Hi folks. New member here with a quick question about headspacing:
I'm starting a .308 build soon based on a cheap Stevens 200 action. I received my Shilen select match barrel last week and I'm read to start assembling the rifle. I had the chamber reamed to a dummy cartridge that I loaded up and sent to Shilen. This rifle will be shooting lapua brass and Scenar 155gr hpbt bullets loaded to SAAMI OAL specs.
My question is regarding headspacing TO MY SPECIFIC LOAD. I plan on using match headspace gauges to accomplish this. I've invested a fair amount of cash in this thing and I want it fine tuned. Besides, lapua brass ain't exactly cheap, so minimal case wear is a bonus as well. Let me be clear that this rifle will never fire factory ammo or any ammo that I have not loaded personally hand-loaded, for that matter.
I have not measured my resized brass yet, so I'll use some hypothetical numbers out for examples. Lets say I get my Hornady Comparator out and find the measurement of my case to be 1.632".
What size headspace gauges should I use? From what I've read, as long as I keep tight specs on my cartridges, .002-.003" of headspace tolerance is acceptable. So with that being said, should I use 1.632" and 1.634" headspace gauges for go and no go, respectively?
Thanks in advance.
Josh