboy2]

SAAMI specs are pretty generous so make sure you arn't sizing your reloads TOO MUCH. You could always set the head space on the snug side for your home rolled ammo THEN as needed, re set it to SAAMI if you sell the rig. Best of both worlds.:cool:

Good advice but care must be taken not to set headspace too short or the saami spec sizing die may end up too long for sizing the "short" cases without modifications to the die or shell holder.

[justinp61]

My go gauge came today so all I need to do is check my shim stock to see if there is any .002" in there and come up with a punch so the ejector can be removed. Our deer season comes in Saturday so I'm not sure when I'll start on it.

[justinp61]

Guys I have the barrel on and the bolt (with the ejector removed) closes on the no go gauge but wont close on the go gauge with a piece of shipping tape, .0032" according to my mic. Am I ok?

Thanks, Justin

The "no" should not be there, sorry for my mistake.

[6mmBR_Shooter]

If it closes on the no-go gauge you need to twist the barrel in a bit more to tighten up headspace. Any time the no-go fits, the go gauge will fit no problem. Snug the barrel to the chambered go gauge and then lock the barrel nut down. At that point the no-go should not fit.

[6mmBR_Shooter]

If you have both a go and a no-go then I wouldn't bother with the tape. The gauges are precision ground. The tape is not.

[justinp61]

I only have the go gauge.