head space on new build

I'm putting together a 243 with an ER Shaw barrel. I have a Foster go gauge. With everything together it closes tight on the go gauge. When I chamber a round there is no resistance. Bolt seems loose to to me. I have taken it down a few times to check everything and get the same thing. I also have a 6.5x55 I built and took apart. Was going to put it back together but can't find my gauge for it. It was lost in the move I guess. I do have once fired brass for it and read some where about using it. Any thoughts on any of this? Thanks

Hmmm....

Did you try putting a piece of cellophane tape on the back of the go gage so as to make it a no-go gage? If everything is right, the bolt should only close 1/2 way against the no-go gage (go gage with tape).

If it does as described, it's all good.

It will not close on it. Just as described.

Then headspace is not an issue.

Not sure what else might be making it feel loose, but it ain't that. :)

What's loose? Savage bolts aren't a tight fit inside the receiver, in my experience.

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Originally Posted by upSLIDEdown

What's loose? Savage bolts aren't a tight fit inside the receiver, in my experience.

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This I know. I have put together a hand full of savage rifles. As said there is no resistance when closing a bolt on a live round. I will be pulling the trigger from a safe location when test firing just to be safe.

There shouldn't be the same resistance you get on the go-guage on a live round. The go-gauge should be the absolute maximum size any loaded ammo should be, and most ammo should be a hair smaller. I set my chambers tight on a go-gauge to minimize brass growth with factory rounds, should I choose to shoot them, however I reload 99.9% of the time, and only bump my shoulders .001-.002", so it's a non-issue.

Brass varies a lot too. I headspaced one yesterday. WW sized brass fits snug like I want. Fed, RP both were slightly shorter. Safe to shoot just not perfect fit like the WW. ie SAAMI spec'd.

Thanks for the help, any thoughts on the 6.5x55?

I assume the brass you have was fired from that actual chamber?

I guess it depends on a few things. For instance, when I built my Creed, I purposefully set it tight on a go-guage as I said, to minimize case growth with factory loads. I set it so tight that it will barely chamber a factory bullet. I didn't realize that at the time, and now I don't shoot anything but handloads anyway, and I'm not going to sell the gun to anyone, so it's a moot point. I have the tools to measure case headspace (Hornady), so I just set my full length die to bump the shoulder .001-.002" and I'm good. If you're in that same boat, don't plan to sell it, and plan to handload for it, I'd say you'd be fine setting the headspace with a fired case from that chamber. I'd set it fairly snug on that case, then you'll just set your dies up to bump the shoulder .001-.002" and roll with it.

Now if you could sell it one day, or there's a chance someone else might try to shoot anything factory, or otherwise, through it other than the custom handloads you would be working up for that particular rifle, it may not be the best idea, at least not in my mind. Again, all depends on your particular circumstances.

I'm sure I rambled here, but hopefully it was understandable, and hopefully it helped.

Thanks, the case is from that chamber. I have a habit of buying guns but I never let them go.

You did remove the ejector when headspacing right?

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Originally Posted by big honkin jeep

You did remove the ejector when headspacing right?

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Always